How to Be More Influential at Work as a Technical Professional | Elevated You

When you're trying to influence stakeholders it's essential that you understand what they’re running from and what they’re running to.

What do I mean?

The current situation is causing some pain and they're running from it.

The future situation has an outcome and they're running to it.

Working out which is most important to them, and showing how they can get away from the pain and reach paradise is powerful.  Talk less about the details of solution and more about how the solution helps them run.

Think about applying for your dream job.  There's a list of reasons why you want to leave your current role.  The boss is a psychopath, you're not learning anything, there's no career progression, the salary is dire … etc.

And then there's a list of things you want in the new role:  a great career path, a fabulous boss, more gold coins … etc.

So there's the things you're running from and things you're running to.

Sometimes the pain is more influential, and sometimes the destination is more influential.

Use it.  Talk to them about how you could help them run from the pain and run to the destination.

Let's get back to the new dream job example. 

Interviewer: "Why do you want this role?"

Me: "Well in my current role: my boss is an idiot, the work is dull, dull, dull and I won't get a promo until Lisa shuffles off this mortal coil.  Just get me outta there."

Interviewer: "Next candidate please!"

Focusing on the pain won't help you get hired.  Where you're running to is more important.

Interviewer:  "Why do you want this role?"

Me: "I love the mission you have at this company; from what I understand the culture is great and it's a brilliant chance for me to learn and grow."

Interviewer: "Love it.  Tell me how do you want to learn and grow?"

This approach applies to selling tech, managing your senior leaders and changing the processes in your internal team.

Understand … what is the pain they are suffering?  What is the challenge they have?

Understand … what is the outcome they want to achieve?  What does paradise look like to them?

If you understand that, you can create a solution and then articulate it in language that works for them.

Some situations you want to hit the pain. Some situations you want to hit the outcome.  Some situations you want to balance both.

Well there you go.

Hope this helps.

Ben