Influence Skills Training: How the Model Works
Influence skills are essential for leaders who want to communicate effectively, align teams, and drive results.
Our Influence Model helps professionals understand how different influence styles shape communication, collaboration, and workplace outcomes. Through this approach, leaders learn how to adapt to different people, situations, and objectives while strengthening relationships and improving performance.
This competency development framework is part of our Influence Skills Training program.
Why Influence Skills Are Difficult for Leaders
Many leaders rely too heavily on a single communication style when trying to influence others.
Some push too hard, creating resistance and tension. Others avoid conflict and struggle to communicate expectations clearly. Both approaches reduce effectiveness and limit a leader’s ability to influence outcomes.
Strong influence skills require flexibility, self-awareness, and the ability to adapt communication styles to different situations.
However, most professionals are not trained to develop these leadership influence skills, which is why these patterns repeat across teams and organizations.
This is where a structured influence model becomes essential.
How Leaders Use Influence Skills to Balance Results and Relationships
The Positive Power & Influence® Model is based on a simple but powerful principle: effective influence skills allow leaders to achieve results while maintaining strong working relationships.
In other words, leadership influence is not about choosing between performance and relationships, but about consistently achieving both.
This model helps professionals develop greater self-awareness, understand how their behavior impacts others, and adapt their communication style to different situations.
By strengthening these influence skills, leaders can align their actions with both business objectives and relational impact, turning influence into a consistent and sustainable leadership capability.
Two Core Leadership Influence Skills: Push and Pull
Effective influence skills require leaders to adapt their approach depending on the situation. The Influence Model is built around two core influence styles: Push and Pull.
Understanding when to use each approach allows leaders to communicate more effectively, align teams, and achieve better outcomes.
PUSH
Push is an influence skill focused on clarity, direction, and assertiveness. Leaders use push strategies to move situations forward, set expectations, and drive results.
This approach is especially effective when decisions need to be made quickly or when clear direction is required.
PULL
Pull is an influence skill centered on collaboration, listening, and engagement. Leaders use pull strategies to build trust, create alignment, and encourage participation.
This approach is essential when relationships, motivation, and buy-in are critical to success.
Strong leadership influence skills require the ability to balance both Push and Pull approaches effectively, depending on the situation.
Why Effective Leaders Adapt Their Influence Skills
The most effective leaders do not rely on instinct alone when influencing others. They apply influence skills deliberately and adapt their approach based on the situation.
Different people, challenges, and business contexts require different communication and leadership strategies.
The Positive Power & Influence® Model helps professionals develop the ability to switch between Push and Pull influence styles depending on:
This ability to adapt influence skills is one of the key foundations of effective leadership and workplace performance.
This adaptability is a core competency developed in our Influence Skills Training programs.
Four Key Leadership Influence Skills You Need to Develop
The Influence Model translates into four practical influence skills that leaders can apply in real workplace situations.
Each influence skill helps professionals communicate more effectively, adapt their leadership style, and improve their ability to influence outcomes across teams and organizations.
These four influence skills are a core part of our Influence Skills Training programs and are essential for effective leadership in today’s organizations.
Asserting
Assertive influence skills focus on clarity, direction, and confidence. Leaders use asserting to set expectations, communicate decisions, and move initiatives forward with precision.
Persuading
Persuading is an influence skill based on logic, reasoning, and clear arguments. Leaders use persuading to shape opinions, explain decisions, and influence thinking.
Bridging
Bridging is a relationship-focused influence skill that helps leaders build trust, find common ground, and strengthen collaboration across teams.
Attracting
Attracting is an inspirational influence skill that engages others through vision, authenticity, and energy. Leaders use it to motivate and create alignment.
Real Business Situations Where Leaders Use Influence Skills
Our Influence Skills Training is designed for real-world leadership situations, not just theoretical understanding.
Leaders apply these influence skills in everyday business challenges such as:
These practical applications are a core part of our Influence Skills Training programs, helping leaders improve communication, alignment, and performance across their organizations.
How Influence Skills Are Developed in Our Training Programs
Participants develop practical influence skills through a structured and proven learning process:
Assess
Assess current influence skills, communication patterns, and leadership challenges to identify development areas.
Learn
Learn the Positive Power & Influence® Model and understand how different influence styles impact leadership effectiveness.
Practice
Practice influence skills through real scenarios, guided exercises, and structured feedback to build confidence.
Apply
Apply influence skills directly in the workplace to improve communication, alignment, and business outcomes.
Build Influence Skills That Drive Leadership Results
Help your leaders strengthen communication, improve collaboration, and increase their impact through practical influence skills training.
Our programs are designed to deliver real business results by helping professionals apply influence skills in everyday leadership situations.
See how our training can support your organization:
Trusted by organizations to develop leadership influence and communication skills.