INSPIRE YOURSELF

ACTING WISELY

1 Samuel 18:6 – 15

It takes wisdom to make your tormentors afraid of you!

Genesis 41:37 – 39

It takes wisdom to be supernaturally enthroned.

Wisdom took Joseph from the pit to slavery.

It also took him from slavery to potiphar’s house.

From Potiphar’s house, he moved to the prison.

From the prison, he moved to the palace.

Men who act wisely never give in to complain.

Wisdom reflects the inner beauty of a slave.

Whatever catches your attention might be something you have been created to proffer solution to.

Genesis 45:1-8

A wise word grieves your enemy!

The past does not have the hand to hold on to you, it is you that is holding on to the past. Leave it alone and you will be free.

You must be ready and willing to step out of your comfort zone.

1 Samuel 30:1-6

You are the best person to encourage yourself.

How to act wisely

• Never complain – Attitude
• Encourage yourself – Inner Courage
• Have an expectation – Vision.

Acts 3:1 – 6

Acting wisely is all about changing your expectation.

To act wisely is to exalt your expectation above your want for silver and gold.

Proverbs 24:14

UNDERSTANDING INFLUENCE
When you succeed in getting your ideas heard and accepted, you are exerting influence. Recognize that your powers of persuasion contribute directly to your ability to achieve your goals.
BEING INFLUENTIAL
Effective influencers are convincing and trustworthy, and both these qualities require self – management. In other to persuade others to accept your point of view, it is necessary to present a clear case that matches their needs.
THE ART OF PERSUASSION
Over 2,300 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle summarized the skills required to become a successful influencer in his book on rhetoric. He defined persuasion as the ability to convince others to adopt your ideas. A good influencer is able to speak logically, fluently, and confidently.
He or she is able to motivate and inspire others by appealing to their hidden interest.
1. Order your thoughts logically before you present an idea.
2. Study the technique of public speaking.
3. Improve your credibility by being well informed.
4. Understand that effective influence stems from two way dialogue.
5. Notice other people’s body language when you suggest an idea.
6. Be flexible in your approach and consider the concerns of others.
7. Understand how influence helps you create agreements with others.
8. Review and update your goals regularly.
9. Win the respect and trust of your senior managers.
10. Tailor your points to suit the decision makers.
11. Be confident when you telephone your customers – this will build their trust in your abilities.
12. Consider what motivates you in your in your work.
13. Make sure that you listen as well as speak.
14. Make it your goal to talk to new people wherever you go.
15. Become a natural optimist – look for solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
16. Observe what good leaders do and aim to follow their lead.
17. Ask a friend for feedback about your strengths, weakness, and abilities.
18. Decide what your first steps towards leadership will be.
19. Understand that setbacks will happen.
20. Recognize that influence comes from developing good relationships and sharing creative ideas.
21. Listen to your instincts when you are making difficult decisions.
22. Be aware of other people’s preconceptions.
23. Match voice tones with others to build rapport.
24. Try to interpret people’s intentions, as well as listening to what they say.
25. Avoid giving advice unless you are asked for it.
26. Check whether your intuitions are accurate by asking questions on relevant points.
27. Remember that people respond well to honesty and courtesy.
28. Say “No” to demands that may overstretch you.
29. Keep a record of things that you have agreed to, do and check it daily.
30. Notice the way that successful people in your organization dress.
31. Find out a customer’s dress code before a meeting and adapt your clothing to match.
32. Allow enough time for “grooming” each morning.
33. Choose clothes that are well co-ordinate and stylish.
34. Give your proposal a catchy name, so that it grabs people’s attention.
35. Change someone’s perspective on a problem by adopting a different type of frame.
36. Take the viewpoint of the person you want to influence.
37. Notice what people are enthusiastic about.
38. As focused questions to help identify needs.
39. When you sell an idea, highlight the key benefits only.
40. Use “we” rather than “you” when seeking the support of others.
41. Take a deep breath before you react to a criticism.
42. Bring contentious issues out into the open.
43. Keep the end goal in mind when you are explaining ideas.
44. Distribute handouts during a presentation – these should highlight your key points.
45. Acknowledge the limits of your proposal.
46. Make your explanations as simple as possible.
47. Create a mental picture of a desired future to help make it happen.
48. Watch the other party’s responses to your suggestions and, if necessary, change your approach.
49. Be confident, relaxed, and curious, about the people you meet.
50. Remember that junior staff are tomorrow’s bosses.
51. Start networking today – pick up the telephone.
52. Be open to opportunities and new friends.
53. Get your name known by writing articles in journals.
54. Plan events – this is a good way to make contacts.
55. Keep in regular contact with your acquaintances through e-mails, telephone calls or cards.
56. Find out what interests team members have outside their work.
57. Build confidence on people’s strengths.
58. Keep your team informed about developments.
59. Motivate quieter team members by asking them for their ideas.
60. Look for signs of doubt, such as lack of eye contact.
61. If you cannot achieve a big goal, try a smaller one.
62. Be firm and fair when you assess other’s ideas.
63. Show enthusiasm when you brief someone – energy is contagious.
64. Notice how the most influential p[person in a group is also the leader.
65. Exert influence by showing your expertise.
66. Ensure that each individual feels he or she is a valuable member of the team.
67. Involve yourself in work your team dislikes.
68. Ask your team to suspend judgment and create ideas.
69. Build consensus by valuing everyone’s input – encourage your team members to do the same.
70. Build a reliable reputation, so that senior managers learn to trust you.
71. Work to gain the respect of your senor managers.
72. Imagine how you would react to your own proposal.
73. Anticipate the criteria of each senior manager.
74. Be assertive about asking for the go – ahead.
75. Assume success – this will give you an air of confidence.
76. If someone objects to your proposal, ask for their ideas on how it could be improved.
77. Subtly match your senior manager’s non – verbal styles.
78. Gain respect by addressing issues rather than winning arguments.
79. Take the time to think through proposals, rather than rushing to make a decision.
80. Handle deadlocks by being firm but flexible.
81. Stay focused on your goals when you are faced with conflict.
82. Find the cause of a problem and learn from your mistakes, rather than acting defensively.
83. Respect diversity and everyone’s right to disagree.
84. Remember that the best views are a synthesis of many.
85. Learn from the way you dealt with past conflict.
86. Focus on agreements and find solutions.
87. Examine the causes of a misunderstanding.
88. Keep notes on your anecdotes you hear you could use in your talks.
89. Think about people who present talks well and aim to emulate them.
90. Prepare your presentation well in advance.
91. Use positive self – talk to increase your confidence.
92. Arrive at a talk with plenty of time to prepare your materials.
93. Be ready to adapt your talk to match your audience’s response.
94. Stand in the room where you will give your presentation and think of it as your own office.
95. Start by outlining the content of your talk.
96. Use bullet points to summarize your key points.
97. State that you will answer questions at the end.
98. Change to a more upbeat tone when describing solutions.
99. Be ready for a range of questions about your proposal.
100. Respond to interruptions positively.
101. Maintain the flow of your presentations.