Influencing for Results: Interaction Styles in Action

Leaders can have flexibility to tailor their speech, body language and approach so that others more readily listen and accept their ideas.

Leaders must effectively handle interactions with people who have a variety of styles. While leaders may wish for commonality, and thus, consistency in the way they deal with others, this certainly is not the case. Seventy-five percent of the people leaders deal with are different in behavioral preferences than these leaders. And while there is no best style, interpersonal flexibility creates success in more effectively dealing with employees, peers, and customers. Leaders can have flexibility to tailor their speech, body language and approach so that others more readily listen and accept their ideas. These leaders capitalize on interactions with others, especially in critical business situations–when selling, delivering performance feedback and providing customer service.

Your employees may need these skills if:

• Individual differences get in the way of being completely productive.
• Rapport is missing between leaders and customers, employees, peers, and managers.
• The way that messages are delivered often results in an unfavorable outcome.
• Leaders spend very little time on how they interact, and more time on what they will say.
• Leaders miss opportunities to capitalize on others’ strengths because they may not recognize them.

Program Outcomes:

• Recognize your own style of interaction and play on your own strengths.
• Plan critical business interactions such as sales calls and customer meetings before they occur.
• Increase your chance of influencing outcomes by tailoring your approach to the style of others.
• Manage interpersonal tension by behaviorally flexing.
• Apply a variety of skills and strategies to handle important interactions.