My Yes is a Yes. My No is a No.
Integrity shines in clarity. Speak with truth, simplicity, and conviction.
To influence anyone to take action, you must master the Triangle of Influence. True influence does not happen because you present logical facts or outline a detailed plan. People change their behaviour only when they internally link three crucial elements. These elements are the required goal, the personal resources the goal will cost them, and the personal benefits they will gain. You create motivation to change when the perceived personal benefits outweigh the perceived costs. If your audience cannot see what is in it for them personally, they will not support your project. You must clearly define the objective. You must accurately communicate the costs. You must vividly highlight the personal rewards. When they make this mental connection, influence becomes automatic and inevitable.
I walked to the front of the meeting room past my muttering colleagues. My hands were clammy. My shirt was beginning to soak with perspiration in the air conditioned room. Blinded momentarily by the projector, I faced my audience. Their faces were raptly attentive as they waited for the first words to come.
I noticed my boss as he glanced at his watch. A phone buzzed in silent mode on the table. All eyes were drawn toward it. Someone muttered an apology as he picked up the errant phone and read the message. I had spent weeks preparing for this meeting. We were about to introduce a new computer system across the entire business. Everyone in the room would be affected.
Nobody wanted the new system. I stumbled through my slides. I gave them all the facts and outlined the plan. Still, nobody wanted the new system. I had failed to influence my colleagues to support the project.
Why Did the Presentation Fail to Influence?
Why had my thoroughly prepared presentation failed to achieve the intended result? When I was presenting to my colleagues, I neglected a few critical points.
The objective of the project was not clear to them. I could not accurately explain the cost to them. Most importantly, I failed to explain what was in it for them personally. It is not surprising that they were not motivated to take action.
What Is the Triangle of Influence?
The answer to true motivation lies in the Triangle of Influence. When we are influenced to do something, we connect three things inside the brain.
- The goal we will achieve.
- The resources achieving the goal will cost.
- The personal benefits we get out of achieving the goal.
When we believe that we have more value in the benefit than the cost, we will be motivated to act. If we believe that the cost outweighs the benefit, we will not be motivated to act. You can map out these specific drivers using The PowerBank of Needs. This tool ensures you understand exactly what your audience values.
How Do You Create the Motivation to Change?
Everyone has influence. We all have the power to affect another person. That is the very definition of influence. Do you have the necessary power to affect the people you need to influence?
People are influenced when they link a clear goal with personal benefits that outweigh the cost of undertaking the action. It is critical that we realise that people are influenced when they make the link themselves.
Influence to act equals personal benefits being greater than personal costs.
How Do You Apply This Formula for Success?
Surely it cannot be this simple? Well, it can be. Simple does not mean easy. If we wish to influence another person to undertake a particular action, we need to know exactly what they value.
We must understand what they perceive to be the personal benefits. We must understand what value they place on those benefits. When we link the required resources to the goal through personal benefit, we create the motivation to change. We successfully influence the person to change.