"SUCCESS MANTRA" # 137

TOPIC:  INFLUENCING

COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGE

GAINING ENTRY

Where do you start? What do you say first? How do you gain attention? Just like a game of chess, the first moves are often vital to the outcome of the match. Think carefully about the impact of your opening gambit.

Often, you will need to build the case for your idea gradually, particularly if the other person is initially resistant. The model below will help you to remember the stages in opening a discussion and building need.

O utcome questions – often assumptive but designed to reveal a desired outcome for the other person: 'How would you like to see this improved?'.

P roblem questions – designed to elicit the problems connected with the outcome: 'What would it cost to improve it?'.

E xploration questions – designed to show the implication of the problems: 'Is it lack of resources which prevents you from making changes?'.

N eed questions - designed to bring them to the conclusion that they have a need for your proposal: 'So, if we can find other ways of saving money, it would fund the project and we could go ahead. Do you agree?'.

THE OPENING GAMBIT

Much influence can be lost or dissipated in the first few sentences. With careful thought (and, if necessary, rehearsal) you can set the climate, elicit responses and identify a need within your opening gambit.

Imagine that a colleague has recently been making errors and you want to examine systems and procedures that may have contributed to the mistakes. You expect some resistance as the systems were designed by the same colleague. An opening gambit may go something like this:

'Sam, I know you and your team are under a lot of pressure at present and I have anidea which could help relieve some of it for you. Interested? Good. Your system has worked well in the past but recent changes have affected the way it operates. I expect you have noticed some errors in the sales returns for last quarter? Right. Well, I think we can kill two birds with one stone – adjust the system and remove the errors …'

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