successfully - Patti Cotton

Asking for a Favor Can be a Powerful Tool — Image Credit: Shutterstock

Do you hesitate to ask for a favor when you know you already need a bigger one from that same person?

You’d be surprised that this is indeed the best time to ask!

And it’s especially helpful as you seek to influence that person toward a larger, more important goal.

Does that feel counter-intuitive? Many say it does.

Yet, Benjamin Franklin proved that when you ask someone for a favor, this person will be actually more predisposed to do another one for you!

To quote Mr. Franklin, “He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.’’

And he proved this by successfully testing out the theory to earn favor among high-ranking members of Philadelphia’s General Assembly.

Specifically, the story is told that while Franklin was running for reappointment as Clerk of the Assembly, a new, influential member ardently argued for a different candidate. Franklin saw this passion and wanted it for his own advocacy, instead.

So when he learned that this new member had a rare book collection, Franklin approached him and asked to borrow one of the most valuable books. The member agreed, Franklin quickly read the book and returned it.

The next time the two gentlemen met, the new member initiated a conversation with Franklin and offered his help on anything Franklin might need in the future. Guess what Franklin asked of him? You guessed it. And he got it. The new member not only advocated for Franklin, but they developed a influential relationship from there that lasted until the second gentleman’s death.

In social psychology, we now call this the “Ben Franklin Effect.” It’s a powerful tool to develop supportive relationships and to curry influence.

In the workforce, we see the Ben Franklin Effect work successfully in many situations.

First, if you are seeking a position, asking for an informational interview to learn more about the field, asking questions about trends in the industry, or seeking other advice usually results in the other person wanting to help you find a job.

In sales, you may want to ask the potential client about where they think the market is headed, or what product benefits they find most powerful or valuable.

And certainly, Frank could have used this with John (see the first article of this series where Frank blows the entire multi-million dollar deal with John because of his poor approach – click here).

With whom do you need more influence at this time? What favor can you ask of them in order to develop a closer, more fruitful relationship that can serve you both in future?

What impact are you having in life and business?
Click below to take the complimentary Impact Assessment.

http://inspireinfluenceimpactquiz.com/

Patti Cotton

Patti Cotton reenergizes talented leaders and their teams to achieve fulfillment and extraordinary results. For more information on how Patti Cotton can help you and your organization, click here.

The Importance of Short-Term Wins

Sometimes I get tired about visioning the future and setting long-range goals. These are certainly important – but they aren’t enough to keep me on track.

How about you?

Short-term wins and intermediate goals are the fuel for getting there. And you can leverage this with your team to keep them motivated and inspired.

Years ago, I sat with a CEO and talked about how to keep his healthcare system viable and vibrant.

“I’m tired, Patti,” he said. “Look at this,” and he pulled out a heavy drawer full of notebooks. “These are all strategic plans. Through the years, we’ve hired expensive consultants to come and walk through the process with us and all we have to show for it is…paper.” He sighed. “The more I look at these, the more tired I get. The future seems so far off – and we aren’t moving forward. What good is a strategic plan, anyway?”

He shut the drawer. “I’m beginning to believe we’ll never get there. We’ve set up 3-year action plans, designated responsibilities – but, somehow, we all get too busy doing the day-to-day stuff that this place requires.”

This guy looked pretty tired. Bone tired. Discouraged.

“What about your short-term plan?” I asked.

“Short-term plan?”

“Yes, a plan that sets key milestones and success indicators in 3-4 month increments.”

He paused. “Why would I do that? I know very well what to do to get there.”

“Well,” I responded. “How’s that working for you and your executive team?”

It’s not just a matter of knowing how to get there – if you don’t have a plan that has intermediate goals and milestones, you not only lack measurements to show you how well you are headed there, but you also miss out on a key secret to staying motivated – and keeping your team motivated, as well.

And when motivation is gone, nothing happens.

So how do you set these?

Take your one-year plan and reverse-engineer it – what are the major projects and steps to get there? What should you be seeing if you are on course by the end of Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4? In other words, how will you know you are on the path to success?

When you are able to make these indicators tangible so that you can see you are hitting the mark, then you are on your way to sustaining momentum and energy. And you need that. Not only you, but your team needs it. It helps them to know that they are doing well, on the right track, and meeting motivation.

No small potatoes. Because keeping a team motivated when you have huge goals can be challenging.

So here’s my challenge to you: get with your team and look at your one-year plan. Break it up, assigning major projects, deadlines, the people responsible, and key indicators that show these projects are successfully meeting the goals of the one-year plan. This is a great team-building exercise, and you will have set in place the motivators that will keep you and your team on track.

Patti Cotton helps women executives optimize their effectiveness in leading self, others, and enterprises. Her areas of focus include confidence, leadership style, executive presence, effective communication, and masterful execution. With over 25 years of leadership experience, both stateside and abroad, Patti works with individuals, teams, and organizations across industries, providing executive coaching, women’s leadership development, change, and conflict management. She is also a Fortune 500 speaker. For more information on how Patti Cotton can help you and your organization, click here.

Patti Cotton

Patti Cotton reenergizes talented leaders and their teams to achieve fulfillment and extraordinary results. For more information on how Patti Cotton can help you and your organization, click here.