Colin GautreyAuthor, Executive Coach and Trainer| The Gautrey GroupUnited Kingdom
During a recent webinar I posed the question, what proportion of your time as a project/program manager do you spend influencing people?
Personally, I believe it should be quite a bit, but what do you think, and why?
BTW: The webinar (Strategic Influence for Project Managers) is still available On Demand, as is the book, A Project Manager's Guide to Influence if you'd like it here;
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I suspect, Colin, that we are influencing, or should be, every time we communicate. Whether it's with the project team in a meeting, or the project sponsor in a status report.
We want to influence how people think about the project and how they work on the project.
Influence is required to persuade and inspire people.
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1 reply by Anupam
Jul 19, 2016 8:43 AM
Anupam
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I echo with Stephane.
Actually it is influencing people and decisions.
Saving Changes...
Stephanie GrahamVP of Strategy| BankOnITOklahoma City, Ok, United States
I would say about 90% of my communications is influencing.
Influencing opinion on the project status, project direction (with the team members), etc. Saving Changes...
John Caron, MBA, PMP, CSMVP - Technology Project Solutions Consultant| Bank of AmericaJacksonville, Fl, United States
I would guess 75-80% and this applies to networking too. The art of effective networking is influencing as well as out every day role at work. Saving Changes...
Fabio Teixeira de MeloCEO| ALIA FUTURA Consulting and TrainingRio De Janeiro, Rj, Brazil
The only moment you are not influencing is when you are exerting authority. And viceversa, you are being influenced with every communication you receive. Saving Changes...
Colin GautreyAuthor, Executive Coach and Trainer| The Gautrey GroupUnited Kingdom
Given that influencing is any act intended to get people to do/think or feel differently the figure is going to be high. Even the exercise of authority is an influential act. Then you can also add the networking to build trust and goodwill ready for when you need to influence! Saving Changes...
Fabio Teixeira de MeloCEO| ALIA FUTURA Consulting and TrainingRio De Janeiro, Rj, Brazil
When I referred to authority, I thought of the situation in which someone issues an instruction and people obey, regardless of how they think or feel about the instruction. If you are exerting authority as part of a broader strategy, yes you are influencing. On the other hand, if you are doing it "just because you can" (unfortunately we have that kind of situation), you are probably not that concerned with influence. While I agree that it remains an influential act, the lack of a more structured approach would leave this kind of act out of the realm of influencing (perhaps out of the realm of high integrity?). Anyway, that is the only exception I can think of.
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1 reply by Colin Gautrey
Jul 14, 2016 5:58 PM
Colin Gautrey
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Good point Fabio. And you raise another interesting angle, that of integrity. One mans integrity is anothers folly :0
Saving Changes...
Colin GautreyAuthor, Executive Coach and Trainer| The Gautrey GroupUnited Kingdom
Jul 14, 2016 12:27 PM
Replying to Fabio Teixeira de Melo
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When I referred to authority, I thought of the situation in which someone issues an instruction and people obey, regardless of how they think or feel about the instruction. If you are exerting authority as part of a broader strategy, yes you are influencing. On the other hand, if you are doing it "just because you can" (unfortunately we have that kind of situation), you are probably not that concerned with influence. While I agree that it remains an influential act, the lack of a more structured approach would leave this kind of act out of the realm of influencing (perhaps out of the realm of high integrity?). Anyway, that is the only exception I can think of.
Good point Fabio. And you raise another interesting angle, that of integrity. One mans integrity is anothers folly :0 Saving Changes...
I suspect, Colin, that we are influencing, or should be, every time we communicate. Whether it's with the project team in a meeting, or the project sponsor in a status report.
We want to influence how people think about the project and how they work on the project.
Influence is required to persuade and inspire people.
I echo with Stephane.
Actually it is influencing people and decisions. Saving Changes...
