The Leader's Guide to Influence: How to Use Soft Skills to Get Hard Results

Shortlisted for the CMI Management Book of the Year 2011, Practical Manager Category

The Leader's Guide to Influence will show you how to step up your people skills and improve working relationships so you can get the business results you want.

Combing the hugely popular areas of influence and leadership, this book will show you how to step up your interpersonal effectiveness by learning how to work more successfully with those around you, be they people you manage, colleagues, client or business partners.

Through a combination of practical exercises, case studies and no-nonsense advice, this book shows you how to:

- Increase your confidence and impact.

- Communicate more effectively.

- Learn different tools, techniques and approaches when working with different types of people.

- Listen and question effectively.

- Develop rapport and empathy.

- Give better feedback.

- Deal with difficult situations and cope with conflict.

Table of Contents (THIS IS VERY MUCH A DRAFT OUTLINE AT THIS POINT BUT GIVES A GOOD IDEA OF THE TYPES OF TOPIC TO BE COVERED) Introduction PART 1: THE INFLUENTIAL MANAGER'S GROUND RULES The Influencing Process Relational Influencing The Working Relationship Model Why relationships at work are so important Relationship styles Relationship derailers - and how to avoid them PART 2: CRITICAL ASPECTS OF INFLUENTIAL WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Creating and developing the right impression Effective Listening Asking Good Questions Developing Trustworthiness Mutual respect Developing Rapport and empathy Assertiveness Self-awareness Awareness of others Communications skills How to Support others Emotional management and resilience Developing Integrity Being Politically Astute Being Authentic Understanding Conflict Working with Diversity How to develop Judgement Giving - and receiving Feedback How to Challenge PART 3: TIPS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES How to be appreciative Reframing Challenging assumptions Readingpeople Non verbal communication The language of influence Developing positive relationships Using both brains to influence Linking and Building Thinking creatively Storytelling CONCLUSION