Eight Questions to Ask Yourself About How You Influence Others

Whenever we speak with or write to someone we are influencing them in some way. Understanding our own influencing strategies will help us prepare for a more effective encounter with others. Ask yourself these eight questions:

1. What are my influencing strengths and weaknesses?
2. How do I make a personal connection with people?
3. How do I stay focused when I become distracted while speaking with someone?
4. What type of open-ended questions do I ask?
5. How do I interpret body language  and how do I know I am right in my interpretation?
6. How do I go about understanding my audience before I speak?
7. How do I express my values with authenticity?
8. How do I find common ground when I disagree with others?