Imagine sitting in a boardroom waiting for a meeting to begin when an attendee calls to say, “I don’t want you to see me today, so I’m going join the meeting from a phone in the hallway.”

This would NEVER happen, and yet every day we struggle to get attendees to show their faces on video calls.

Most of us miss the days when we could engage face-to-face with each other in the hallway, lunchroom or meeting space, and yet, it seems like there is a reluctance to turn on our camera to see each other’s faces.

There are several reasons people don’t turn on their camera. Perhaps they do not like seeing themselves on camera, their hair or makeup isn’t done, or their workspace is a mess.  I venture to guess the biggest reason is because attendees want to multi-task. Let’s face it, multi-tasking is a lot easier to do when you know you can’t be seen.

Either way, when you can’t see each other’s eyes, you can’t make the connection needed to be truly influential in every interaction.

To increase your influence, get your meeting attendees to give you their undivided attention by asking one of these three questions:

1. “I’d love to see you today. Are you able to turn on your camera?”

This is a great question to ask coworkers, peers and others you once could frequently see in person. It is hard for attendees to say ‘no’ to this request, and it will boost the friendly dialogue you once had working together in the office.

2. “To ensure you receive the most from this meeting, would you please turn on your camera?”

This question is a great way to ask existing clients and employees to show their shining faces. Encouraging them to turn on their cameras will maximize engagement, helping everyone focus so details aren’t missed. It also helps you read reactions and evaluate how to move conversations forward.

3. “Would you turn on your camera so I can more easily help you?”

Conversations with prospects can be challenging enough without having to stare at a blank screen. Let your prospects know you are excited to help them and seeing their face will help you do just that. This will maximize engagement and help you navigate the conversation more easily. If asking this question feels uncomfortable, set the expectation when initially schedule the meeting.

Virtual meetings are a part of our new normal and learning to maximize our influence in this new reality is critical to our success. Ask these three questions to get your listeners to turn on their cameras so you can turn up your influence.

Check out our Research on Influence in conjunction with the University of Northern Colorado HERE.

Influence Research

The post Three Ways Turning On the Camera Will Turn Up Your Influence first appeared on Stacey Hanke, Inc..

The mistake most individuals make in building relationships is assuming that influence is a one-time event. We sprint through life, running from meeting to meeting, shooting off email after email and ending our days wondering, “What just happened?”

I refer to every conversation as The 3³ Approach.  During every conversation you should ask yourself: “What do I need to do and say to influence this relationship three days, weeks, months and years from now?”

Think about every conversation having influence from a wider lens by asking these powerful questions:

1. What perception do I leave with my listeners after every conversation?
2. What questions can I ask my listeners to better understand where they are now with my topic compared to where I want them to be?
3. How do my listeners prefer to communicate with me – face-to-face or a phone conversation, email or text? This question is critical to ask early in the relationship to honor your listeners’ time and to communicate through a medium that works best for them. You can’t take the relationship to the next level without frequent communication.

When you take a closer look at what you can do and what you can deliver to make every moment matter, your relationships have more meaning and depth. 

This level of influence keeps you in front of your clients, peers and team members when they:

• Want to partner with a reliable and trusted resource;
• Need to expand their knowledge, services and offerings; and,
• Are ready to buy.

 As a result, your ability to influence your listener weeks, months and years from now will put more money in your pocket and advance your career and personal and professional relationships.

 Complete Your Five-Minute Feedback

• This week prior to a conversation, give serious thought about what you can do and say to influence your listeners and the relationship days, weeks, months and years from now.
• After a conversation, identify:What Worked, What Didn’t Work and What Do I Want to Change.
• For example, under “What Worked,” answer these questions:
• What delivery skills allowed me to connect and engage my listeners?
• What questions did I ask that helped me identify what’s really going on with my listeners?

Please drop me a note or Tag me on my Facebook page to share the steps you took this week to ensure Every Moment Matters.  

Click Here to Receive our Top Tips for Speaking with Influence!

If you missed one of Stacey’s previous blogs or tips, visit her online.

This week’s blog is an excerpt from my new book, Influence Redefined…Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be, Monday to Monday®, which will be released in early 2017.

What Achievers Read

Negotiating the Nonnegotiable: How to Resolve Your Most Emotionally Charged Conflicts, by Daniel Shapiro

The post Every Moment Matters – Taking Your Conversations to the Next Level first appeared on Stacey Hanke, Inc..

People’s response to your emails and texts is based on past experience with your messages. Perhaps your emails are long and confusing, or your text messages are one continuous paragraph rather than brief sentences. Maybe your messages are so abbreviated they might as well be written in Morse code. Perhaps you include people who don’t need to be involved in the discussion. Rather than giving your emails and texts the attention you want them to have, your readers’ response may be, “Ugh, I don’t have time right now to deal with this.” Poorly written email and text messages jeopardize your influence. If your messages aren’t read, you can’t have influence.

Your natural response to this situation may be to:

• Assume your messages are being read even when you don’t receive a response.
• USE ALL CAPS in the subject line of your emails to try to grab readers’ attention.
• Send another email or text to make sure your reader received the first one.

For Influence Monday to Monday:®

• Be heard through the clutter. Before you press “send,” consider how many emails and texts your reader has received before yours. What can you do to make your message stand out from the rest?
• Be clear, concise and to the point. Respect your readers’ time. Challenge yourself to only use bullet points to communicate key ideas, recommendations and action steps. Ask a trusted peer to review your message and provide feedback on what you need to edit.
• Hang up the email or text and pick up the phone. Make an effort to call individuals rather than sending an email or text. Even if you have to leave a voicemail, you lessen the risk of miscommunication. You can follow up with an email or text for documentation.

This week’s blog is an excerpt from my new book,Influence Redefined…Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be, Monday to Monday®, which will be released in early 2017.

If you missed one of Stacey’s previous blogs on tips, visit her online.  Take action today to enhance your influence by downloading our complimentary resources.

 What Achievers Read

Return on Integrity: The New Definition of ROI and Why Leaders Need to Know It

by John G. Blumberg

The post You May Not Be as Influential as You Think You Are If… first appeared on Stacey Hanke, Inc..