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- Motivates others to change
- Replaces the bad behaviours with new
- Makes things happen
A powerful book from authors of crucial conversations.
Whether you are a CEO, Parent, Friend, Social worker you encounter situations where we feel need to make a difference, we probably wish we had a power of influence to bring the change.
Normally, people relay on verbal persuasion, but "Feel and Change" is more powerful tool to influence, for example a personnel experience and a powerful story told through a vicarious experience makes a significant difference.
Influencer first needs to connect with people and build trust in order to build his momentum for influence. Please refer my earlier blogs on "TRUST", Communication, Creating winning teams etc.Once you are able to connect or establish a strong communication channel with the person or people, then you must follow the below process. You need both motivation and ability in a person to change.These can be influenced at three dimensions - Personnel, Social, Structural. We need to first find the vital behaviours and search for the root of the problem. If you can influence the behaviours, they will yield the desired results.
Let us take a case of making sure slum dwellers stays in govt constructed houses for them and not rent them. The vital behaviour one can observe here as "Renting an apartment instead staying". There could be multiple reasons for this behaviour. 1. To supplement Income, 2. Every body in their Slum Society giving for rent-just follow others 3. This must be far from their work place. Please understand the slum dwellers are generally daily wage workers, mobile vendors, house hold maids etc.
The above reasons fall in the categories mentioned respectively. There could be multiple solutions to influence these behaviours
Let us explore some thoughts
1.We need to supplement their income - Who stays in the house gets additional benefit of monthly a sum, need not be equivalent to the rents they get. as allowance.
2.Can we identify "leaders" with in community and communicate to them focusing on the benefits of staying in their houses rather going back to slums.
ensure those leaders stay first to create peer pressure.
3.Can we create some small shopping units nearby for each of them to set up their own vending huts.
4.Make sure there is some community events every week to increase social pressure- make living here better - a concept.
5.Are there any structural changes needed like schools, children parks etc to attract the younger generation.
Well if you see we can go wild and try several methods, you also might have observed that these fall in one of the three segments listed.
If one of these things do not work, then you must use the make the change as inevitable or You can identify many vital behaviours in all the three segments and implement all the solutions.
Some famous influencer quotes
"So Ideas can change the world-but only when coupled with influence-the ability to change hearts, minds and behaviour"
"Influencing human behaviour is one of the most difficult changes faced by leaders"
"If you are truly motivated to make productive changes in your life, don't put down your efforts until you reach the goal, whether dealing with recalcitrant teen, doggedly resistant co-workers, or a personal frustration that 'no one ever wants to hear my view'"
Despite all adds one must be in driver's seat to influence the change, it does not matter one needs to be popular or famous like Bill Gates or Azim Premji.
In this book you find many "insignificant" people making significant improvements in people lives ranging from nutritious food shortages to changing criminal behaviours.
No Matter who you are, or what you do, you will never learn a more valuable or important set of principles and skills. One you tap into the power of influence, you can reach out and help others work smarter, grow faster, live, look, and feel better, even save lives.
The Sky is the only limit for an INFLUENCER.
