How to Become a Powerful Leader using Psychology Techniques
Practical Strategies to be Perceived as a Leader
Have you always wanted to be one of those special folks who just ooze charm and authority without even trying? If you are a young professional, being seen as a “rising star” opens a lot of doors and opportunities.
In this article, I am going to show you how you can achieve leadership presence using behavioral psychology tips from Robert Cialdini’s seminal book “Influence”. In essence, this is a practical guide to “Fake it till you Make it” to build your leadership skills, even if you currently do not have a fancy title or high hierarchical rank at work!I have had great success using these methods to boost my brand, garner promotions and be perceived as a leader in my community!
This article explains how 5 core techniques from the book help you acquire leadership traits:
- Authority
- Reciprocity
- Social Proof
- Liking
- Triple Expertise — lead by competency
1] Authority & Presence
Looks and first impressions are extremely important — they are a critical component of your personal branding. This is true both online and offline. If you want to be considered a leader, then start looking like one. This means professional photos on LinkedIn and social media, being well-groomed and dressing well at office and for online meetings.
There have been countless research experiments where folks blindly followed instructions from a person in a security uniform or a stranger in a doctor’s coat, even if felt contrary to their deeply held beliefs. That is the power of clothes!
First impressions matter!
You do not need to invest in $5000 suits. Just remember, if you would not visit a church or your grandmother in an outfit, then they are not fit for work either. Yes, Mark Zuckerberg does not wear a suit, but until you become the CEO you do not get to make the rules!
Similar rules apply to language and how you communicate, written and verbal. Be poised and graceful; like Bill Gates, Obama or Jamie Dimon. Use courtesy words like please, excuse me and thank you! Expand your diction. No swear words or teenage lingo! These subtle techniques cost nothing but add up exponentially!
2] Reciprocity
Dr. Cialdini explains that humans are hardwired to reciprocate! So collect brownie points and favors by helping others in need. For example, if someone gave a $50 gift card for our child’s birthday, we tend to give an equal amount gift when we visit them for Christmas or house-warming!
From a practical perspective, do not go around looking to collect favors just for the heck of it! Folks will realize when you are being insincere or doing things with a Machiavellian motive. But experience has taught me when I give back to the community, I also receive back in unexpected ways. Maybe not from the same person, but good karma is a very real concept!
3] Social Proof
We use social proof for everything, so why should people be different? If a friend brings a friend, or someone tells us they are alumni from our school, we feel an immediate camaraderie towards them. Social proof works in similar ways. There is a reason why artists list big brands they have worked with, freelancers add testimonials and so on.
So collect recommendations for LinkedIn, good words for your performance reviews. Get managers to speak positively about you to their managers. Just cognition alone seems to increase trust factor and boost a positive image. So reach out to other teams so that if your name comes up, instead of a blank stare there is some recognition, however vague about what you!
To increase your sphere of influence and people network, check this article:
4] Liking
This is similar to the “social proof” concept. Still, I am separately calling it out because too many people equate leadership with domination! Do not be a jerk or a doormat — both are contrary to the essence of leadership.
Women, especially tend to go overboard and fall to extremes since we crave the approval of others. So we swing like a pendulum from rambling, indecisive, “nicey-nice” girlie behavior or leap to an overly aggressive, foul-mouthed sailor.
As long as 80% of the folks around you like you, it is fine.
5] Triple Expertise
Authority by competency and expertise is the easiest way to become a leader, even if you do not have a fancy title or a high rank in the corporate hierarchy. Dr. Cialdini mentions this as indirect leadership, and this is a very easy target to achieve in today’s knowledge economy.
What is even better? Having above-average proficiency in 3 distinct skills or “triple threat” is a sure-shot way of accelerating your career. I first read this concept in the book “Tools of the Titans”, in a chapter by Scott Adams, the creator behind Dilbert. He blended three skills — comedy, drawing, politics in the corporate world and produced a masterpiece that is still making money after decades!
Triple Threat — an easy way to be a leader by expertise!
So how can you build your list of 3 skill advantages? Simple, start with your core niche (skill #1) and add public speaking (skill #2). I suggested public speaking because most people suck at it! When I say public speaking, I do not mean presenting in front of a small group where you spent 5 hours preparing! Can you talk without fainting in front of groups of 50 or more? If you had just 15 mins of lead time, will you be ready to talk to your CEO without stammering? That is real speaking skills, and that comes only with practice, confidence and a strong belief in your competency and self-worth.
For skill #3, see if you can be an idea generator or the person with solid Money Intelligence (ways to improve profits, generate revenue, bring new clients cut costs by improving efficiency and reduce expenses, etc. ) Basic sales and marketing skills would fall into this category. If those are your niche skills, then look at technology for your #3 skillset.
That is it! These are some simple viable ways to improve people’s perception of you as a leader!