Tools & Tips
Getting What You Want at Work

According to the Wall Street Journal, the art of persuasion is becoming an important skill to master in the workplace. Managers say they increasingly must influence - rather than command - others in order to get their own jobs done.

This is because managers now work more often with peers where lines of authority aren't clear or don't exist. In response, some companies are helping managers bolster their influencing skills by hiring consulting companies that specialize in classes focused on persuasion and influencing skills.

I come across these kinds of situations frequently in my corporate consulting practice. A technique of my own invention that I have been using is called the "Magic Wand." It helps to manifest effective and influential leaders by getting people to see new possibilities, overcome obstacles, and take action. I simply ask, "If you had a magic wand, what would you have happen." It gets people focused when they are making requests and persuading co-workers to follow their lead. Like magic.