MODERN LEADERSHIP discovered soft power . Soft power influences through attraction , cooperation and connection . Harvard Business professor Joseph Nye developed the concepts of hard and soft power . But soft power has limitations in the influence stakes . Soft power is slow power – it takes time . Soft power is also difficult to do well and is subtle … so it can miss its mark .
Hard power creates an impetus for action . Soft power if used well , sparks desire . But what if we want to do both ? For over a decade , I have been working with senior leaders in corporate Australia and globally to answer this .
My work involves using the power of business storytelling as a tool to ignite both desire and action . And , I have explored two further tools for influence in the modern workplace : empathy power and humour power . Together , these three new tools for 21st century influencers help us engage and inspire our teams , clients and stakeholder .
BUSINESS STORYTELLING is storytelling with a purpose and for results . Here ’ s a story shared by composer Benjamin Zander in his TED talk :
‘ Two English shoe salesmen were sent to Africa in the early 1900s to assess potential market opportunities there . Each sent a telegram back to their boss in Manchester . The first wrote , ‘ Situation hopeless . They don ’ t wear shoes ’. The other enthused , ‘ Glorious opportunity ! They don ’ t have any shoes yet ’.
Zander links this story to his message : some people think classical music is dying while others see it as thriving . Story power inspires our audience to both action and desire .
Equally potent is EMPATHY POWER . What sets us apart as a new influencer is a deep empathic understanding of our audience . Empathy is not sympathy – feeling sorry for a person or indulging their self-pity . Empathy is recognising their perspective sufficiently to help generate change through action .
After the loss of AirAsia QZ8051 in December 2014 , CEO Tony Fernandes immediately took off on the same flight path to be with the bereaved families . He continuously used social media to connect compassionately with them . His authentic , deeply empathic response at a traumatic time was widely praised .
With empathy power , our focus is external . For success , our attitude is one of courage and service . By caring for our audience , we understand what drives them , which helps us create connection and initiate courageous action . And , finally , the success secret of mega influencers is HUMOUR
POWER . Generating laughs is an official corporate goal at Southwest , a major US Airlines .
Humour power is using humour skilfully , purposefully and appropriately to influence . Humour is the new frontier in influence . We are often afraid to use humour because we think it might be unprofessional or unsuited to work . However humour is a skill that can be taught and learned . ‘ Make ’ em laugh to boost engagement , spur creativity and improve analytical precision ,’ writes Alison Beard in a 2014 Harvard Business Review article .
Influence is the key to personal and professional success . Influencing others isn ’ t a dark art ; it isn ’ t about luck or magic . It is a skill that , when applied wisely , will help us to increase our impact and success . Wield it with authenticity and integrity for prosperity , profit and to realise our potential .
Yamini Naidu is the world ’ s only economist turned business storyteller and is rated among the top business storytellers globally . Best selling author and key note speaker she works with leaders helping them shift from spread sheets to stories . Her new Book ‘ Power Play : Game changing influence strategies for leaders ’ is due out in April 2016 . www . yamininaidu . com . au
June 2016 ModernBusiness 39