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C-Suite Skills: How Executives Can Become
More Influential
By Paula Lyons
Ron is a tough, smart, experienced and successful CFO. When we first started working together, one of the most important goals he set for his coaching program was to become more influential. Frankly, that request was no surprise.
To move any organization forward, C-Suite executives need to be adept at selling ideas, gaining acceptance for strategic plans, shaping policy and winning buy-in from senior management, the board, and colleagues.
For Ron, the challenge was to influence outcomes in meetings with all the strong personalities on his Senior Leadership team. They knew he was a financial whiz but were not always persuaded to adopt his point of view. He was genuinely mystified about why. "If they believe in me, in my credibility in this position, why wouldn't they accept my ideas?"
Because he was a no-nonsense factual communicator, he thought that as long as he explained things logically and efficiently his ideas should be adopted. After all, they made sense! And many of his ideas were adopted! But Ron wanted to improve his batting average. The question was how?
In most cases, people who want and need to influence need to change their perspective. Others don't like to be persuaded, they want to be heard. It's just not about you and what you want. It's about them, their problems, their needs, their priorities, their timetables.
Tweak one of your ideas until it tunes in to one of those and you will have found the "sweet spot" in persuasive communications, that place where both sides end up with something they really want or need.
To do this well, you have to really know the others you want to influence. In other words, you have to take the time to build strong relationships long before you need them. Each colleague brings a different set of values, points of view, attitudes, talents and perspectives into the workplace. The most influential people I know take the time to understand and genuinely appreciate those differences. As a result, they are genuinely liked and appreciated in return.
In Ron's case, he had those strong relationships, he did understand his colleagues. He just didn't always consider how they would view or receive the ideas he was recommending. By not taking them into account, and relying only on logical argument, he missed the opportunity to persuade.
Once he did a little more homework and clearly explained how his ideas would help them, his batting average went up substantially.
Once you've built strong relationships, here are some additional tips that can help you develop C-Suite influence:
- Involve others early in the sale of your idea. What do they think of it? What would they add or subtract? What would make it even better?
- Make the conversation about them. The more you know about their wants and needs, and their opinions of your idea, the more successful you become at adapting it and making it easier for them to say yes.
- In your persuasive presentation, give others credit for their insights and input.
- Make your presentation interesting! Gather persuasive data to appeal to everyone's logic; but don't forget to find stories, anecdotes and examples that appeal to emotion and help people "see" what you are talking about.
- Anticipate where resistance and challenging question are likely to come from, and be ready to deal with that.
It's important, of course, to advocate for your idea with conviction, energy and passion. That's what leaders are expected to do. Do your best, but let go of the outcome. You won't win every battle. But you if you follow these recommendations, you will win more than you lose.
Read and subscribe to Suzanne Bates’ blog, for her latest tips on how to become a powerful speaker and communicator!
"As a result of Bates' training…our executives are far better communicators than ever before, and the results show in our increasingly positive press and ability to move these audiences to action."
Matt Davis,
Corp. Director of Executive Communications,
Dow Chemical Co.
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