Do you need others to get things done, but they don’t report to you? That is an increasingly common situation in the life science and technology industries. The truth is that even when you do have “power”, you are often better off using influence first. The truly effective individual contributors, managers, and executives use influence skills to achieve results, regardless of their positional power within the organization or team structure.
Attending the Influence Without Authority workshop will provide you with key skills for getting things done whether or not you are in charge. You will improve your ability to manage “up”, get agreement from peers, and motivate reports that will enable you to work more effectively in project and cross-functional teams, collaborations, and matrixed organizations.
Learning Objectives
Understanding of why people do (or don’t do) things you want them to do
Ability to recognize and employ the three major types of influence
Techniques to positively affect the behaviors of others to enable better results at work
Skills to recognize and align with the personal goals and motivations of others
Ability to get things done even without the title or position in a company
Topics Covered:
Overview of three major types of influence
Recognizing the potential repercussions of using power
How to influence, but not manipulate
Ways to identify the goals and motivations of others
Recognizing and using types of personal influence
Importance of being likable, and how to authentically improve in this area through sincere efforts and actions
How relationships influence peoples’ choices and behavior
Utilizing structural context to influence people to get work accomplished
Format
This three-and-a-half hour workshop is highly interactive, and involves small-group discussions of case studies from the life science and technology industries, as well as group discussions, short role-playing exercises, and opportunities to gain perspective from and share best practices with other attendees. Participants are given theoretical background and overview of power and influence, as well as practical tools that can be implemented in the work place. Attendees in this workshop will practice identifying types of influence, recognizing the motivations of others, and developing a strategy for influencing others. Participants will receive hard-copy and electronic information, practical tools, tips and techniques to improve their ability to influence.
Who Should Attend
Project leaders, individual contributors, collaboration participants, and others who want to learn strategies to improve their ability to get things done
Leaders and managers who want to gain new strategies for getting those below them to act without having to “command” them
Technical experts who want to improve the strategic choices made their organizations
Anyone in the life science and technology industries who wants more perspective on this topic. Those in other industries are definitely welcome to attend since the material covered is fundamental, as long as they are open to industry-specific examples and case studies
Seminar leaders
Gwen Acton, PhD, is the CEO of Vivo Group. She holds a doctorate in biology from MIT, and specializes in developing leadership and management skills of scientists and engineers. Maura Snow is a VP and Senior Consultant in Human Resources at Great Brook Biotech. She has over 20 years experience in HR management and staff development in the life science industries.
Benefits to the Individual
Improve your ability to get others to do what you need them to do
Get more ideas accepted and successfully implemented
Manage your boss and influence company leadership more effectively
Improve long-term working relationships with colleagues
Benefits to the Organization
Greater effectiveness of individual contributors, managers, and leaders
Less conflict and higher morale
Better organizational decision-making, due to improved input
More positive relationships within and between departments as well as in cross-functional teams
Agenda
5:30-6:00 Registration, refreshments, and networking opportunity
6:00-6:20 Introductions and overview of workshop
6:20-8:45 Slide presentation, group discussion, case study analysis, and practice groups
8:45-9:00 Wrap up and action items
Workshop Takeaway Materials
“Influence Without Authority” Participant Workbook
Work sheet for self evaluation (hard-copy and electronic)
Template for strategic planning influence approach (hard-copy and electronic)
Assessment tool for identifying others’ priorities (hard-copy and electronic)