Influencing Skills Through Communication

One skill separates great communicators from average ones: Perspective-taking. The ability to see things from someone else’s point of view. But most people do it wrong. Here’s how to do it right, especially when you’re leading or being led: When you’re the boss, persuading down: You’re trying to convince Maria on your team to do something different. She’s pushing back. Your instinct might be to assert your authority. But that’s a mistake. Here’s why… Research shows: The more powerful you feel, the worse your perspective-taking becomes. More power = less understanding. So if you want to persuade Maria, don’t lean into your title. Do the opposite: dial your power down, just briefly. Try this: Before the next conversation, remind yourself: Maria has power too. I need her buy-in. Maybe she sees something I don’t. Lower your feelings of power to raise your perspective. From that place, ask: → What does she see that I’m missing? → What might be in her way? → What’s a win-win outcome? That shift changes the entire dynamic. Instead of steamrolling, you’re collaborating. And that’s how you earn trust and results. Now flip it. You’re the employee persuading your boss. It’s a high-stakes moment. You’re nervous. So do you appeal to emotion? No. Drop the feelings. Focus on interests. Here’s the key question: “What’s in it for them?” Not how you feel. Not your big dream. → Will it save time? → Improve performance? → Help them hit their goals? Make it about their world, not yours. Why? Because every boss has a mental shortcut: → Does this employee make my life easier or harder? Be the person who brings clarity, ideas, and upside. Not complaints, drama, or friction. In summary: → Persuading down? Dial down your power to see clearer. → Persuading up? Focus on their interests, not your emotions. Perspective-taking is a superpower, if you learn how to use it. Now practice, practice, practice.

🎣 “They didn’t even cc me.” Yumi, a senior marketing director, discovered her billion-dollar product had been repositioned without her. Eighteen months leading the project. Then, overnight, it reported to someone else. 🧊 She didn’t mess up. She wasn’t underperforming. She just wasn’t.... there. Not at the executive offsite. Not at the Friday “golf and growth” circle. Not at the CEO’s birthday dinner, her peers casually got invited to. 🏃♀️ She was busy being excellent. They were busy being bonded. 🍷 When she asked her boss about the change, he looked puzzled: “You’re usually aligned with the bigger picture, so we assumed it’d be fine.” 🧩 Translation: Yumi was predictable and available, but not powerful enough to be consulted. Women are told to “build relationships.” Men build alliances. Women maintain connections. Men maintain relevance in power circles. It’s not who likes you. It’s who says your name when you’re not in the room. 🕰 And let’s be honest: the real decisions about budget, headcount, and succession are made off-the-clock and off-the-record. 📌 How do you stop getting edited out of influence? 1. 🗺 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁    the shadow organization. Who gets early previews? Who influences without title? Write it down and update it monthly.     2. 📣 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁    If three senior leaders haven’t mentioned you this month, you’re invisible to power. Fix it with pre-wires, brief wins memos, and sponsor loops.     3. 🏛 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 "𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸" 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳  “𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴”    Skip passive panels. Show up where strategy happens: QBRs, investor briefings, offsite planning, cross-functional war rooms. Ask to observe; then add value.     4. 🔁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲    Recurring 1:1s across functions to co-design plans, not “catch up.” Influence travels faster sideways than up.     5. 🚨 𝗕𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀    If you vanished for two weeks and nothing stalled, you’re not central enough to promote. Attach your work to decisions, not tasks.     🧨 If this feels raw, it’s because it is. Brilliant women are being rewritten out of their own stories, not for lack of performance, but for lack of positioning. 🎤 That’s why Uma and I are hosting a live online workshop on the 2nd. Oct: 👉 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 A practical session to help you build strategic visibility, engineer sponsorship, and get your work into the rooms where decisions are made. 🔗 Join here: https://lnkd.in/g3sec2pN 🚪 Come if you’re done waiting to be recognized. Or let them “assume you’d be aligned,” too....

Your influence in the board room and executive team is 90% communication with measurable examples. The words you use can make or break you. Naturally, I've been compiling a list of "instead of saying this, say this" with measurable results. Many are based on my gotcha moments where I've failed miserably at explaining what marketing does. I've said things like: “We’re increasing brand awareness.” “Our demand generation efforts are working.” “We’re improving our SEO strategy.” Every marketing leader has said some version of these. The problem? Nobody in the boardroom or executive team cares about (or understands) marketing buzzwords. They care about revenue, efficiency, and business impact. Let's flip the script. I've compiled a list of marketing-speak and translated these statements into terminology a room full of non-marketers would understand. And bonus, I've included the right metrics to back them up. Example: 🚫 Don’t say: “We’re generating a lot of leads.” ✅ Say this instead: “We’re bringing in people who are actually interested in buying.” 📊 Measure it with: Organic Traffic, Demo Requests, MQL-to-SQL Conversion Rate I put together a full table of these translations and a template so you can ensure your marketing efforts land in the boardroom. I'll share the list and other communication tips this weekend in my newsletter, but if you just want the table. Let me know. Drop a “TABLE” in the comments, and I’ll send it over.

"In teamwork, silence isn't golden, it's deadly." 🔹 Throughout my leadership journey in the #CivilServices, I have come to appreciate the critical role that #communication plays in building successful teams. 🔹 It's not just about issuing directives—it's about ensuring that every team member feels: ➡️ Heard ➡️ Valued ➡️ Connected to the organization’s broader mission and vision. 🔹 In the often rigid structure of the bureaucratic system, I’ve always felt the need for more horizontal and bottom-up communication. ➡️ Implementing these channels has had a significant impact: ✨ It allows me to voice my insights and concerns upwards. ✨ It encourages my staff to share their feedback and ideas openly, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. 🔹 By prioritizing regular updates, open discussions, and feedback loops, we: ➡️ Celebrate our achievements. ➡️ Address any challenges collaboratively. ➡️ Keep everyone informed, engaged, and motivated to move forward together. 🔹 Working in dynamic settings means setbacks are inevitable. ➡️ But the real strength of a team lies in its ability to openly address challenges and brainstorm solutions together. ➡️ By fostering a culture of open communication, we anticipate potential roadblocks and develop strategies to overcome them collectively. 🔍 How do you encourage communication within your teams? I’d love to hear about the unique ways you promote a culture of open dialogue and shared purpose in your organization!

Resistance isn’t the enemy of change. Poor planning is. Change doesn’t fail because people are difficult. It fails because leaders rush in without structure. That’s why the ADKAR model works - it gives you a step-by-step way to make change stick. Step 1: Awareness Start by making the case for change. – Share the “why” with clarity – Use data and relatable stories – Highlight what’s at risk if nothing changes Step 2: Desire Create personal buy-in. – Speak directly to individual concerns – Tie the change to personal wins – Invite feedback, don’t just announce Step 3: Knowledge Make learning simple and accessible. – Train based on roles, not just theory – Break content into smaller lessons – Encourage peer learning Step 4: Ability Create space for hands-on experience. – Pilot with smaller teams – Offer coaching and feedback – Let teams experiment and iterate Step 5: Reinforcement Make sure the change sticks. – Track adoption with real metrics – Celebrate visible progress – Keep communication going Change isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about planning smarter. Now the question is: Where are you seeing resistance today? -- 📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet: 1. Follow Daniel Lock 2. Like the post 3. Repost to your network 4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eB3C76jb

Ever taken countless courses, only to find they all trace back to one book? Copywriting Secrets by Jim Edwards. It’s about selling more... a lot more. But, what can techs take away from it? The most valuable skill - persuasion. How to persuade others to take action. Here are my takeaways from the book: Understand Your Audience • Identify needs, pain points, and desires. • Define your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). • Focus on one big idea. Attract Interest • Craft a benefit-driven headline. • Use curiosity hooks (questions, teasers, surprises). • Highlight transformation (before & after). Engage Emotions • Use storytelling (relatable, emotional). • Build trust (social proof, testimonials, guarantees). • Focus on benefits, not features. Persuade With Proof • Create urgency (time limits, countdowns). • Leverage scarcity (limited stock, exclusivity). • Address objections (FAQs, risk reversal). Simplify Your Message • Use clear, simple language. • Be specific (numbers, examples, outcomes). • Keep formatting clean (bullets, subheadings). Direct Action • Include a clear call-to-action (CTA). • Repeat key messages strategically. • Make CTAs visible and actionable. Optimize Results • A/B test headlines, CTAs, and offers. • Iterate based on performance data. • Focus on what resonates. Whether it’s selling products, pitching ideas, or leading teams, Persuasion is the skill that drives it all. ------------

Persuasion isn’t about being right. It’s about making others see value the way you do. Great leaders don’t force decisions - they inspire alignment. If you want to turn resistance into support, here are 8 proven strategies for mastering the art of persuasion: 1️⃣ Embrace Carnegie’s Way The timeless principles of influence: ↳ Show genuine interest in others. ↳ Avoid criticism - focus on solutions instead. ↳ Make people feel important. 2️⃣ Follow Monroe’s Sequence Use this 5-step method to persuade effectively: 1. Attention: Capture their interest immediately. 2. Need: Address their challenges. 3. Satisfaction: Provide a compelling solution. 4. Visualisation: Show them the outcome. 5. Action: Make the next step easy and clear. 3️⃣ Build a Trust Triangle Trust is built through: ↳ Promises: Keep your word. ↳ Expertise: Share your proven results. ↳ Authenticity: Show up as your real self. 4️⃣ Use the Mirror Method Create instant rapport by mirroring others’ energy, tone, and behaviour. People are naturally drawn to those who reflect their own style. 5️⃣ Master the Science of Influence Use 6 key triggers to build trust and influence: 1. Reciprocity: Give before you ask. 2. Scarcity: Highlight urgency and what’s at stake. 3. Authority: Let your expertise speak for itself. 4. Consistency: Align your message with shared values. 5. Liking: Build genuine rapport. 6. Social Proof: Show how others are already on board. 6️⃣ Develop a Network Strategy Organise your relationships into three tiers: ↳ Power 25: Your closest, high-impact connections. ↳ Key 150: Broader influential network. ↳ Outer Network: The wider circle you can call on when needed. Start by focusing on strengthening your core group. 7️⃣ Incorporate the Aristotelian Triad Balance Credibility, Emotion, and Logic in your messaging.  A persuasive argument speaks to the head and the heart. 8️⃣ Apply the Stakeholder Matrix Map out the people who hold the most power and influence in your network. Prioritise your efforts to connect with those who can have the biggest impact on your goals. When you apply these 8 techniques, persuasion stops being about “winning” and becomes about building trust, creating connection, and alignment. -> Who’s the most persuasive person you know? What’s their secret? ♻ Share this with your network to help them master persuasion. ➕ Follow me, Jen Blandos, for actionable daily insights on business, entrepreneurship, and workplace well-being.

Great political speeches are similar to great business speeches. They seek to make an audience FEEL something, so that they DO something. 💙🧠 Using the AI Storytelling Assistants that I’ve been building over this last year and am now working with daily, I thought it would be fun to feed in the 4 big keynotes from the last 4 days at the DNC 🇺🇸 that have been getting a lot of attention – to see what we can learn from them. A quick glance at this analysis shows instantly how similar the speeches are, despite the differences in style, tone and personality between each of the speakers. From the thousands of speeches, presentations and pitches I have analysed over the years, I am convinced that all great presentations contain 6 essential ingredients: 🧠 LEFT BRAIN: Inform, Educate, Solve Problems ❤️ RIGHT BRAIN: Inspire, Entertain, Challenge I believe that every message should include all 6 of these elements. YOUR JOB is to figure out the right balance for each one, based upon what you want your audience to FEEL and DO. ⚖️ Look at how all 4 of these speeches over-index on INSPIRATION & INFORMATION, but they don’t focus as much on SOLVING PROBLEMS or CHALLENGING the audience’s views; because that’s not the purpose of speeches at conventions like the DNC. They're there to rally support and win hearts and minds. ❌ Many business presentations FAIL because they give the RIGHT speech to the WRONG audience. (Note: The best educational speeches, TED Talks and technical business presentations have a VERY different shape to these speeches). I also like to analyse levels of RHETORIC when I’m reviewing speeches, because it provides another view of what an audience is likely to FEEL and DO. 4 questions to ask yourself the next time you're giving an important presentation: 💙 PATHOS: Do you have enough of an emotional argument to make the audience FEEL what you want them to feel? 🙋🏽♀️ ETHOS: Have you established enough credibility & authority with the audience so that they trust you & believe you? 📊 LOGOS: Have you backed up your emotional arguments with enough data & evidence to satisfy any critics? ⏰ KAIROS: Have you created enough urgency so that your audience will DO what you want them to do? ⬇️ Look at how similar the levels of PATHOS (emotional language / emPATHy) are for our 4 speakers: WALZ: 34% / MICHELLE: 35% / BARACK: 36% / KAMALA: 34% Now look at the levels of KAIROS (language which is aimed to inspire an urgent action): WALZ: 20% / MICHELLE: 22% / BARACK: 21% / KAMALA: 22% When I analyse business speeches, I rarely see levels of KAIROS above 10% - which could be one reason why audiences may find a presentation interesting, but they don’t DO anything? Fascinating stuff. No matter your political agenda or views on AI, one thing interesting analysis like this does is spark a great conversation about how to tell better stories that connecting with an audience.

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Why Your Version of “Common Sense” Isn’t So Common After All When you want to persuade or influence, you’re not transmitting to just one receiver - you’re addressing three: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic). Staying only on one level is like speaking a foreign language - your message simply won’t land. Business and economic theory often assume humans are rational actors, guided by logos. But real life tells a different story. Behavioral economics, cognitive biases, and everyday experience all remind us that we are far from purely rational. In fact, we may be evolutionarily ill-equipped to make consistently rational decisions. Just ask a fund manager - managing money often means managing fear, greed, and anxiety, not just numbers. The bigger the fund, the more the manager becomes a psychiatrist, holding investors’ hands through turbulent times. That’s why persuasion requires all three: Ethos builds trust. Pathos stirs action. Logos grounds it in reason. To truly move people, you must speak in a way their whole being can understand.