Becoming a Persuasive Leader: Boost Your Impact

Leadership is like steering a ship, and persuasion is the wind in its sails, pushing ideas into action. As an executive and business coach, who has worked with people around the globe, I have seen how persuasive leadership can make a real difference. Here are four simple steps to improve your ability to persuade and enhance your influence.



1. Build Trust: The Foundation of Persuasion

Think of trust as the solid ship upon which you sail. To build it, you start by having a deep understanding in the knowledge related to your field, be ready for objections, and have well-thought-out responses. But it's not just about what you know. Listen to your team, value their opinions, and create an environment where everyone's ideas matter. When people feel valued, they find it easier to contribute value.


2. Know Your Audience: Tailor Your Message

Being persuasive means understanding who you're talking to. These are the people that actually make the ship sail the right direction and the most efficient way. Identify the decision-makers, influencers, and key players. Keep in mind that people have different backgrounds and roles. Customize your message to each group, highlighting mutual benefits and finding common ground. Connecting personally will make your message more powerful. Take the time to actually get to know the people you deal with and what drives them.


3. Make a Strong Case: Back It Up with Proof

When presenting your ideas, make sure your case is solid. Use logic, facts, and relevant experiences to support your argument. Visual aids can help make things clearer but are not a substitute of knowledge. Share endorsements from credible sources to strengthen your position. Address concerns from different viewpoints to show you understand the complexities involved.


4. Be Likable: The Heart of Persuasion

When people are on a sailboat they aren’t just there to work. They want to enjoy the ride. Persuasion isn't just about facts; being likable matters. Adjust your approach to match your audience's emotions. Align your vision with theirs to create unity and motivation. Building a personal connection goes beyond work, creating an environment where ideas can flourish.


Elevate your leadership journey with persuasive mastery. Let's shape the future together!

#LeadershipExcellence #PersuasiveLeadership #BusinessInsightsLeadership


Want to know more? Explore Robert B. Cialdini's work on the Psychology of Persuasion and Simon Sinek's seminal video 'Start with why -- how great leaders inspire action' to refine your strategy. Elevate your leadership journey with persuasive mastery.






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By KT Admin • 06 May, 2024
Are you a consultant? Do you want to be a “trusted advisor” to your clients? Maybe you need to trust THEM more! Strong client relationships are key as they create opportunities for providing more services. The pinnacle of this is: Being considered a “Trusted Advisor.” I was a consultant and a client of consultants. My realisation: many consultants think that are giving advice, and maybe they are, but its only technical and business at best. A “Trusted Advisor” is someone who adds the personal advice. In addition to outlining the issue and providing the options available they, the individual, goes that one step further and tells you what they would do if they were in your position. Why is this important? People like to know that they are making the right decision. In a professional service firm, it is easy to debate issues around a table and get different views. In a corporate environment, it is a lot lonelier at the top. Knowing that a similarly qualified person would do the same thing in your position is comforting and helpful. It can be that little bit of reassurance you need – the sanity check in your decision making process. Now to some people, and in some professions, this may seem like a risky thing to do. After all, what if it turns out that the decision is the wrong one. Can a client now blame you for giving bad advice? This is where the word “trust” comes in. Not all professional services providers are the same and likewise not all clients are the same. If you cannot trust that your client understands the difference between professional advice and personal opinion are you really going to be their Trusted Advisor. So my advice: pick clients who are sophisticated enough to understand what a trusted advisor is and then start being more personal in the advice you give. Firms aren’t trusted advisors – people are.

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By KT Admin • 30 Apr, 2024
Electronic calendars are a fantastic tool. They allow you to know where you need to be and when you need to be there where ever you are in the world. If you want a meeting with someone, you can just send them an invitation and it shows up in their calendar and now that virtual meetings have taken off and have even become a preference they can even be arranged at short notice. There is a downside to this - do you now spend your life in meetings? Do you open your calendar in the morning and see no white space? How can you get more control over this? I suggest you ask three simple questions when anyone asks for a meeting: 1. Is it URGENT ? 2. WHAT is it about? 3. How LONG do you need? Asking these three questions really focuses the mind of the people wanting to meet you. You'll know: 1. How important it is; 2. Whether its something you want to meet about; and 3. A realistic time fame If you ask these questions you will be amazing at how many 15 minute meetings appear in your diary. And after 15 minutes you can throw them out. One final point - if you have a personal assistant, get them to ask the questions and remove the administrative burden altogether. If you would like to know more feel free to contact me below.

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By KT Admin • 22 Apr, 2024
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