Last week we wrote about the problem with the good advice that you receive from others. But what do you do if you are the one giving the advice?
How do you make sure that when you are helping someone else make a decision that it is relevant to them?
The reality is that this skill is the essence of influence. Having the ability to assist and support someone else to make an important decision is the key to leadership.
In order to get others to ‘buy’ your idea or your policy or your new practice, you need to let go of your own ego. Too often we step into our ‘expertise’ and start telling others what they should do without having a really good understanding of their context. You need to understand what is going on for them.
Once you understand their context you can tailor your message to their needs. And here’s the real kicker; if you step into their context your power to influence will exponentially grow, because your advice will be considered and relevant to them.
The following are 3 powerful questions that will help you to better understand the context of someone else:
- What is your biggest headache at the moment?
- How much of a pressing need is this for you?
- What is most important for you right now in moving forward?
Ask these three powerful questions and this will turn your ‘expert’ advice into expertly relevant advice.
Ultimately this makes all the difference!
Darren and Alison
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