Understanding the techniques people use to influence colleagues and key decision makers will help them make their point more effectively – and get the results they need. 

Use the Influence Strategies Exercise (ISE) to:

• Help your professionals and leaders to understand themselves better
• Widen their repertoire – the behaviors they use to influence others (especially in more matrix organizations)
• Enhance one-to-one coaching and group development programs
• Complement other off-the-shelf or 360º feedback resources to provide a bigger picture of individual behavior and impact.

Why choose the Korn Ferry ISE?

We’re all under pressure to get things done more effectively. This exercise helps people to identify the influencing strategies they use and evaluate how effective they are. By understanding this, they can improve their ability to influence others and achieve workplace objectives.

In 1959, French and Raven published a historic study of managerial power, which inspired researchers and theorists to study influencing tactics. Korn Ferry combined these studies with 15 years of its own applied research to identify the most common and effective strategies for influencing others. These are the specific behaviors that help us influence most successfully.

• Empowerment: making others feel valued by giving them praise
• Interpersonal awareness: identifying other people’s concerns
• Bargaining: gaining support by offering to exchange favors or resources
• Relationship building: taking time to get to know others personally
• Organizational awareness: identifying and getting the support of key people
• Common vision: showing how one’s ideas support the organization’s goals
• Impact management: presenting ideas in such a way as to gain people’s support
• Logical persuasion: using logical reasons, facts, and data to convince others
• Coercion: using threats or pressure to get others to do what you want.

The Influence Strategies Exercise (ISE) is a quick, easy-to-use tool that comes in the form of a paper-based booklet or an online tool. It helps individuals identify the strategies that they tend to use, evaluate their effectiveness and developing alternative strategies where needed. There is also a feedback questionnaire so that individuals can find out how others perceive their influencing behavior.