Influencing and Persuading

Why are these skills so important (now)?

Change:– Post election environment– New localism, public funding cuts, welfare

reform, ‘power to the people’ & freedoms and flexibilities

– Fundamental implications for our organisations, people and communities

– Intrinsic to how we build capacity and empower

– New way…of everything

Fight or flight?

• Change: Love it or hate it, it’s a constant• Need package of skills, all of which embody

ability to influence and shape a new agenda– Adaptability. Agility. Resilience. Energy.

Entrepreneurialism. Creativity. Resourcefulness– Compelling evidence and vision– Thought leadership– Opinion forming– Rational and emotional intelligence

• ‘new way’ will mean different context, different partners, different delivery…different slant.

So what do I know?• Various roles and contributions over the

years• Battle tested but still smiling• Learned a lot… and still learning• Leadership is key• Be the change you want to see• Pause. Reflect• Sit back, listen and think. • Gravitas and passion

2

• Influencing is not lobbying• The power of inference & suggestion• Assertion not aggression• Build consensus not engage in conflict• Passion v obsession (don’t overplay strengths!)• Self awareness – seek feedback • Trust• Under-state criticism and regular praise• Not how people behave, its how you treat them

Don’t believe the hype!• Conventional thinking rates ‘experience’ as most

desirable• (More important is the ability to bring people

together to deliver a common goal)• Live to work• ‘safe pair of hands’? (What flavour ice-cream are

you?)• Intuition – never shy away from emotional stuff• Challenge is healthy• ‘People are talking’ • Management is a specialist skill

Leadership is key• Transformational powers• Not necessarily of staff or teams – many different types• No great mystery, art or science!• Just be you – people person• Micro-management has no place in influencing• Time or talent?• Lead from back or middle – doesn’t have to be front• Set outcomes but don’t prescribe methodology• Outcomes not process• Have a go v getting fingers burned• Optimism• Courage

Because…• Builds consensus around issues• Means you shape an agenda• Take people with you & inspire them to achieve • Gains co-operation• Its okay to be liked• People usually know what the right thing to do is

– don’t need ‘showing’• Increases productivity, dynamism and helps

unlock potential• Whole is greater than sum of its parts

Hearts and Minds

• Reason – mind/logic

• Affection – heart

• Intuition – gut feel

• Desire - passion

Examples• Torfaen ‘the early years’ … GRIT• Section 106 Agreements & private sector …

MAGNAMINITY• Blenheim Square …BELIEF & SUPPORT• National policy shaping … KNOWLEDGE• Digital inclusion …PUSHING BACK

BOUNDARIES• ‘Measuring the Impact’… CHALLENGE

• Professional life and personal - BALANCE

My top 10 tips

• Know your stuff inside and out• Show people where their contribution fits• Create a sense of momentum• Communicate clearly• Big picture but devil in detail• Know the boundaries, then push them back• Find a champion• Verbs more important than nouns• Seize the day, but don’t take yourself too seriously • Show integrity – good faith is hard to knock