Workplace influence
Influencing and Persuasion Skills
Influencing and persuasion are essential workplace skills—not about manipulation, but about guiding decisions, gaining buy-in, and building alignment in a professional and ethical way.
Build practical capability in Influencing and Persuasion Skills.
Influencing and persuasion are essential workplace skills—not about manipulation, but about guiding decisions, gaining buy-in, and building alignment in a professional and ethical way. Whether influencing a manager, peer, client, or team member, success depends on credibility, communication, emotional intelligence, and respect for boundaries. This course helps participants move from "pushing ideas" to strategically shaping outcomes, using influence that strengthens trust and long-term working relationships.
Course overview
A practical, instructor-led program with guided exercises and workplace examples. Open a topic to see the coverage.
Module 1: Foundations of Influence and Persuasion
- Understanding influence vs. manipulation
- Why influence matters in the modern workplace
Module 2: Understanding People Before Influencing Them
- Identifying stakeholder needs, priorities, and concerns
- Reading communication styles and preferences
Module 3: Crafting Persuasive Messages
- Structuring an argument: problem, evidence, benefit, ask
- Framing ideas around the listener's interests
Module 4: Influence Techniques for the Workplace
- Reciprocity, consistency, and social proof in professional settings
- Asking effective questions to guide decisions
Module 5: Influencing Without Authority
- Influencing peers, other departments, and senior stakeholders
- Leveraging expertise and relationships instead of position
Module 6: Handling Resistance and Objections
- Common sources of pushback and resistance
- Listening for underlying concerns
Module 7: Emotional Intelligence in Persuasion
- Managing your own emotions while influencing others
- Reading emotional cues and adjusting approach
Module 8: Applying Influence in Real Workplace Scenarios
- Practice scenarios: pitching an idea, negotiating priorities, gaining cross-team support
- Role plays with facilitator and peer feedback
Full course outline
Review the complete legacy course outline, including all detailed subtopics.
View full outline
- Module 1: Foundations of Influence and Persuasion
- Understanding influence vs. manipulation
- Why influence matters in the modern workplace
- Sources of influence: credibility, expertise, relationships, and reasoning
- Ethical principles in persuasion
- Module 2: Understanding People Before Influencing Them
- Identifying stakeholder needs, priorities, and concerns
- Reading communication styles and preferences
- Building rapport and trust as a foundation for influence
- Module 3: Crafting Persuasive Messages
- Structuring an argument: problem, evidence, benefit, ask
- Framing ideas around the listener's interests
- Using logic, emotion, and credibility (ethos, pathos, logos) appropriately
- Module 4: Influence Techniques for the Workplace
- Reciprocity, consistency, and social proof in professional settings
- Asking effective questions to guide decisions
- Building coalitions and gaining early buy-in
- Module 5: Influencing Without Authority
- Influencing peers, other departments, and senior stakeholders
- Leveraging expertise and relationships instead of position
- Navigating organizational politics ethically
- Module 6: Handling Resistance and Objections
- Common sources of pushback and resistance
- Listening for underlying concerns
- Reframing objections and negotiating common ground
- Module 7: Emotional Intelligence in Persuasion
- Managing your own emotions while influencing others
- Reading emotional cues and adjusting approach
- Maintaining composure during pushback or conflict
- Module 8: Applying Influence in Real Workplace Scenarios
- Practice scenarios: pitching an idea, negotiating priorities, gaining cross-team support
- Role plays with facilitator and peer feedback
- Personal action plan for applying influence skills at work