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Aim
This exercise encourages you to explore how people react when you speak to them or try to influence them. It is vital that you increase your awareness of other people and their specific needs if you are to truly develop your influencing abilities. You can use this exercise individually, or distribute it to your team.
Task Think about a recent occasion where you have spoken and tried to influence people. This could be anything, such as speaking at a team meeting, participating in an interview, giving a presentation, or making a speech.
Bearing this occasion in mind, answer yes or no to the questions below.
Consider why people reacted to what you said in the way that they did. Give special consideration to both your style of speaking and the way in which the other person likes to receive information. Do people react in a particular way because you:
- Take too long to get to the point?
- Are ill-prepared when you start to speak?
- Do not speak clearly?
- Do not make much sense?
- Are nervous?
Repeat the exercise using a different scenario if desired.
Write down some ideas on how you can improve your current influencing style, e.g. adopting a different style of presenting information for different people.
Questions
1. Did the other person look actively involved, i.e. nodding, focussing on what you were saying, asking questions on the back of a point you made etc?
YES/NO
