influencing with
integrity

IPQ Style 8 of 33

Note: This is an example report and has not been generated from the answers you have given in the IPQ

Your profile suggests a direct and forceful influencing style which although it is likely to be sociable and outgoing, is none the less focused on the bottom line. You probably very much enjoy the social aspects of work, the regular engagement with others and relish the cut and thrust of debate, challenging people and pushing them hard to give you what you need, and this clear, unambiguous, sociable yet tough approach is likely to be the cornerstone of your influencing strategy.

You are probably respected for your ability to give a forthright view and to focus on what is right for the business and this can be highly influential. It is also unlikely that your style suffers fools gladly and that others are clearly aware of this, and they navigate accordingly. The implications are that confident /extrovert people will rise to your challenge and be clear and direct with you however the downside is that (if your scores are extreme) many others will find this intimidating and may well choose to get around you using a variety of indirect and covert political strategies.

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You may even be depriving yourself of valuable feedback if your profile is extreme because many will choose to tell you what they think you want to hear, rather than what you need to hear.

Your style would appear to be one of "what you see is what you get" and whilst you can be influential by forceful expressions of your belief, commitment and passion for your work, it is also possible that you may have a reputation for being quite a volatile character, one who is prone to the odd angry outburst, which might not always be the most influential behaviour. Your profile also has some evidence to suggest that you are quite easy to read and second guess and that you communicate both the facts and your feelings when influencing. This makes for potentially charismatic and dynamic influencing style but one which might at times be overly expressive, perhaps even tipping over into gushy, aggressive or unhelpful expressions and behaviours.

There will be times when it will be more helpful politically to keep your feelings to yourself and react in a calmer and more blasé manner. Whilst your profile suggests that you are not without tact and diplomacy, it is likely that your are not overly attentive or considerate of others, preferring instead to be pragmatic and focused on the bottom line. This in turn might suggest that you miss some of the finer interpersonal nuances in communication and may miss some subtle clues which would be politically useful. The profile suggests a determined winner and someone who perhaps needs to learn that you can't win every political battle, however much fun it is fighting them!

How to be more influential:-

Learn to balance your strong assertion with a need to be tactful and diplomatic at times.
Control the less helpful expressions/ emotions that this profile suggests does not come easily.
Learn that you can't win all battles all the time so pick and choose your battles carefully.
Ensure that you always have your empathy, tact and diplomacy switched on so as to be more likely to pull people into your influence.
Work more consciously to engage with more nervous or cautious individuals - especially if they are stakeholders - who are less likely to approach you.
Build up your interpersonal skills, especially around tact and diplomacy. Remember that not everyone is always influenced by the bottom line impact and that many will be more easily persuaded when you acknowledge the impact on people and how they will react and feel.
Build up your emotional intelligence to ensure that your "what you see is what you get" style always expresses the more influential emotions you can communicate.
Check to make sure that your high levels of social interaction are not an unwelcome distraction to more introverted types.
Get some 360 degree feedback to confirm or deny the hypothesis in this report.

If you have taken the IPQ as part of a development initiative, your report will be shared with your coach or trainer and these ideas should be discussed and factored into your personal development plan.

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