The One Minute Influencer
Our culture's preoccupation with time compression is becoming quite comical. Even Rachael Ray has shifted gears from 30 minute meals to 15 minute meals! I am still waiting on the book entitled "Do Takeout" which will follow 7 minute meals. In the workplace, the mantra of better faster stronger has been replaced with faster, faster, and faster. It is also clear that we need to have positive influence and impact. The days of direct control are a relic of the past (at least in theory). We know we must move fast and we must exert influence at work today. How do we do both?
The development of people is a process of influence. Whenever I ask managers what they are doing to develop their people, they shoot me a blank stare and say I wish I had time to develop people. We are not doing that very well. The train of guilt, rumination, and excuses leaves the station. As I listen, it becomes clear to me that managers have a picture in their mind of developing people that makes me tired. They seem to think that they need to schedule time to focus on development. Another meeting and several long conversations equals influencing the development of a subordinate.
This laborious model flies in the face of what we understand about how to really influence people. Interview research conducted to understand the key influencers and influences on successful people over time has scant evidence of any such planned formal conversation. Someone taking the time to say the right words at the right time or offer pointed feedback on useless behavior works every time. People often report that individuals with whom they had very limited interaction influenced them more than people they worked with for several years. Relatively brief interactions in the midst of the action of the day can be quite powerful. One minute influencers are noted time and time again.
What steps do you need to take to become an effective One Minute Influencer?
You must hold the intention to influence in your mind.
In order to spot opportunities to influence, you must consistently be looking for an opening. This requires you to hold the intention to influence on your radar screen along with the sales numbers and your frustration at your boss.
Step back from the action and reflect at regular intervals.
The most prevalent danger of our time is getting caught up in all of the data and stimulation that bombards us. Just stop for two minutes and observe what is going on. The two minutes that you stop and observe has the potential to make the next 8 hours more productive.
Talk less and say more.
Simplicity of phrasing gets through. Get to the point with clarity in a pointed manner. Fluff dilutes your impact. Just to catch everyone off guard, say what you really think without sanitizing the message at least once a day. On second thought, maybe not. Just thought that I would see if you read to the end!
