Communicating with influence
Want to feel more confident in meetings and negotiations? Or would you just like to be a more persuasive speaker overall? The key is in learning the skills of communicating with influence.
Effective communication is a skill that ensures your message is received in the way you intended. Good communication helps you build professional relationships, become an empathetic leader, and make a lasting impression on people – including during job interviews and salary negotiations. But you can take your skills a step further by using influential communication to persuasively get your points across and sway people’s opinions.
In this article, we cover what it means to communicate with influence, and provide examples of important skills to develop, and how to become more influential.
What does it mean to communicate with influence?
Communicating with influence means delivering your message in a way that resonates with your audience, persuades them to see your point of view, and encourages them to take action.
Influential communication involves several elements:
Clarity: ensuring your message is clear and easy to understand.
Confidence: delivering your message with assurance and assertiveness. If you don’t sound convinced by your own ideas, others won’t be convinced either.
Empathy: understanding and addressing the needs and concerns of your audience. This helps to bring them over to your perspective and see things the way you do.
Adaptability: tailoring your communication style to suit different situations and audiences. For example, a salary negotiation is going to require different communication skills than delegating the duties of a work project.
Communication and influence skills examples
We communicate every day in different ways, from ordering a morning coffee to closing a big deal with clients. Here are some ‘how to communicate with influence’ examples that highlight where your skills might come in handy.
Job interviews: highlighting your skills and experiences in a way that makes a strong case for why you are the ideal applicant for the job.
Meetings: presenting your ideas clearly and persuasively, ensuring your voice is heard and valued in the decision-making process.
Salary negotiations: sharing your worth and negotiating your salary terms confidently, and using evidence and achievements to support your case.
How to communicate with influence
As someone who communicates with influence, you can open doors to opportunities that may not present themselves to others. Here are practical methods to help you refine your skills.
Actively listen to those around you
Active listening is a skill that takes practice and requires you to really take on board what others have to say. By genuinely listening to other perspectives, you show both respect and empathy, which add to your influence. Here’s how:
Maintain eye contact: this shows you’re engaged and interested in what the other person is saying. People appreciate being heard.
Summarise main points: repeat back what you’ve heard to show you have paid attention and understand their view.
Ask clarifying questions: this shows that you are actively engaged and want to gain a deeper understanding of their point of view.
Be clear
Clear communication is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and ensure your message is well received.
Good communication example: We need to complete the quarterly performance report by 12pm Friday to ensure it’s reviewed before the weekend.
Poor communication example: We need to get the report done soon.
Here are some approaches for clear communication:
Organise your thoughts: before speaking, take a moment to think through what you want to say. It’s the best way to avoid any mistakes or misunderstandings.
Use simple language: keep it simple. Avoid jargon and complex words that might lead to confusion. A simple message will be understood and actioned.
Be specific: provide concrete details (such as deadlines and duties) to ensure your message is clear with no room for misinterpretation.
Be concise
Concise communication helps you get your message across without overwhelming your audience. It ensures that everyone is on the same page and understands the goals or objectives of the project or task. Strategies for concise communication can include:
Stick to the point: focus on the main message you want to get across.
Use simple language: avoid unnecessary words to keep your message short and to the point.
Prioritise information: highlight the most important points first before expanding to ensure they’re heard.
Be confident
Showing confidence and conviction strengthens your message and makes you more persuasive. Who are you more like to listen to: someone who doesn’t sound like they know what they’re talking about, or someone who is sharing their views without hesitation? This is what you want to mimic. Here are some tips for building confidence.
Body language: stand tall, hold eye contact, and use open gestures.
Vocal variety: use a strong, clear voice, and vary your pitch and tone to keep your audience interested in what you have to say.
Practice: the more you practise the more confident you’ll become.
Be credible
Your goal is to get people to trust you and what you have to say. To do this, you need to build credibility with your audience. Whether you present a well-researched report or share a personal story that highlights your point, there are different ways to do this.
Use data and examples: support your points with facts, statistics and real-life examples.
Be honest: always be truthful and transparent in your communication so people know they can trust you.
Consistency: ensure your words line up with your actions.
Be compelling
Influences on communication go beyond just getting your message across. You want to hold your audience’s attention and encourage them to take action. This is where your influence comes into play. Whether it’s to secure a job, get a promotion or negotiate a pay rise, being compelling will help you reach your objective.
Use storytelling: share stories that highlight your points and make your message memorable. Make sure your story has a beginning, middle and end that is easy to follow. This will bring your perspective to life and make it easy to follow and understand.
Emotional appeals: use humour, inspiration, or other emotional appeals to connect with your audience. When your audience feels connected, they’re more likely to be open to what you’re saying.
Vivid language: use descriptive language to paint a picture and engage your listeners. You want them to hang off every word to help you achieve your aim.
Non-verbal communication is just as important. Quite often it’s not about what is said, but how it’s said. For example, if you’re mumbling and staring at the ground, you’re not going to engage your audience and get your message across.
Here are some things to think about:
Eye contact: maintaining eye contact is a great way to ensure your audience is engaged and listening.
Posture: stand or sit up straight to convey confidence.
Facial expressions: use expressions that match your message to enhance understanding.
Adapt different communication styles
Understanding and adapting different communication styles can help with your influence in different situations. There are three main types of communication: assertive, passive and aggressive. We take a look at each one and when they might be used.
Assertive communication
Assertive communication is when you express your thoughts, feelings and needs in a clear, direct, and respectful manner. It involves self-advocacy while respecting others, and is the most effective style for communicating with influence. It involves:
Clear and direct speech
Confidence without aggression
Active listening and empathy
Open body language
Example: I understand your viewpoint, and I’d love to explore that approach in the next stage of the project. For now, I feel that it’s best if we stick to the original plan, because…
Passive communication
Passive communication is more accommodating of others, however often results in your opinions not being heard. It’s best used to clarify a misunderstanding before switching back to an assertive style to get your view across. It involves:
Avoidance of conflict
Inability to say no
Soft, apologetic tone
Closed or submissive body language
Example: I’m happy to follow your lead, even though I have some concerns.
Aggressive communication
Aggressive communication often involves dominating, controlling, or bullying others through hostile or inappropriate behaviour. It’s not the best way to win people around to your way of thinking and is best to avoid. It involves:
Loud, demanding or threatening speech
Disregard for others‘ feelings and rights
Confrontational or dismissive tone
Intimidating body language
Example: We have to do it my way because you're not doing it right.
Communicating with influence involves actively listening, being clear and concise, giving off confidence, establishing credibility and adapting your communication style to suit different audiences and situations. These strategies can help you stand out in job interviews, meetings and salary negotiations helping you achieve your goals. The better you master your ability to communicate with influence, the more you will thrive in your career.
FAQs
What does it mean to communicate with influence?
Communicating with influence means delivering your message in a way that your audience understands, persuades them to see your perspective, and prompts them to take action.
This skill is essential in various professional settings, from job interviews to team meetings and negotiations.
What are examples of communicating and influencing?
Examples of communicating and influencing include:
presenting a well-structured argument during a meeting,
negotiating a higher salary confidently, and
selling your skills and experiences in a job interview.
Why is influential communication important?
Influential communication is important because it improves your ability to persuade others, build strong relationships, and achieve your professional goals. It helps you stand out in competitive environments and ensures your ideas are heard and valued.
What is an example of influence in communication?
An example of influence in communication is successfully negotiating a higher salary by clearly sharing your achievements, presenting evidence to support your request and confidently addressing any concerns the employer might have.
What are the 5 Cs of influential communication?
The five Cs of influential communication are: clarity, conciseness, confidence, credibility and compellingness.
Clarity: being clear, stating things simply
Conciseness: getting to the point
Confidence: being sure of yourself and your message
Credibility: being able to back up your message with evidence
Compellingness: engaging your audience with interesting and motivating points
How to effectively communicate to engage and influence others?
To effectively communicate to engage and influence others:
Use clear and concise language
Be confident
Support your points with data
Make your message compelling through storytelling
I always feel like I’m talked over in meetings. How can I communicate more assertively to get my ideas heard?
To communicate more assertively in meetings, practise active listening, maintain eye contact, use a confident tone of voice, and state your ideas clearly and concisely. Don’t be afraid to assertively interject by adding your own thoughts to someone else’s comments – use segue phrases like, ‘On that point…’ or ‘Building from that…’ and wait until the other person pauses. Take advantage of any lulls in conversation by bringing up your point. Privately address your concerns with your manager if you still feel ignored.
How can I communicate my worth and ask for what I deserve with more influence?
Communicate your worth by clearly sharing your achievements, using data to support your claims, and confidently expressing your value. Prepare thoroughly, practise your delivery, and address any potential objections.
Are there ways to use storytelling to make presentations more engaging and impactful?
Yes, using storytelling in presentations can make them more engaging and impactful. Structure your story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and use vivid language and emotional appeals to connect with your audience on a personal level.
