Influence Redefined: Communication Research

Here at Stacey Hanke Inc., we believe in the power of data. The results of recent data, published by the Social Research Lab at the University of Northern Colorado, support the philosophies that we use every day to equip leaders to enhance their influence. These findings provide a deeper understanding of why leaders must learn to communicate with confidence, authenticity and trust Monday to Monday?.

The report is broken into five sections: Self-Awareness, Consistency, Reputation, Adaptability, and Influence & Impact.

Self-Awareness

In Influence Redefined, it's discussed how self-awareness is the first step to greater influence. Further literature supports the notion and importance of self-awareness in organizations and among leadership, and was positively associated with job-related well-being and improved with training.

Stacey sought to assess participants' growth regarding self-awareness in the workplace after completing a workshop they had taken with her. The general idea was for participants to understand the importance of acquiring self-awareness skills and to use those skills in their respective workplace.

Consistency

There are two different elements that coincide with influence: what you communicate and how you communicate.

Consistent leadership is associated with group effectiveness and leader influence. 

In the study, participants revealed the importance of being consistent in their personal branding. The majority of respondents understand the importance of consistency and have learned these skills in Stacey's workshops.

Reputation

A leader's reputation sets the stage for their followers' and employees' interactions. Their outcome determines the leader's level of influence, and drives the results one gets from others.  

Participants felt that workshops should significantly focus on equipping the participants with the tools necessary to lead their teams in enhancing their reputation. Most participants also agreed with the need for acquiring these skills and have also used them post-workshop to enhance their workplace reputation. 

Adaptability

Adapting your message and delivery to the specifics of the situation allows you to consistently communicate with confidence, credibility, and influence, even during impromptu interactions.

Participants of Stacey's workshops felt that they have become more adaptable post-workshop because of the skills shared. Specifically, they have been able to adapt their dialogue and focus on being better listeners post-workshop and have gained new skills that have helped respondents adapt in the moment. Many have gained adaptability skills as a leader and helped provide their team with similar skillset. 

Influence & Impact

Communication Efficiency, Virtual Conversations, and Interacting with Visual Aids are all critical in finding your Influence from Monday to Monday?. 

Efficient, effective and clear communication by leaders within an organization is important, and leadership communication strategies can increase worker loyalty. Virtual communication plays a key role in organizations, especially in our contemporary, technology-reliant age. It is important that organizations utilize and understand these forms of virtual communication well. Virtual aids, when used effectively, can also cause your audience to pay better attention, as visual aids spark and hold interest.

Final Words

We are living in a new world of work called noise. We receive messages 24/7 via email, text, social media, in- person meetings to virtual calls with our webcams on. We are dressed in business attire from the waist up, feeling fatigue, by Wednesday.

This world of noise makes it even more difficult to be consistent in how we show up and how we stay present. We need to focus and work even harder during our virtual interactions - to stand above the noise to be heard, understood and to influence action.

If you use the same skills in every conversation, you will show up as your best, authentic self in every interaction, Monday to Monday? 

Learn more and download the full report of Stacey's research on her website.

?After all, the data is loud and clear. Influence will take your leadership team to the “next level.”