Increasing Your Organizational Influence With 3 Deliberate Audience Building Tactics
Last week we kicked off a series focused on Influence.
If you missed part 1 focused on Expertise, you can catch up here.
Today we continue our journey into foundational elements of influence by focusing on Audience.
As a refresher, here’s the framework:
3 components of Audience I’m going to highlight today:
Relationship Banking
Think Like A DM
Know Their Priorities
1. Relationship Banking
It’s damn near impossible to drive valuable change alone. You need others.
And you need relationships with people in three capacities:
Influencing decision making
Building a team of advocates
Knowing the needs of end users
That all starts by building and maintaining relationships.
Once again, the Relationship Kickoff Conversation comes into play. Make it a habit to have a version of this with every team member, cross functional partner, etc.
And continue to invest in these relationships.
Make regular deposits via friendly Slack messages, casual virtual coffees, in person lunch, AND supporting their endeavors whenever possible.
These deposits will build up your relationship bank account.
There will be a time when you make a withdrawal and need to ask for their help.
Rule of thumb: no negative relationship bank balances.
2. Think Like A DM
Who are the Decision Makers in your org? How well can you think like them?
This next tactic is about stepping into the mindset of the decision maker.
When you can step into how they are likely thinking, you can increase your likelihood of getting a Yes to your proposed idea.
Thinking like a DM enables you to then zoom out, escape tunnel vision, and cater your messaging to your Audience.
Consider these a great starting place:
Do you have an idea, improvement, or vision you’re wanting to move forward? Filter your solution and messaging through the 5 components listed above. What do you notice shifts in your approach?
(PS - during April’s leadership retreat for women, we’ll be taking this further by zeroing in on particular characteristics of decision makers. Limited space still available. And only 2 onsite hotel rooms left!)
3. Know Their Priorities
To influence your Audience you need to KNOW their priorities.
The decision makers, what's important to them?
The folks who will be receiving this change, what do you KNOW to be true about what’s important to them.
I’m deliberately putting emphasis on KNOW because we can fall into the trap of making assumptions.
Do this exercise…
Write down 2 columns:
What I KNOW to be true
What I ASSUME to be true
Then begin the sorting exercise to challenge what you truly know is a priority for your audience vs what you assume.
This exercise typically becomes a forcing function to then go seek clarity with your Audience.
When you have clarity on their priorities you can better craft your pitch in a way that piques their interest.
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That’s it for today. 3 tactics to strengthen your connection and approach with your Audience.
What are you taking away from today?
Next week…we’ll look at Advocates. How to create advocates to further your vision and influence.
