1. Develop your critical decision-making skills.
Decision-making is a top leadership competency because it pops up everywhere, from the simple choice of where to hold a staff meeting to the strategic options of where to spend marketing dollars. These decisions impact the people in the next cubicle, but they may also affect a subsidiary halfway across the globe or an entire country.
Decisiveness is not a trait we're born with -- it's a skill that can be learned. To master it, analyze your process of critical decision-making to spot weak
2. Learn to make a solid argument.
You may never address the United Nations Security Council or testify before Congress, but everyone should be able to put together a coherent argument. That skill is critically and frequently useful -- in high-stakes conversations, in presentations, in question-and-answer sessions and in other discussions with decision-makers or anyone else who represents a certain viewpoint or asks you to explain yours.
To argue means to give reasons. It means defending and promoting your choices against the contrary arguments of equally adept influencers. Take what you've learned in school and build on that base with private instruction and directed reading on the relevant subject. You'll find that your ability to think critically and analyze others' arguments will dramatically increase your influence on their choices.
3. Become a storyteller.
Storytelling has been a premier tool in influencing people across cultures and eras. Influencers tell stories for strategic purposes. From motivating people to act, to teaching, to reducing resistance and changing minds, a well-told narrative is a formidable force, often far more powerful than the mere recitation of complex financial or technical facts.
Numbers and figures are
After you master the data, ask yourself: Is there a way to put a human face on my message? Are there real-life examples that will help me make my point in a way others can relate to?
4. Hone your speaking skills.
When many of us think of influential people, we often think of those who were great speakers, such as John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Steve Jobs, as well as contemporaries such as Michelle Obama and Sheryl Sandberg. While many influencers operate effectively behind the scenes, those with the ability, the drive and the courage to speak persuasively have an additional source of powerful leverage.
Like decision-making skills, speaking skills are in high demand. Every day in myriad organizations, corporations and schools, vast numbers of presenters strive to capture the imaginations of workers and executives and students in order to drive an agenda forward. Yet many people fear speaking in public, giving in to a panic that closes a heavy door on a fast track to success and influence.
Do not shy away from speaking opportunities. Hone your message and delivery skill by repeatedly putting yourself in front of an audience, gather feedback, make adjustments, rinse and repeat. Summon the courage to speak and accept discomfort as a natural part of learning and growing. Start in smaller settings first, and then build up from there. There's no limit to where your influence can grow with this skill.
5. Have a basic understanding of current events.
You can't have an intelligent conversation with your peers and clients if you're stumped when faced with everyday topics such as the election, taxes, budget deficits, interest rates, markets, unemployment and the meaning of all these things to the average citizen. You don't need to be an expert on these topics, but you do need a basic understanding of them.
Influence is
6. Think like a leader.
Influence is most obvious when it happens at the front of the pack. While influence can arise from any position, it is also from a position of leadership that it can make the most impact.
The most successful companies develop their high-potential leaders from within. If you're lucky enough to work for a leadership-development powerhouse such as GE, IBM or P&G, you've got it made, because everyone else is going to woo you to come on board with them and practice what you've learned.
7. Understand communication technology.
It's the 21st century, and even 5 year olds know
相关单词：marketing
marketing解释：n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西
marketing例句：
They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。
相关单词：cubicle
cubicle解释：n.大房间中隔出的小室
cubicle例句：
She studies in a cubicle in the school library.她在学校图书馆的小自习室里学习。
A technical sergeant hunches in a cubicle.一位技术军士在一间小屋里弯腰坐着。
相关单词：halfway
halfway解释：adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途
halfway例句：
We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。
相关单词：analyze
analyze解释：vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)
analyze例句：
We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。
相关单词：biases
biases解释：偏见( bias的名词复数 )； 偏爱； 特殊能力； 斜纹
biases例句：
Stereotypes represent designer or researcher biases and assumptions, rather than factual data. 它代表设计师或者研究者的偏见和假设，而不是实际的数据。 来自
The net effect of biases on international comparisons is easily summarized. 偏差对国际比较的基本影响容易概括。
相关单词：adept
adept解释：adj.老练的，精通的
adept例句：
When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。
相关单词：premier
premier解释：adj.首要的；n.总理，首相
premier例句：
The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。
相关单词：narrative
narrative解释：n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
narrative例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
相关单词：mere
mere解释：adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
mere例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
相关单词：digits
digits解释：n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾
digits例句：
The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
相关单词：memorably
memorably解释：难忘的
memorably例句：
The book includes some memorably seedy characters and scabrous de
Horowitz could play Chopin memorably. 霍洛维茨可以把肖邦的作品演奏得出神入化。 来自互联网
相关单词：influential
influential解释：adj.有影响的，有权势的
influential例句：
He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。
相关单词：persuasively
persuasively解释：adv.口才好地；令人信服地
persuasively例句：
Students find that all historians argue reasonably and persuasively. 学生们发现所有的历史学家都争论得有条有理，并且很有说服力。 来自辞典例句
He spoke a very persuasively but I smelled a rat and refused his offer. 他说得头头是道，但我觉得有些可疑，于是拒绝了他的建议。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：leverage
leverage解释：n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量
leverage例句：
We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。
相关单词：myriad
myriad解释：adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量
myriad例句：
They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。
相关单词：presenters
presenters解释：n.节目主持人，演播员( presenter的名词复数 )
presenters例句：
Each week presenters would put the case for their favourite candidate. 每个星期主持人推出他们最喜欢的候选人。 来自互联网
Karaoke was set up to allowed presenters to sing on the stage. 宴会设有歌唱舞台，可让出席者大演唱功。 来自互联网
相关单词：rinse
rinse解释：v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗
rinse例句：
Give the cup a rinse.冲洗一下杯子。
Don't just rinse the bottles. Wash them out carefully.别只涮涮瓶子，要仔细地洗洗里面。
相关单词：discomfort
discomfort解释：n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便
discomfort例句：
One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。
相关单词：stumped
stumped解释：僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说
stumped例句：
Jack huffed himself up and stumped out of the room. 杰克气喘吁吁地干完活，然后很艰难地走出房间。
He was stumped by the questions and remained tongue-tied for a good while. 他被问得张口结舌，半天说不出话来。
相关单词：deficits
deficits解释：n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损
deficits例句：
The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：steer
steer解释：vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶
steer例句：
If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。
相关单词：multimedia
multimedia解释：adj.多种手段的，多媒体的；n.多媒体
multimedia例句：
Multimedia is the combination of computer and video technology.多媒体是计算机和视频技术的结合。
Adam raised the issue of multimedia applications and much useful discussion ensued.亚当提出了多媒体应用的问题，从而引发了许多有益的讨论。
相关单词：ongoing
ongoing解释：adj.进行中的，前进的
ongoing例句：
The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。
相关单词：forum
forum解释：n.论坛，讨论会
forum例句：
They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。
