PI Worldwide Introduces Data-driven System for Improving Influencing Skills

 PI Worldwide has announced the release of its Influencing Skills system, a science-driven offering for optimizing performance from the individual level up to entire organizations. The new tool is part of the company’s Skill Suite and specifically helps organizations measure and improve key influencing skills of all employees. Influencing Skills is available as a stand-alone product or combined with elements of PI Worldwide’s Skill Suite and Behavior Suites.

The skill to influence is notoriously difficult to measure so the Influencing Skills system uses a four-step approach, including benchmarking skill levels, classroom training, applying lessons, and allowing managers and other leaders in non-sales functions to drive change through re-testing. The system relies on four key actions including:

• The establishment of a baseline through completing the Influencing Skills Assessment Tool (ISAT) delivered as an online survey. Assessment results can be used by organizations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individuals as applicable to the influence process. The data-driven insights provided by the assessment addresses the areas of individual contributors, teams, and organization-wide performance.

• By attending the Influencing for Results workshop, participants receive necessary education regarding critical skills gaps. The one-day, instructor-led course details the process for increasing influence results with stakeholders by consensus building, motivating commitment, and extending reach.

• New lessons are put into action on the job and via real-world scenarios that take place over three to six months.

• Upon retaking the ISAT, changes between the initial baseline score and new skills levels are measured and evaluated to demonstrate measurable improvements or identify areas that require further development.

“Organizations today have adopted a wide variety of working environments – including virtual workforces, flat organizations and highly collaborative businesses – that often have overlapping spans of control,” says Nancy Martini, president and CEO of PI Worldwide. “This makes it critical for people to be able to collaborate effectively so they can deliver the right results. Effective leadership today relies more than ever on influencing others by impacting their ideas, opinions, and actions for both direct reports and the people over whom they may have no direct authority.”