How any Manager can Increase Influence and Fuel Peak Performance
The c-suite has little day-to-day impact on the productivity of remote workers. “Remote worker’s productivity depends on one role – the manager.” Gallup
Remote work isn’t going away. “Our best estimate is that 25-30% of the workforce will be working-from-home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.” Kate Lister
5 factors that increase influence and fuel peak performance:
Influence – not position, power, or pressure – fuels peak performance in your team. (Even remote workers.)
#1. Relationship:
Real relationship intensifies influence.
Who is more likely to give you their best? Someone you’ve been pushing and feels resistant toward you, or someone who believes you’re rowing the boat with them?
You don’t need relationship to tell people what to do. Authority enables bossing. Relationship empowers influence.
#2. Competence.
A person of competence has more influence than an incompetent.
- What competencies do you bring?
- In areas of weakness or incompetence, how might you rely on others?
- How might you improve your ability to influence?
You’ve developed skills to get the job done, but what have you done to develop the skill of influence?
#3. Confession.
Pretenders, frauds, and fakes have little influence. But when you own a frailty or mistake you become trustworthy. (You acknowledge what others already know.)
#4. Compassion.
Call people to high standards with a heart of compassion.
Harshness only works when you’re in the room, but people take compassion home with them.
#5. Awareness.
Keep the strengths of each team member top of mind.
Weaknesses scream to be noticed, but influence expands when you acknowledge, respect, and develop strengths.
- Record the top three strengths of every team member.
- Discuss strengths during one-on-ones. How does your list jibe with their self-perceptions?
- How might a person with their strength-set make the greatest contribution? (Answer this for everyone on the team.)
Which items on the above list seem most relevant today?
What would you add to the above list as factors that increase influence and fuel peak performance?
Bonus Material:
4 Factors that Enhance Leaders’ Ability to Influence (TI)
How to Increase Your Influence at Work (HBR)
Hi Dan, what a trove of good advice. And on a Monday. Thank you. So powerful when the boss talks about the mistakes of the past, and then how they solved it or what it meant in the long term and how they felt. As for ‘harsh works in the room but people take compassion home with them’ People also take harshness home with them too, with resentment, sorrow and dented self-confidence
Hi Cate. Thanks for the good word. Great point. Emotion is contagious and influences others more than we might imagine. I wish you a great week.