Positive Power and Influence® Program
Influence skills are primary elements of effective communication and leadership ability. As a management training and professional development organization for over 30 years, SMS offers the original influence skills program called Positive Power and Influence. This program provides people with the behavioral skills important to getting their jobs done efficiently while keeping relationships intact.
Participants in the POSITIVE POWER AND INFLUENCE® Program develop influence style flexibility. They learn to diagnose each influence situation they encounter, and then apply the influence style that will be most effective.
What is the purpose of the program?
To get things done in today’s organizations, we must positively influence others-direct reports, colleagues, managers, clients, and suppliers-both inside and outside the organization. In addition, the factors influencing organizations change therefore flexibility in using different influence approaches is key. Typical influence goals include gaining buy-in for one’s ideas, securing cooperation, attuning agendas, and sustaining action.
Strong influencers fulfill their personal objectives while maintaining and nurturing important work relationships. That sounds simple, but in practice it can be extremely challenging. Many people achieve their influence objectives only at the expense of important relationships. Others habitually avoid challenging influence situations, at the expense of fulfilling their work goals.
Where INFLUENCE matters…
* Mobilize resources to get things done.
* Influence others without the use of positional authority.
* Manage and motivate “difficult” or non-performing employees.
* Lead others through rapid change and uncertainty.
* Improve cross-functional, supplier and client relationships.
* Become more effective team members/team leaders.
Who is the program for?
The POSITIVE POWER AND INFLUENCE® Program is designed to make influence a core competence of your organization. PPI will measurably improve the performance of:
” Program or project managers who must obtain the cooperation of functional managers over whom they have no authority.
” Individuals whose positions place new demands upon their abilities to influence events and people.
” Technical or professional personnel taking on supervisory or management responsibilities.
” Individuals who must exert influence cross functionally.
” Staff who need to gain the support of operating managers.
” Managers and supervisors who want to develop their influence skills to lead more effectively.
” Anyone whose responsibilities exceed his or her positional authority.
What is in the program?
Positive Power and Influence® Program: DESCRIPTION
The core of the POSITIVE POWER AND INFLUENCE® Program is the Situational Influence Model which highlights that we need not rely on one predominant influence style. Rather, we can apply the specific style best suited to each influence situation we face:
The Influence Styles
PUSH
The influencer asserts his/her position or seeks to persuade key stakeholders.
PULL
The influencer uses empathy or other involving, cooperative, value-based behaviors to attract and build bridges to key stakeholders.
MOVE AWAY
The influencer disengages when perceiving a deadlock or other insurmountable impasse and re-evaluates his/her influence strategy. Note: disengaging is not avoiding, as the influencer is still actively seeking to influence key stakeholders.
How is the program structured?
PPI moves briskly through influence concepts to focus participants on mastering influence behaviors, and to applying those behaviors in their own work in the weeks immediately following the program. This is accomplished through role-plays, case studies, small and large group work, exercises, lecturette, one-on-one trainer coaching, peer feedback, a/v feedback, and application to a real-life situation.
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Prior to the program, participants collect data from associates via a 360-degree feedback instrument. This data is used in conjunction with taped simulation, in-program feedback to clearly identify which influence styles each participant tends to use, as well as to highlight their personal opportunities to become more influential.
DEVELOPING STYLE AND FLEXIBILITY: Participants learn the fundamentals of influence styles they use infrequently or ineffectively. They also practice the influence styles with which they are already familiar, learning how to apply them more effectively. Participants thoroughly explore all styles and develop personal learning goals for the remainder of the program.
DEVELOPING INFLUENCE SKILLS: Participants then practice using varied influence styles in relevant and challenging situations, to improve their ability to first diagnose the influence situation, craft an influence strategy using a diagnostic tool, then strategically apply the most effective style.
APPLICATION PLANNING: Last and most important, participants prepare to apply what they have learned to a real-life influence situation using tailored simulation and intensive feedback form peers and training staff.
How is the program delivered?
The POSITIVE POWER AND INFLUENCE® Program can be conducted internally using certified trainers. Client organizations may also choose to conduct the program using internal facilitators trained and certified by our firm. Open enrollment sessions are also available.
PPI is easily tailored. Your account manager will work with you to design a delivery schedule that best suits your needs.
Who uses POSITIVE POWER AND INFLUENCE®?
More than a quarter million managers and professionals, working in the world’s leading organizations, including: Anheuser-Busch, BASF Corporation, Burger King, CIGNA, Dell Computer, Eastman Kodak, General Mills, GlaxoSmithKline, JPMorgan Chase, Lotus Development Corporation, NASA, PECO Energy, Pfizer, Inc., Siemens Westinghouse, The Procter & Gamble Company, Verizon