Last week, we were pleased to have an inspiring speaker, Thomas Stopper, Group Vice President Asia at Hansgrohe SE, as our Thought Activator of the Month. He shared his knowledge on a topic that is crucial for many of us in different areas of our lives – Influencing People.

Thomas uncovered the processes and methods that he developed based on his real-life experiences, which helped him to build his career from market development manager to holding the position of the Group Vice President for APAC region, and leading the team of 200 + people at age of 40.

How we connect and communicate with people is the key to success and an essential element in the growth of your career and business. If you missed the event, but would like to upgrade your influencing skills, keep reading the summary of Thomas’ speech with some of the most useful tips.

  Start with the basics (which many still don’t know, ignore or get wrong): • 90% of the success lies primarily in preparation, listening and analysing. Every situation/pitch/customer is different. Everyone sees the word through their own lens. You need to be a good listener, understand the person you want to persuade, her/his motivations and belief system, and analyse in what situation it is best to approach the other person. • Be self-aware about how you are perceived. It is important to start with yourself by asking: How do they see me? How do I tend to communicate? • If you want to be successful in influencing people, you need to learn how to adapt, but without losing your authenticity.   Per-suasion (setting the stage and creating the moment): • What you present or do first, changes what you present or do next. Try to find the best way to start the conversation, so that the other person will be open to listen. • Think about the right timing for them, not for you. Don’t try to approach someone, when she or he is overloaded with work or in a bad mood. • Try to understand the situation from another person’s view and give your recipients enough time to process the information.   Levels of Influence (how to move the needle): • First level: Reciprocity (try to win the other person by offering your help, and it will create a nicer and more cooperative relationship) & Likeability (the more similar and likable you are, the easier for you to influence others) • Second level: Social Proof (reduce the uncertainty) & Authority (let others, who have authority, speak for you) • Third level: Consistency (remind them about what you have agreed on and stand together) & Scarcity (make people aware about the urgency or deadlines)  

“Life is like a chess game, it changes with each move. You make one move first – you try, you learn, you analyse, you adapt to a new situation, then you make a second move.”

  We want to express our appreciation to Thomas for sharing his experiences with us, and hope these tips will help you in achieving your goals.

We also had the pleasure to have Gloria Pan, the representative of the World Academy for the Future of Women (WAFW), introduce their leadership program and encourage professionals from all the industries to join it as mentors: teaching young female leaders by exchanging personal and professional experiences during short online sessions with assigned mentees.

The World Academy is a leadership program dedicated to the advancement of women’s leadership worldwide. The WAFW has locations in Henan province (China), Dhaka (Bangladesh), and Kathmandu (Nepal), where it trains hundreds of college students on matters of leadership, career goals, social responsibility, and personal growth.

For more information about the WAFW and the mentorship program, please click here.

 

Big thanks to Shake for the beautiful venue for our event.

A special thanks to our talented photographer Jenna. You can contact her on WeChat: jennaoh or visit her blog at shanghaista.com for more information and inspiration.

 

We would like to remind that nominations for the IPWS 2021 Women Leadership Awards, the longest running international award in China for women leaders, are currently open – but close in just one week! It’s an amazing opportunity to recognize deserving leaders while also inspiring the next generation. More details & nomination link here.