Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
Your Score
Influentiality Index Factors One of the biggest challenges facing us in our organizational lives is the ability to influence others over whom we have no direct authority. Flatter structures, globalization, and cross-functional teams have brought fresh challenges and having to influence people who have different styles or views makes the task even harder. Being able to influence one’s boss, peers, or top management is the key reason for the success or failure of individuals. Relationship
4.6
Task-related
4.5
Position - Led
4.4
Inspiration
4.3 4.1
Personal
Top 2 Suggests that this is an area of your strength and you consistently use this lever to increase your influence with the stakeholders. Be cautious that an overplayed strength can become a liability at times Med Suggests that this is an area that you use when required. There is a developmental possibility for you to use this lever more to increase your influence with the stakeholders. It is likely, that while you may have the requisite skills in using this lever, it is not a preference.
linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
The Influence Index, adapted from Bradford and Cohen is based on the law of reciprocity.
4.4
Your
Influentiality Index with
COLLEAGUES
Your personalized report is intended to help you understand your references in creating influence across five key levers (shown on the left ) Bottom 2 Suggests that this is an area that is outside your comfort zone. This is a developmental area for you and it will require effort to build skill in this area to increase your influence with the stakeholders. It is likely, that both the requisite skills to use this lever may be lacking and also that the use of this lever causes discomfort.
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
Personal
FACTORS Personal These are factors that enhance the individual’s sense of self. They may be derived from task or interpersonal activity. You understand the importance of acknowledging and showing gratitude and expressing thanks. Most individuals want appreciation for their efforts from the receiver, expressed in terms of thanks or deference. This is tricky, because, even to those who desire it, it is easily devalued when overused. That is, expression of gratitude for the first favor may be more valued than a similar expression of gratitude for the tenth. You are also good at involving your stakeholders in important tasks on or ahead of time where they have a chance to make a major contribution. You also show your involvement by getting involved with his activities as well. You are also keenly aware that people like to act in a way that is consistent with the idea
linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
of who they are and their actions tend to fit personal beliefs about being virtuous, benevolent, or committed to the organization’s welfare. People might respond to another’s request because it reinforces their cherished values, sense of identity, or feelings of self-worth. Payment is still inter- personally stimulated, generating this kind of self-payment by asking for cooperation to accomplish organizational goals. You are capable of influencing the person by helping him understand how the tasks fit in with his self-concept You are also good at understanding that some individuals place high value on personal comfort and will do almost anything to avoid being hassled or embarrassed. The thought of having to make a public fuss, or the recipient of anger and confrontation is enough to drive them to the ends of the earth. You do them a valuable favor by protecting them from being bothered or by restricting outsiders’ access to them.
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
Task-Related
FACTORS Task - Related This factor refers to areas that are directly connected with getting the job done. They relate to your ability to help a person perform his or her assigned tasks and gain the satisfaction that arises from accomplishment. You are sensitive to stakeholder’s resource needs and put in efforts to provide them with resources they require - which could be directly budgetary, loan of people, space, or equipment. You are also keen to provide any other assistance to ease him over roadblocks. You also provide them a chance to work at tasks that provide a challenge or stretch. Challenge is consistently among the top items in surveys of what is most important to employees about their jobs. You are well aware that some people in professional roles will do almost anything to have a chance to work on tough tasks. For these people, the challenge itself is its own reward and you are quick to figure out ways of offering challenge. Some of the ways you do it may be by asking your stakeholder to join in the problem-solving group or passing along a tough piece of your project for him or her to work on. If your boss values challenge, you go to him or her with tough decisions to talk over, or suggest major issues that he or she could tackle with colleagues or higher-ups. You also are good at public backing or behind-the-scenes help in selling the project to others. You are ever willing to drop a positive word at the right time to the right person to further his career or objectives. linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
You sometimes provide this kind of public support even if the person receiving it is under fire. You typically respond quickly to urgent requests. You know for a fact that helping someone avoid the waiting line builds valuable credit that can be drawn on later. Sometimes, you may even try to make it seem that you are always doing the other person a big favor, even when you have spare capacity. This tactic works only as long as those with urgent requests don’t know the true backlog; a secret that is likely not to be secret for long. Be careful; overdoing your burdens can build mistrust. You recognize that knowledge is power and most people value any information that may help them shape the performance of their unit. Answers to specific questions can be valuable, but broader information can be equally rewarding. Knowledge of industry trends, customer concerns, top management’s strategic views, or other departments’ agendas is valued for its contribution to planning and managing key tasks. And insider information may be even more valued. What are top management’s latest concerns? What are the hottest industry trends or the newest customer developments? You are not only adept at knowing all this but share it as required to build your influence across the organization. You understand that if your boss values this kind of information, you have an extra incentive to develop wide- ranging relationships throughout the organization. In addition, you always keep your ear to the ground and are “in the know”. Paradoxically, the higher a person’s position, the less likely he or she is to be aware of what is really going on in the organization and the greater the gratitude for being kept informed
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
Inspiration
Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
FACTORS Inspiration This reflects your ability to provide meaning to the work a person does and is becoming increasingly valued by people at all levels of organizational life. You are able to portray an exciting vision of the company / Function or project in the future and impart a sense of how the ally’s cooperation will help reach the vision. You motivate stakeholders and overcome personal objections and inconvenience by helping them see the larger significance of your request.
linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
You are also good at providing opportunities for excellence at work. You understand the principle that there are many people who want to do high-quality, polished work, and knowing how to offer a chance to do that can make them potential allies. You are also able to help others perceive that the work they are doing is the ethical or correct thing to do and often linked to larger cause.. You bolster people’s self image by letting them know that what they are doing what is “right.”. This lets them feel good about themselves, so virtue becomes its own reward.
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
Position - Led
FACTORS Position - Led This lever is about enhancing a stakeholder’s position in the organization and, thereby, indirectly aiding the person’s ability to accomplish tasks or advance his career. You are well aware that most people gladly will extend themselves for a project when they believe their contributions will be recognized and you ensure that you share the credit and spread the glory once the task has been accomplished. You recognize the importance of paying people off in this valuable currency. You understand the fact that to be recognized by powerful people can be a deciding factor in achieving future opportunities or promotions. That is why, you ensure that your stakeholders are present when presenting to top decision makers. You are also sensitive to ensuring that your stakeholder’s reputation is constantly enhanced – its your view that a person who has good press gets invited to important meetings, is consulted about new projects, and is therefore able to sell ideas better.
enormous difference in reputation and, therefore, effectiveness. For example, you go out of their way to be nice to secretaries or other support staff members. You realize that a nasty comment about them from a secretary to the boss can create a bad impression that is difficult to overcome. You are also able to make your stakeholders feel like a part of the “inner circle” by connecting them to important people. Providing them the chance to be included in important events, tasks, or plans is a great way for them to gain their own sense of significance from being close to the action. Your key influencing principle is that Inclusion and being acknowledged as an important player counts a lot for most people who feel their value is under recognized. You help your stakeholders create a network of people who can be approached when needed for mutually helpful transactions. You are an organization member skilled at bringing people together and see the benefits from facilitating introductions.
Often, people at lower levels, who think they have very little clout, don’t realize how much they can do to influence the reputation of a manager who has more formal power. Not you. You know that speaking well or ill of the manager can make an
linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
Product Leadership Influentiality Index (PLIITM)
Relationship
FACTORS Relationship Relationship lever is more connected to strengthening the relationship with someone than directly accomplishing the organization’s tasks. That in no way diminishes the importance of the tasks. Most people most value the feeling that they are close to others whether an individual or a group/department. They are receptive to those who offer warmth and liking. While they may or may not place closeness over tasks, at the very least they won’t be able to sustain satisfactory transactions with anyone who does not preface serious task discussions with warmth and acceptance. You are adept at making people valued You listen and are empathetic towards stakeholders who sometimes feel beleaguered by the demands of the organization, isolated, or unsupported by the boss. Almost everyone is glad at times for a chance to talk about what bugs him or her, especially when the listeners seem to have no axe to grind or are not too caught up in their own problems to pay attention and you use these opportunities to strengthen relationships. Most people are oriented to the influence model “doing something.” But you recognize that “listening” , in and of itself, can be a very valuable aid to increasing your influence.
linkd.in/prodleader
twitter.com/prodleader
This extends to times when a colleague is feeling stressed, upset, vulnerable, or needy and you understand that he will doubly appreciate—and remember—a thoughtful gesture such as dropping by his desk to inquire how he is doing, a kind word, or a hand on the shoulder. You are one of those people are intuitively brilliant at figuring out just the right touch with a colleague in personal stress, sensing who would appreciate flowers, who would like to be asked home to dinner, and who would respond best to a copy of a meaningful article or book. The item itself is far less important than the gesture, no matter how awkwardly it might be expressed. A note of caution - sometimes, such personal gestures could miss the mark or be misconstrued as signs of more intimate interest or personal friendship than might have been intended. An invitation to dinner at your home, for example, could come across as an intrusion to a very private person. Although caution is in order, genuinely kind gestures usually transcend misinterpretation.
pinterest.com/prodleader
facebook.com/prodleader
W
www.productleadership.in
III Floor, AMBER, #132, 15th Main IV Block, Koramangala, Bangalore 560 035 Karnataka, India P: +91 80 4115 8157
11 Loyola Terrace, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA P: +1 713 568 8154