Exercising Influence: A Guide for Making Things Happen at Work, at Home, and in Your Community, 3rd Edition

Chapter 3A Model for Exercising InfluenceBuilding Relationships and Getting Results

The life of [a person] is a self-evolving circle, which, from a ring imperceptibly small, rushes on all sides outward to new and larger circles, and that without end. The extent to which this generation of circles…will go depends on the force or truth of the individual soul.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Framework for Influence

Influencing others successfully is a complex process. It's not enough to be interpersonally skillful. There's nothing you can do or say that will guarantee success every time with every person in every situation. However, you can help yourself to succeed in challenging influence situations like the ones described at the beginning of this book by considering the entire framework of your influence opportunity. Figure 3.1 represents an effective framework for thinking about influence. There are four elements within the framework

1. Results: What are you hoping to accomplish through influencing this person?
2. Relationship: What kind of influence relationship do you currently have?
3. Context: What individual, organizational, or cultural issues might affect the results?
4. Approach: Which influence tactics and behaviors are most likely to help you accomplish your goal?

Figure 3.1 Influence Framework.

This chapter will give you an overview of each of the elements in the influence framework. ...