Did you know that the most successful people in any field are often those who are able to influence others? Whether it’s a CEO, a project founder, or even someone like Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings, successful influencers all share one trait—they understand the goals and motivations of other people. In this blog post, we’ll explore how understanding the goals and motivations of others can help us increase our own power as influencers.
Understanding Goals & Motivations
The key to becoming an influential leader is understanding what other people want or need. Once you have a better idea of what motivates them, you’ll be able to tailor your approach to suit their individual needs. For example, Lenny Rachitsky was an Airbnb employee who increased guest-side conversion by focusing on understanding customer wants and needs. This success helped him secure a job at Airbnb in the end. The same principle applies to anyone looking to become an influential leader—you must understand what drives those around you before attempting to influence them.
Dale Carnegie wrote that “talk to someone about themselves and they’ll listen for hours”. This quote is evidence for why it is important to take time before asking someone for something in order to gain insight into their wants or needs. By understanding the goals and motivations of those around us, we can increase our own influence by presenting ourselves as helpful allies instead of demanding authority figures.
Application
Taking the time to understand what motivates those around us can give us greater insight into how we should approach them in order to gain cooperation and support. We can use active listening techniques such as repeating back what someone has said or asking open-ended questions about their experience in order to get a better idea of how we should frame our request for assistance. Additionally, providing honest feedback when needed will show that we respect others’ opinions and value their contributions—all of which will help us become more effective influencers.
Conclusion:
This blog post has explored how understanding the goals and motivations of others can help us increase our own influence as leaders and influencers. When attempting to become an influential leader, it is essential that we take time before asking anyone for anything so that we can gain insight into what drives each person individually—their wants or needs. By doing so, we will be able provide assistance while also presenting ourselves as helpful allies instead of demanding authority figures—ultimately leading us towards greater success!
