Here are five tips for establishing your office influence, identifying the key influencers in your company, and becoming an effective persuader.

1. 5 Tips For Establishing
Yourself In The Office
Original article by Harrison Kratz

2. In order to succeed in the
workplace, you need to know
how to bring your ideas to
fruition. Unless you
understand who the key
influencers are in your office,
even your best ideas won't
receive the recognition they
deserve.

3. The patterns of influence in
most offices don't follow the
lines of the formal org chart,
so it's important to identify
who has the power to
institute change. You also
need to know how to
persuade those with informal
power to buy into your ideas.

4. Here are five tips for
establishing your office
influence, identifying the key
influencers in your company,
and becoming an effective
persuader...

5. 1. Understand The Influencer Hierarchy

6. Your company's org chart defines the formal
distribution of power, but there is also an
informal power structure that determines what
gets done, who is listened to, and who gets
recognized.

7. People with informal power are the influencers
that you need to reach when you have an idea
for a project or initiative. Take time to
understand the hierarchy of influences by
observing who is involved in decision-making
and who is consistently sought out for their
opinion.

8. 2. Lay The Groundwork

9. Your credibility is one of the most powerful
tools of persuasion.
Before you approach an influencer with an
idea, make sure that you've established a level
of expertise that will command respect.

10. If you're making a proposal to someone who
isn't familiar with your background, be prepared
to explain how your expertise and past
achievements back up your idea.

11. 3. Become An Effective Communicator

12. In order to persuade people to act on your
ideas, you need to have effective
communication skills.
This includes the ability to detect your
audience's reaction through body language and
other non-verbal cues, and change your
strategy if necessary.

13. You must know when to speak and when to
listen, when to exercise tact, and when to drive
your point home.

14. 4. Get To Know Your Audience

15. Before presenting an idea, learn all you can
about your audience.
Think about their perspective to gain insight
into how they think.

16. Identify the external forces that could influence
their decision as well as their attitude about
change.
If possible, observe how they communicate and
modify your own communication style
accordingly.

17. 5. Establish Relationships

18. Instead of waiting until you have an idea before
approaching one of the influencers in your
workplace, focus on building relationships that
will broaden your sphere of influence.
Your relationships don't need to be personal,
but they do need to be built on a foundation of
trust and sincerity.

19. Seek out people with informal power for their
advice and steer clear of office politics and
gossip.
Maintaining enthusiasm and a positive attitude
will make others more willing to listen to your
ideas.

20. Read The Original Article!
We hope you enjoyed this presentation!
Click here to read the original article by
Harrison Kratz on CAREEREALISM.com.