Think about all those times when you’ve gone before an important person or group and thought you had a great pitch together to influence them, only to have them seem bored, uninterested or dismissive. Yuck. As much as that behavior from them might have to do with the actual content of of your proposal (benefits to them???) or the timing of it, HOW you make your pitch is of huge importance - it’s the audience-appeal factor. This episode talks about 4 personality types and how to get their attention.

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You think you’re all set to influence someone - you know what you want, you’re pitching to the right person or people, you’ve got your timing right. You’re golden. Or are you? All the prep in the world isn’t going to get you what you’re after unless you’ve put together a convincing case that is SO compelling that the people you’re influencing can’t help but say yes. But how do you do that? As a quick reminder, there’s power in influence. Here are 5 steps you can use that will get you what you’re after.

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When’s the right time to influence someone and how will you know it? There are two ways to look at time - one has to do with the actual day and time you’re influencing… right mood, right situation, right setting. You have to choose wisely. And the second has to do with the timing of your proposal - it is coming at a time when the benefits speak louder than anything that could drown them out? You should hope so.

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It’s not always so clear cut. There’s the obvious person or group that’s the direct target for your influence. But strategically thinking, there are those others who could be or who should be included somewhere along the way. These are the people who could help make or break your influence attempt. Listen to this week’s podcast and find out the 3 categories of people you should have on your influence list!

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Politics and influence are a powerful duo…hard to have one without the other, which is why Influence is the topic for September what with the national election so close.  Not that I’ll be focusing on the election this month, but a persuasive message is such a large part of getting people on board, and certainly for most of us who work in and with organizations.  There are 5 podcasts this month, all  having to do with influence. When you hear the first one, you’ll know what the topics for the month are, and here goes - you have to know what you want. I’ve already talked about that so I won’t be doing that again this month. So not only do you have to know what you want, you need to pitch it to the right people, in the right way, at the right time, and all while understanding hidden agendas and how to manage yourself when challenged. Tough job, people do it, you can too.

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The brilliant use of the question is a powerful way to influence others and get past the resistance that you run into when you’re attempting to get your ideas on the table. In this episode I cover 4 types of questions that are bound to make you more influential with everyone - especially with those who count the most in work - your direct reports, peers and just about everyone above you.

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Underlying needs or “interests” as they’re sometimes referred to are the drivers behind just about everything in life.  We all have needs. The key is to be aware of what they are so you can make sure they get satisfied. Of course, it goes without saying that if you’ve got needs, so does everyone else. And that means that not only do you have to figure out what your needs are so that you can be sure they get met, you also have to make a wild-ass guess at what the other person’s underlying needs or interests might be. So you’re doing double duty - figuring out yours and theirs. And there’s a good reason to do that - becasue any time you run into resistance to your proposals, suggestions, ideas, etc. you can be sure that it has to do with the perception that the other person isn’t going to get her/his needs met.  So the more you’re aware of this needs thing, the better.  There are ways you can get at the needs - and that’s the topic of next week’s podcast. But awareness of needs, yours and theirs is the first step. Today’s 6-minute podcast tells you about the types of needs that you should be aware of.

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Thinking like a leader means a level of awareness that goes beyond the simple day-to-day interactions of work life - you know, the quick and dirty conversations where no one really pays that much attention to what the other is asking for because they’re preoccupied with something else - maybe themselves. Of course that’s not you. But maybe it is. To really wow them and while you’re at it, become more influential, is to put your attention on them - something called Level 2 engagement - and watch the magic as it happens right in front of you. This week’s podcast tells you how to do that.

If you haven’t downloaded the assessment for Thinking Like a Leader, you can do that at Emma’s Circle. If you’re a member, great. Easy access. If you’re not a member, you’ll need to join. No fee.

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This week’s podcast links to Episode 1, The First Rule of Power: Begin with the end in mind - your end in mind. In that episode I talked about thinking about what you want out of your career so that you don’t end up mid-career or later asking yourself, “I know HOW I got here — that is, I can trace the route. But how did I get HERE?  In other words, how did I let this happen to me?”

Let’s assume you’re in your career of choice - that you began with the end in mind and not only know how you got where you are, you’re happy with where you’re going and see it continuing just as you’d planned. You’ve been strategic in your thinking. You saw where you wanted to go and you set yourself in motion to get there.

The same holds true for conversations. Strategic thinking about your career doesn’t end with getting a plan in place for getting to where you ultimately want to be. That’s just the start. Making sure you get there requires a strategic thinking mind-set as part of your psyche, your everyday way of being. As a start, it requires that you think in advance and have an intended outcome for every important conversation that you have.

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Tune in this week and find out the 4 things you should be thinking about re your packaging. There’s so much to being considered a leader - how you influence, who you influence, how you negotiate, the results you produce, how well known those results are, how you present yourself, your leadership style…the list goes on. Today’s episode is rooted in one of the four aspects of personal brand - Packaging. (The other 3 are Value, Attitude and Positioning). You might be very clear about your value, have the right attitude about your brand, and know how to position yourself to promote it. But if your packaging - and that has several elements - isn’t in line either with your leadership role or with what your organization expects of you, whatever you have to say might never be heard, your ability to influence and negotiate effectively will suffer, and your results, although great, might just be thought of as just okay.
Tune in this week and find out 4 things you should be thinking about re your packaging.

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This is the second part to this short 2-podcast series. Last week we looked at disabling perspectives - attitudes that keep you stuck. This week it’s all about getting a new perspective on things. This podcast walks you through the quick and easy four-part process for making sure that the perspective you’re operating from is one that gives you a much better chance of getting the outcome you want.

To download the brand assessment, read the personal brand article, and later in the month, the resources for brand and the podcast summary sheet, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. We’ll be glad to have you on board with us.

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It’s all about your attitude, aka your “outlook,” “way of thinking,” “mind-set” or “perspective,” that sets the back-drop for whatever actions you take in a situation. While some attitudes lead to great outcomes, other ways of looking at things take you down the long road to who knows where?  Want outcomes that you can live with?  Then listen to this podcast and learn how your disabling perspectives or attitudes can get in the way and what you can do to turn things more in the direction you want.

To download the brand assessment, read the personal brand article, and later in the month, the resources for brand and the podcast summary sheet, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. We’ll be glad to have you on board with us.

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July is Personal Brand month and what better way to start out than thinking about how you view your value? Too many women at all professional levels question their talents and abilities or discount their value-add altogether thinking “many people can do what I do.”  To some extent that’s true. But while there are thousands in many organizations who have the same title as you and work in the same function as you, no one has the unique mix of talent and skills that you do. Each of us has our own way of providing value while using the skills that we have honed. Listen to this talent-focused podcast and decide which talents of yours distinguish you from the crowd.

To download the brand assessment, read the personal brand article, and later in the month, the resources for brand and the podcast summary sheet, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. We’ll be glad to have you on board with us.

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This week’s episode is about the power that comes with the position. If you’re still wondering if you were the right choice for the role you’re in - that is, if you might have even a hint of the “impostor syndrome” kicking around in there like a lot of women do, then it’s time to put a new face on that one! Take on the power that belongs to you, and most of it is in the way you act around the people that matter. Do you consider yourself one down, equal, don’t know where you stand? Check out this week’s podcast and see what’s most important in positional power.

To download the power assessment, read the power article, get the power resources or the podcast tip summary for June, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. In the left NAV, click “June - Power.” You’ll find the downloads there. There is no charge to join Emma’s Circle.

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Understand the 3 rules of political power that you can’t break and why. These managing-up rules might seem like they’re something you already know. And you probably do. But are you practicing these rules? Sure, we know what we shouldn’t do, but in the moment, are you conscious enough of the situation to make sure that you don’t do it? These 3 managing-up rules sometimes get forgotten when 1) you’re smarter than your manager, 2) your manager isn’t all that well thought of in the organization, or 3) you’re good buds with your manager and you forget to censor yourself because you two know each other so well. Never underestimate the career impact on you and steer yourself away from making these 3 career-limiting mistakes.

To download the power assessment, read the power article, get the power resources or the podcast tip summary for June, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. In the left NAV, click “June - Power.” You’ll find the downloads there. There is no charge to join Emma’s Circle.

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…by handling yourself with a cool head when under attack. It’s not always that easy to keep yourself calm and in control when someone’s attacking you at work, especially when that someone is higher up on the food chain than you are. This week’s episode talks about those difficult situations at work where how you respond determines how you’re viewed as a leader. Certain responses can slowly erode your personal power. Find out what they are and how you can stop yourself from getting caught up in these unhelpful reactions.

To download the power assessment, read the power article, get the power resources or the podcast tip summary for June, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. In the left NAV, click “June - Power.” You’ll find the downloads there. There is no charge to join Emma’s Circle.

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Find out what power-limiting assumptions are and if they’re stopping you from getting what you want. Assumptions can really get in the way if you don’t check them out first to see if there’s any fact behind them. We can assume things about ourselves (the background voice that screams at us throughout the day), about the people we work with and about a variety of situations at work (again, the background noise). It’s how you act on those assumptions that can take you do the wrong road. Listen about power-limiting assumptions in this month’s podcast.

To download the power assessment mentioned in this podcast, read the power article, get the power resources or the podcast tip summary for June, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. In the left NAV, click “June - Power.” You’ll find the downloads there. There is no charge to join Emma’s Circle.

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What’s the first rule of power, and how can it help you make sure your career’s on the right track? There are so many rules in life and many of them just aren’t worth the effort - as long as there are no big consequences for breaking them. This First Rule of Power, though, is one to keep your eye on. If you follow this rule, you up the chances of getting it right the first time.

To download the power assessment mentioned in this podcast, read the power article, get the power resources or the podcast tip summary for June, go to Emma’s Circle and become a member. In the left NAV, click “June - Power.” You’ll find the downloads there. There is no charge to join Emma’s Circle.

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