From Bluster to Influence My Story: A Lesson for Agile Managers and ProductOwners

Ever felt like you have all the answers but no one is listening? As Agile Managers and Scrum Product Owners, this is a struggle we know all too well. Learn from my journey and my mistakes

I’ve been fascinated with Influence and how it works for nearly 20 years. Robert Cialdini’s “Influence Science and Practice” was the first book since undergrad that I actively took notes on. (It is also the first book I read twice). The book has been on my recommended reading list for new ScrumMasters and Product Owners for years. But if the knowledge has been out there for so long, why aren’t we using it more effectively?

Here’s why:

1. It doesn’t come naturally - We’re not wired to use influence effectively
2. The mistakes we make undermine our effectiveness
3. It takes time to build Influence - we want to everything to happen quickly

I know that Influence requires building rapport and I know that rapport takes time to develop. There is nothing like taking the time to truly listen and understand someone else’s world to truly develop rapport.

Even though I know all of this, I still made the same mistakes first few coaching gigs. Eager to share my expertise and prove I was worth $$, I started to make recommendations in my first week at a client site. Unsurprisingly, those suggestions often landed like a lead balloon. Here’s why: I hadn’t taken the time to listen or build rapport.

Don’t make my mistake.

Take the time to get to know the people you’re helping. Treat them as real people, understand their values, what they want and what problems they want to tackle.

Don’t navigate this journey alone! Connect with others who are passionate about influence and leadership. Follow me on here or on https://mlevison.com