Influencing Skills: Influencing & Persuasion Skills + Negotiating Skills

Course Overview

In order to influence the thinking and behaviour of others, and persuade them to your way of thinking, you need to communicate confidently, build a relationship and remain assertive even when pressurised.

This course is designed to enable you to be more confident, influential and persuasive at work through recognising the link between your communication skills and the impact they can achieve. This course also includes an introduction to negotiating with others, especially on a one-to-one basis.

Audience

Individuals who would benefit from an enhanced ability to persuade and influence in the workplace. This course is not designed for managers, who should instead attend ''Influencing and Persuading for Managers - With an Introduction to Negotiation'', or those looking for commercial negotiation.

Skills Gained

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Communicate in a more persuasive manner with colleagues and individuals from outside your organisation.
• Develop more effective and creative working relationships.
• Explain complicated ideas in a manner which aids understanding and increases the likelihood of success.
• Communicate with increased confidence at meetings.
• Become a more active listener.
• Apply principles of negotiation to your day-to-day communication.
• Use enhanced persuasion skills to act as an opinion shaper amongst your colleagues.
• Identify your own preferred influencing style and use it to encourage people to change their behaviour willingly.

Course Outline

Effective Communication Skills

• Defining communication and the communication process
• Your personal communication style - self-analysis/skills audit

Interpersonal Communication

• Non-verbal communication and body language - using it to strengthen your position
• Using your voice to advantage - tone, pace and style
• Personal presentation - creating the right impression
• Identifying and overcoming barriers to effective communication

Positive and Assertive Communication

• Saying ''yes'' when you know you should be saying ''no''
• Expressing your ideas in a direct and effective manner
• Contributing at meetings and gaining cooperation from others
• Using assertive and positive language

Persuasive and Influential Communication

• Expressing your views, ideas and requests with confidence
• Persuasive communication - gaining others'' agreement
• Ensuring your communication is clear, concise and easily understood
• Understanding and developing more active and effective listening
• Enhancing your questioning skills

Difficult Situations - Communicating With Confidence

• Creating a positive impression when dealing with senior colleagues
• Communicating difficult or sensitive messages
• Gaining cooperation from others and minimising conflict

An Introduction to Negotiation with Others

• The negotiation process when working with others
• Defining your personal style of negotiating
• Pre-negotiation - preparation and planning
• Setting your objectives and deciding your own limits of compromise
• Analysing the other person''s position
• Concluding the negotiation in a positive and productive manner - gaining a ''win-win'' situation

Personal Development

• Prepare a personal action plan to support your return to the workplace

Influencing Skills: Influencing & Persuasion Skills + Negotiating Skills / IS-IPN