Treading water without adequate leadership support?
August 9, 2010
If you are trying to influence change without authority – whether you are in project management, process improvement, engineering, human resources, information technology, strategic planning, or another role where you are leading change from the middle – at some point you need someone with authority to back you up.
I wish it weren’t true. It doesn’t matter how noble the initiative is, or how much more efficient and effective they will be, or how much better service or quality will be. Ultimately, people will look to their bosses to see what is important and what they should be doing. Right or wrong, if you are not the boss, your influence is limited.
From my own personal experience as well as change agents I’ve coached, I’ve discovered one of the truths about influencing change: If you want leaders to support your initiative, you have to help them do it.
There are a number of predictable reasons why leaders don’t properly support change. I have created a program so we can go through those reasons together and devise a plan to erase them.
Introducing
The Proper Care of Leaders
So They Help You Implement Change
Private Program
In The Proper Care of Leaders Private Program, we will dive into your role as a change agent and assess your relationships with key people whose support you need. Using my straightforward and powerful process, in just 3 hours you will know precisely what to do to influence leaders to help you implement change.
Sign up before August 20, 2010 and save $200 off the regular price of $695. You will get 2 private 90-minute webinar sessions, the Beyond Buy-in Workbook, plus bonus materials for just $495!
Ready to gain influence with leaders so they help you implement change?
Want to learn more? Feel free to contact me directly, or visit the program page for more information:
99 Ways to Influence Change meets The Influence Project
July 11, 2010
Fast Company Magazine is conducting an experiment to find the most influential person on the internet. And while I have no illusions that I am that person, I also feel compelled to use The Influence Project as a demonstration of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.
I’ve only posted 45 of the 99 ways so far, so I’ll start with those for now.
- Tell stories – Once upon a time, there was a woman who talked a lot about influence in her blog, and she decided she’d better join The Influence Project.
- Model behavior – I joined The Influence Project. You should too.
- Involve them – Only you can help me increase my influence measure!
- Say “please” – Please click this link to learn more about The Influence Project.
- Allow failure – Even if you sign up and fail to influence anyone else to sign up, your picture will still be published in the November issue of Fast Company.
- Ridicule – Seriously, all you have to do is click the stupid link. You can’t even do that?
- Generate scarcity – You must click or participate by August 15, 2010.
- Transfer ownership – Once you sign up, it’s up to you to build your own influence score.
- Clarify expectations – At the very least, I want you to click this link. If you sign up to participate, that would be gravy.
- Provide feedback – If you click the link and wait until you see my photo, you’ve done it right.
- Establish a sense of urgency – If you’re going to sign up for the Influence Project, you need to do so right away so you have as much time as possible to rack up clicks.
- Remove status quo enablers – One way would be to make it so you couldn’t leave this page until you click this link. But that seems a little heavy-handed.
- Acknowledge fears – I realize you might think if you click this link you will be seen as gullible or easily influenced.
- Show you care – Your taking the time to read this list means a lot to me. How may I help you increase your influence?
- Start conversations – What do you think of The Influence Project or the 99 Ways to Influence Change? Add a comment below and let me know!
- Demand compliance – Click this link RIGHT THIS SECOND! Or else.
- Develop support systems – Let’s start a club, and we’ll all click each others’ links.
- Admit mistakes – If you think it’s annoying that I would even write blog post about The Influence Project, I can see why you might feel that way. I apologize.
- Make it viral – The Influence Project itself is viral, and you can also share this list using links at the bottom of this post.
- Remove obstacles – In case you don’t like hyperlinks, click here directly: http://fcinf.com/v/bf8u.
- Show that others are doing it – View the collage of all the people participating – over 7,700 as of this writing.
- Tell the truth – I know that The Influence Project is controversial. After all, isn’t it just a popularity contest? I’m torn between whether it’s fun or annoying, but I do know that it’s a learning opportunity.
- Ask for ideas – How else should I get people to click my Influence Project link? Please add a comment below.
- Make it easy – Click here.
- Rely on friends – Many of you have already clicked the link from my personal Facebook page, not because you are interested in influence, but just because you like me. Thank you.
- Beg – Please, please, please! Pretty please, it’s really important to me that you click my Influence Project link.
- Instigate competition – If you are the first person to read this and sign up to participate, I will add your link here (Congratulations, Melanie!).
- Instill curiosity – Don’t you want to know how influential you are and how this works?
- Reframe it – Consider that you might use The Influence Project to learn more about how to influence people in your organization.
- Customize learning – 1. Click the link. 2. Wait for all the site to load all the photos. 3. If you don’t want to participate, just close the window. If you want to sign up, click the “Discover Your Influence” button.
- Set the default – I suppose it would be possible to set it up so going to my website re-directs you to my Influence Project link. But then you wouldn’t be reading this.
- Build trust – If you really don’t want to click the link, then don’t. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or coerced in any way.
- Listen – What does influence mean to you?
- Bribe -If you sign up using my link, I will click your link in return.
- Encourage – You are more influential than you think. Sign up and see!
- Prioritize – I’ll admit, there are far more important things you can do than click the link. But if you click it now, it will open in a new window. By the time you are done reading this list, the site will be loaded.
- Give praise – Thank you so much for clicking this link! You are a great blog reader and a valued part of my online community.
- Educate – I think the Influence Project is more than just a popularity contest. Using methods like these, it is possible to influence people to take action without being popular.
- Help them succeed – If you sign up with my link to participate in The Influence Project, it’s actually in my best interests to help you succeed at getting others to click your link (I get partial points from people you influence).
- Build new skills – To increase the number of people who click on your link, learn how to use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, among other social networks.
- Do favors – Now through August 15, 2010, use code “INFLUENCEPROJECT” to get $5.00 off the Beyond Buy-in Workbook, my step-by-step guide to influencing leaders.
- Fix problems – For a while, the loading time for The Influence Project was excessive. While I had nothing to do with fixing it, it seems to be better now.
- Keep promises – I promise that clicking the link will be painless. Have I let you down before?
- Remove doubt – If you want to check out The Influence Project without using my link, you can go directly to http://influenceproject.fastcompany.com.
- Laugh about it – If you have read this entire blog post and you still haven’t clicked the link, you really are being stubborn, aren’t you?! Just click the stinkin’ link already! I know this is a silly contest, but this is not a battle of wills, it’s a fun learning exercise.
If you clicked any of the links above, which one influenced you the most?
Stay tuned to the blog for the rest of the 99 Ways to Influence Change!
Independence Day Sale: Save 40% on Enclaria Workbooks
July 1, 2010
In Celebration of Independence Day,
Save 40% on All Enclaria Workbooks
By July 5, 2010
Use Discount Code: FIREWORKS
I’m feeling patriotic! In celebration of the upcoming 4th of July holiday, I’m offering subscribers and friends 40% off any Enclaria workbook! Just use discount code FIREWORKS after adding the workbooks to your shopping cart.
There are three titles available:
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The Beyond Buy-in workbook walks you through five straight-forward steps to figure out how to gain the most important ingredient for change success: the support of leadership. More than just how to get to “yes,” Beyond Buy-in answers the question, “How do I get leaders to do what they need to do to drive the change forward?” |
Regular Price: Sale Price:
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The Pinpoint Communication Kit, which includes customizable PowerPoint templates, provides a practical step-by-step process for creating a communication plan for your change initiative. Pinpoint Communication answers the question, “How do I get the appropriate message to the right people? |
Regular Price: Sale Price:
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The Change Starts Here workbook guides you through four steps to clarify your change initiative. Change Starts Here answers the question, “What am I really trying to change, and how am I going to do it?”
(The Change Starts Here workbook is available free with a newsletter subscription.) |
Regular Price: Sale Price:
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Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grab these practical step-by-step guides before the discount expires at midnight Eastern Time on Monday, July 5, 2010. Visit www.enclaria.com/publications to acquire these valuable resources!
99 Ways to Influence Change, #2: Model behavior
May 4, 2010
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.” ~Albert Einstein
While I obviously believe there are at least 98 other ways to influence others, Einstein has a point; if you want people to change their behavior, you have to do it too.
Modeling behavior influences in two ways. First, you show “the right way” so people learn how to do it. Second, you demonstrate commitment by being willing to do it yourself.
In order for modeling behavior to work, people have to be watching. If you are not in the position to set an example, find someone who is and make sure they model it as well.
What behaviors might you model?
See the rest: 99 Ways to Influence Change
My recent carnival appearances
March 9, 2010
Ok, I do not perform any tricks worthy of joining the circus, but a couple of recent blog posts have been published by two Blog Carnivals – monthly collections of noteworthy articles on specific topics.
First, my article 10 Essential Tools for Change Agents was posted in the Carnival of HR: Mardi Gras Edition.
Most recently, Monitor Your Organization’s “Non-Verbal” Communication was published in the March 7 Leadership Development Carnival: Academy Awards Edition. It was an honor just to be nominated.
Check out both of these Carnivals for articles by some great bloggers!
Win a copy of Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional
February 22, 2010
One of the books I believe is required reading for organizational change agents is the wisdom-packed book about personal accountability, QBQ: The Question Behind the Question.
Bestselling author of QBQ and Flipping The Switch, John G. Miller has a brand new book: Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional.
I told John in last week’s interview on The Change Agent’s Dilemma radio show that with Outstanding! he “had me at hello,” since the dedication of the book says: “To everyone who cares enough to improve the place. You are outstanding!” The book is chock full of stories and ideas of things individuals at all levels can do to improve their organizations. It’s the perfect book for the person who wants to make a difference at work.
While you can purchase the book at Amazon by clicking the book image (affiliate link), I have 5 copies to give away, courtesy of John Miller himself!
There are three ways to enter to win a free copy of Outstanding!:
- In the comments below, tell me how you are making your organization exceptional! (2 copies)
- On Twitter, retweet the following message: “RT @enclaria: Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional by @QBQGuy: http://bit.ly/ctW2j9.” (2 copies)
- Become a fan of Enclaria on Facebook and post on the wall: “I am Outstanding!”. (1 copy)
Other details: Winners will be selected at random from qualified entries. You may enter using all three methods, and you will only be counted once per method. Each person can win at most one book. Valid e-mail address required. U.S. mailing addresses only.
Entries must be received by Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be contacted the next day.
How are you making your organization exceptional?
Get your step-by-step change guides before prices increase!
January 26, 2010
I first created my line of step-by-step change guides in order to provide organizational change agents with practical workbooks to help work through common challenges.
Since I wanted everyone to have access to them, I priced them to be very affordable. Upon reflection, the current prices do not mirror the value of the workbooks, and do not adequately convey how much these workbooks can help you influence change in your organization. So, I have decided to raise the prices on the workbooks.
I am giving valued blog readers like you the opportunity to purchase the workbooks at the current low prices before I raise them on February 1, 2010.
So far, I have published three titles:
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The Beyond Buy-in workbook walks you through five straight-forward steps to figure out how to gain the most important ingredient for change success: the support of leadership. More than just how to get to “yes,” Beyond Buy-in answers the question, “How do I get leaders to do what they need to do to drive the change forward?” | Old Price: $14.95 New Price: |
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The Pinpoint Communication Kit, which includes customizable PowerPoint templates, provides a practical step-by-step process for creating a communication plan for your change initiative. Pinpoint Communication answers the question, “How do I get the appropriate message to the right people?” | Old Price: $24.95 New Price: |
|
The Change Starts Here workbook guides you through four steps to clarify your change initiative. Change Starts Here answers the question, “What am I really trying to change, and how am I going to do it?”
(The Change Starts Here workbook is available free with a newsletter subscription.) |
Old Price: $14.95 New Price: |
Take advantage of this opportunity to grab some practical step-by-step guides before prices go up on Monday, February 1, 2010. Visit www.enclaria.com/publications to acquire these valuable resources.
Influencer: Required reading for change agents
October 15, 2009
I just finished reading a book that all change agents should have on their shelves: Influencer: The Power to Change Anything
The book further subdivides Motivation (Will it be worth it) and Ability (Can I do it) into three categories – Personal, Social and Structural – that form a framework for how to influence change:
- Personal Motivation: Make the behavior desirable.
- Personal Ability: Provide training to show how to perform the behavior properly.
- Social Motivation: Use peer pressure and existing power structures.
- Social Ability: Enlist the help of others.
- Structural Motivation: Extrinsic rewards and punishment.
- Structural Ability: Alter the physical world to make the behavior easier or inevitable to perform.
The authors feature several stories that run throughout the book and demonstrate how these six sources of influence work individually and in combination to change deep-rooted behaviors. It’s a definite must-read for change agents!
Does your change initiative need a reboot?
August 6, 2009
Perhaps it needs a Flash Point!
I’m excited to introduce the Flash Point Program, an in-depth exploration and evaluation of your change initiative in which you and I will co-design your next steps toward successful implementation.
What do you mean, “co-design?”
Fact: you know your organization better than I ever will. Chances are, you know what stands in the way of successful implementation, but perhaps you haven’t set aside the time to focus on discovering it, or no one has asked the right questions. It’s my job to ask the questions and keep you focused. If you don’t have the answers, we’ll figure out how to get them. And then together we’ll design what to do next.
It’s also a co-design because this is your job. You are not delegating your responsibilities to me. I’m not going to swoop in and do it for you. The equation looks something like this:
Your organizational knowledge & Enthusiasm +
My change know-how & Coaching techniques =
Your change know-how & Your Flash Point
How does it work?
The Flash Point Program includes six (6) 1-hour intensive conversations between you (the change agent) and me (the coach), roughly scheduled as follows:
- 1 online change readiness assessment and debrief;
- 3 hours of in depth exploration of the requirements to achieve your change initiative, and your organization’s capacity to perform them; and
- 2 personal coaching sessions for you, to discover your unique strengths and challenges as a change agent.
The sessions occur in 1-hour phone calls, once a week, for 6 weeks. This is flexible depending on how quickly you want your Flash Point to occur!
What do I get?
First of all, here’s an idea of what you will discover and learn:
- Clarity about what you are trying to accomplish;
- Greater understanding of how change works and how best to fulfill the role of change agent;
- An assessment of the factors present in your organization that will help or hinder your change initiative; and
- What to do about it.
What you physically (or digitally, really) get to take with you are:
- The results from the change readiness assessment
- Recordings of our phone conversations (for reference)
- A report of the next steps we co-design.
Prerequisites:
There are a couple of things I need you to do before you sign up:
- Review the Is This You page and make sure it sounds like you.
- Download and complete the Change Starts Here workbook. It’s free when you subscribe to my newsletter, or if you really don’t want to subscribe, you can purchase the workbook here.
Program Fee:
The total investment for The Flash Point Program is $1,540.
The deposit for the first session is $295. If for any reason, after completing the change readiness assessment and attending the first session, you do not want to continue The Flash Point Program, you can end the process there with just your change readiness assessment results. To continue the program, the remainder of the fee will be due prior to the second session.
Ready get started?
Next Steps:
- Complete the prerequisites (Is This You and Change Starts Here).
- Click the button at the bottom to pay the $295 deposit so we can get started on the change readiness assessment.
- I’ll send you an e-mail with links to the change readiness assessment and Flash Point registration form to tell me a little bit about yourself, your organization, and your change initiative.
- We’ll set up a quick call to schedule our sessions, and answer any questions you may have.
- We’ll start The Flash Point Program!
By clicking the button below, you affirm that you have completed the prerequisites. You agree to begin the Flash Point Program by completing the change readiness assessment and the registration form. Your credit card will be charged a $295 deposit.
Have additional questions? Please contact me. I’ll be happy answer them.
Lessons from a Rose
July 30, 2009
A few weeks ago, this beautiful rose bloomed from an otherwise untended, ignored and practically dead rose bush in our backyard. It surprised me one day. Glancing out the back window I caught the glimpse of the most glorious red against the backdrop of a dreary weathered fence.
That’s when this post was about succeeding through adversity. And about how something that is meant to be will just happen if you let it.
That stem behind it mysteriously grew straight upward until it was four feet long. Into a tree. That’s when I decided to get involved, to help nature out a little by getting the rosebuds out of the tree and into the sun. I found a plastic bucket (the kids’ kind that comes with a matching shovel) and discovered it I could hang it on the stem to make it bend just so. A day or two later the buds started to turn red and maneuver toward the sun.
That’s when this post was about knowing when something needs a nudge in the right direction. And about how you can set someone up to succeed and they will take it from there.
Then it rained a little bit. And the bucket collected some water. And the stem mostly snapped under the additional weight. And the rosebuds ended up in the dirt.
That’s when this post became about unintended consequences.
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