For those of us who remember a time when phones were tethered to walls, a passing glance at social media is all it takes to recognize the radical societal shift over the last decade. We’ve collectively transitioned from the Information Age into the age of influence, and many of us are still acclimating to the norms and expectations in this unfamiliar world we now inhabit. If your children are expressing aspirations of becoming “Influencers” when they grow up, you understand exactly what I mean.
In the information age, knowledge was power. Influence stemmed from possessing more information, subject matter expertise, and experience than our audiences, and leveraging this information asymmetry to foster receptivity among those less informed. Our influencing strategies centered on bridging the information gap, so we spent our energy providing detailed information and relevant context, believing our influence increased when our audiences felt we helped them to understand a subject as well as we did.
Fast forward a few decades, and we now have the knowledge of the world at our fingertips. We’re no longer easily swayed by individuals claiming to possess exclusive information. In fact, knowledge, information, and experience have almost nothing to do with what it takes to successfully influence others in this modern era. We live in a time where influence stands as one of the most potent tools at our disposal to mold the world around us and a fundamental competency expected of our leaders. Yet, we fail to acknowledge that our leaders were nurtured in a time where the principles for effective influence starkly contrast to what’s required for successful influence today.
So what does it take to wield effective influence in modern organizational culture and how can we cultivate greater influence in our lives?
In this article, I explore what it takes to be influential in a modern age by offering practical strategies accessible to anyone seeking to amplify their impact within their teams and organizations. We will contrast old influencing strategies with the new, and challenge ourselves to cultivate ethical influence in our professional lives. Let’s dive in.
5 Strategies to Become More Influential
If the definition of influence remains “the power to change how someone develops, behaves, or thinks,” we have to understand what it takes to wield that power with some efficacy in our professional lives. If we accept the hierarchical influencing strategies of the information age have fallen to the wayside along with our beepers and VCRs, we must challenge ourselves to develop alternative strategies to build and maintain influence. Today, the power to influence is based on embracing five key strategies.
1️⃣ Cultivate Strong Connections
Relationships have replaced information as the primary currency of influence in modern culture. We are receptive to those we believe share common goals and values, so to become truly influential, we have to invest time to build quality connections with our audiences based on shared experiences. Tell meaningful stories, ask thoughtful questions, and invest time to see the world from your audience’s perspective as a foundational first step in any influencing relationship.
2️⃣ Seek Opportunities to Create Value
Modern influence is more about what you can give than what you can gain. We are influenced by those who create value and make a meaningful contribution to our lives, instead of those who solicit our time and attention with a personal agenda. Focus your energy on listening for opportunities to create value for your audiences, and think about the strategies you can devise on their behalf to solve a problem or concern that matters to them.
3️⃣ Continuously Develop Expertise
Good influencers immerse themselves in their sphere of influence and do their best to continually cultivate their expertise. They listen to other influencers, stay abreast of trends and developments impacting their area of expertise, and position themselves as experienced voices speaking to a specific audience about an issue that matters. Invest time to develop expertise in your sphere of influence. Listen to podcasts, read articles, and create a foundational perspective you can use to responsibly influence others within your area of expertise.
4️⃣ Curate Solutions
Although most of us were trained to wield influence by providing as much information as possible to win over audiences, modern influence depends on our ability to curate information on their behalf. By focusing attention on the 5% of the information audiences need to understand the other 95% of the issue, modern influencers create value by cutting through the noise of all the information out there to zero in on the three to five things you need to know to make informed decisions.
5️⃣ Communicate Influentially
We’re missing the mark when we influence like lawyers and build a case before arriving at our conclusions, because when we don’t know where the conversation is going, we listen with a critical ear instead of a receptive mind. To increase receptivity to influence, start with a common goal or problem, give audiences your solution up front, and substantiate your idea with no more than five pieces of curated information before inviting questions.
When it comes to successful influence in today’s working world, the Millennials have something to teach us about working smarter instead of harder. Younger generations have elevated influencing skills to an art form and thought critically about what it really takes to successfully wield the power of influence in our professional lives. They’ve taught us that if we focus our attention on building relationships and creating value instead of coercing others into our way of thinking, influence becomes the natural byproduct of a working life based on positive contributions to the lives of others. The next time you’re scrolling through Instagram with the other dinosaurs like me, take a moment to appreciate the value influencers have brought to our lives and admire the example they set for what it means to impact the way others see the world.
Danielle Terranova is the voice behind Leadership Lessons with Danielle.
She has been an executive coach since 2015 and owner of Terranova Consulting, LLC since 2019.