If you have not read my blog on Ambidextrous Influence , it is a pre-req for this blog. Sound like 4th year university? Yeah, but you really need to read it first.

Why because this is the master’s level course.

Like everything else influence is a process. The key to success is this…

Hi Bill, Now we took a look at your Lotus Notes Environment. Before we tell you about our vision for Business Productivity tools, let’s give you a magic wand. This wand could fix anything in your current environment. Here, take it. What would it fix? … So now let me walk you through your CEO’s new experience. When she comes into her  office in the morning here’s what she will see …

Now you know that the application migration will be $1 Million. If you can authorize the capex on that, I can deliver the new system ready-for-use by  September….I know you have a board meeting on the 15th. I can have a world-class presentation ready for you so that the benefits of this decision will be obvious to each member. We can even have the board portal ready for them at that meeting, if we move quickly with Phase 1….

“Ian, I don’t know if I can get that size of a Capex approved that quickly”

Bill. Let’s take a look. If you were at the board meeting right now, would you tell them about the productivity increase? … Would you tell them about the travel savings? … We worked on that ROI ourselves, it’s solid. Let’s put your project on the cover of CIO magazine. What would that say about your company and the willingness to embrace the future? ….

“I am still worried about getting a million right now..”

Bill. What are the implications of doing nothing? … You will still write a check for $2M to IBM for licenses for a product everyone hates. .. Here is this list of things you wanted to fix… Are you prepared to tell the board that a do-nothing strategy is the best idea? What are the implications for the company? What are the implications for you?

Imagine standing in front of the board of directors and being the first person for a decade to show how IT can really fuel innovation and revenue for this company…..

Now let’s play this back with analysis…

Hi Bill, Now we took a look at your Lotus Notes Environment. Before we tell you about our vision for Business Productivity tools, let’s give you a magic wand. This wand could fix anything in your current environment. Here, take it. What would it fix? … (pull visioning) So now let me walk you through your CEO’s new experience. When she comes into her  office in the morning here’s what she will see … (pull visioning)

Now you know that the application migration will be $1 Million. If you can authorize the capex on that, I can deliver the new system ready-for-use by  September (push – bridging)….I know you have a board meeting on the 15th. I can have a world-class presentation ready for you so that the benefits of this decision will be obvious to each member. We can even have the board portal ready for them at that meeting, (push – bridging)….if we move quickly with Phase 1…. You should also gave have chat with Audit and the CFO. there are SOX compliance issues you can resolve… (push – standards)

“Ian, I don’t know if I can get that size of a Capex approved that quickly”  (client resistance – switch modes)

Bill. Let’s take a look. If you were at the board meeting right now, (pull –environmental management )would you tell them about the productivity increase? … Would you tell them about the travel savings? … We worked on that ROI ourselves, it’s solid. (push – assertion) Let’s put your project on the cover of CIO magazine. (pull visioning) What would that say about your company and the willingness to embrace the future? ….

“I am still worried about getting a million right now..”

Bill. What are the implications of doing nothing? … You will still write a check for $2M to IBM for licenses for a product everyone hates. .. (push – assertion) Here is this list of things you wanted to fix… Are you prepared to tell the board that a do-nothing strategy is the best idea? What are the implications for the company? What are the implications for you? (push – assertion)

Imagine standing in front of the board of directors and being the first person for a decade to show how IT can really fuel innovation and revenue for this company…..(pull visioning)

etc.

Pull styles – open things up and help to draw the client out , see possibilities and motivate

Push styles – inform and assert and close down the options.

The art of influencing is achieved by balancing push and pull styles every interaction with a client such that in each sequence the client moves closer to the decision point.

Balance

What happens if you use push style too much?

You will alienate your client.

What happens if you don’t use push style at all?

You will never be effective at influence.

The art is learning when to pull and when to push and how to construct it so that in each cycle you get closer to the goal. Be Patient…. Give it time to work.

** Warning: The above technique if ever applied during a relationship such as partner, spouse, sig. other etc. is at your own peril and is recommended for consultant/client interactions only.