How do you make other people want to work with you? How do you make other people want you to want to work with them? When you can do those two things, you have what I call “real influence.” Real influence is rooted in servant leadership—adding value to others in every interaction up, down, sideways, and diagonally. This includes:
- Building and drawing on interpersonal influence and conducting yourself in a professional manner.
- Using the influence of specific commitments to establish clear ownership and timelines for concrete deliverables.
- Seeking to influence through rational persuasion that relies on verifiable facts.
- Influencing by facilitating success and making it easier for people to work with you.