Hi, Can someone share an example to show the difference between influencing and persuading?
From India, New Delhi
Influencing is a process of making others accept your ideas. Persuasion is continuously following up to get what you want from the other person. V.Raghuathan
From India
Dear Puja,
The dictionary meaning of influence is a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc. Another meaning is induce into action by using one's charm. Therefore, influencing may or may not be a deliberate effort.
Junior employees get influenced by the senior management professionals like GMs, Directors, Managing Directors etc by the way they communicate, the way take their decisions etc. Seniors also influence juniors by the espousing certain values or adhering to certain philosophy. In such cases, juniors considers seniors as their role model because of the positive influence that seniors create. However, in many cases, there is no direct communication between junior and senior.
Employees get influenced by the culture of the company as well. Management style of the seniors, competitiveness of the enterprise, parameters of rewards and recognition etc are all influencing factors. The informal conversation between or amongst the employees to do something or not to do something influences actions or decisions of the workplace colleagues.
Influence could be result of direct/indirect efforts also. Many times, people join informal organisations, charity organisation etc because of the indirect influence of workplace colleague, neighbour etc.
To get influenced or not depends on one's needs, requirements, interests, prejudices and beliefs. Suppose someone is not interested in cricket, then no amount of discussion about cricket can influence that person to play cricket or even watch the game on TV. Take your own case. You are member of this forum since 2nd February 2008 and have raised five posts. You have not given any reply to a query from the fellow member. Therefore, wealth of information that this forum provides has failed to influence you. The needs of the fellow members also have failed to influence a Communication Trainer like you to share your valuable knowledge!
The dictionary meaning of persuade is to cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action. Persuasion is a result of direct communication and it could be positive or negative. Winning approval of other person(s) by projecting positive features of something is called as positive persuasion. Salespersons use their persuasive skills while selling their products or services. In this case, efforts are intended or having the power to induce action or belief. In contrast, if the efforts are to cause to do because of the unpleasant consequences, it is negative persuasion. When senior manager forces junior to take additional responsibility, it has undertone of negative persuasion. Mostly direct communication is required to persuade somebody.
Last note: - While raising query on this forum, always mention the reason of your query, your background etc.
For Mr V Raghunathan: - Nice to see you after a long time. Nevertheless, the dictionary meaning of both the words does not support your reply.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar

From India, Bangalore
I wonder whether I am digressing here. When bloggers raise a question like this, my approach would be to ask them what they think is the difference between the two. And then, if they are wrong in their conception, to correct it.
If the respondents take a cue from this message, and question the blogger, then I would have either persuaded them or influenced to change. Kindly visit https://nicoledefalco.wordpress.com/...n-for-leaders/ and then let me know what will I have done.

From United Kingdom
For my opinion, influencing is making someone understand/believe/do in which they can have a choice if they want to be influenced by what you inform/show. This does not involve any force but just to motivate people to do as per objective --to inspire. While persuading is somewhat like you keep on pushing them to understand/believe/do what you are doing even without letting them understand what it is about. Though they also have a choice but this behavior is trying to convince someone and more of with force action so that they accept what you want them to do --to change the behavior. But on the positive side of persuading, if the influence you made inspired them to do the same but they are doing it wrong, persuading comes in to let them know that "this is how you can/should do it" and the behavior changes by doing it better than previous.
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
A persuader tries to influence someone, whereas an influencer does not push others to get convinced.
Influence: You get impacted without any direct force or direct suggestion from the influencer. 100% buy-in required. Person is in complete control to take the final decision for herself/ himself.
Example: Steve Jobs influences you to act upon your dreams.
Aishwarya Rai influences the sale of beauty products
Persuade: A deliberate attempt is made to cajole another person to agree to the persuaders point of view.
Example: Sales person persuades you to buy a product.
Manager persuades team members to stay late for completing project.

From India, Delhi
If you speak with confidence and have certain distinguishing body language, kids around you get influenced and imitate you. You are not influencing the kids intentionally, neither do you have any idea about it. But kids get influenced if they get "awesome" kind of feeling when they see you.
if you ask a kid not to eat burgers/pizzas by threatening to scold/beat/get prizes/etc, you are persuading him. Here your intentions are clear and you are clearly involved with certain objectives in your mind.
I hope this thing clears you.

From India, Lucknow
Greetings !!
Let's understand it in more simple way :-
Persuade means when you put your entire efforts to convince others to do something.
&
Influence is automatic process when people start following you and do what you want them to do.
Chill HR !!

From India, Gurgaon
Influencing : To achieve by using: cash,kind,service,threat, reward, pressure etc
Persuasion : To achieve by : conquiring heart, regular follow-up, deliberation, assure & guarntee one is considered as + ve

From India, Mumbai
It has been quite a while since I interacted in Cite HR. I feel bad that in view of my other compulsive commitments during the last few months I have been unable to devote time as in the past.
Call it ‘Influence’ or “persuasion” this thread has kindled some interest in me to add some more information and I am sharing the same with all of you.
By and large many words take the meaning according to the context, country and subject. This compels us to seek answers beyond dictionary meanings. As an example in India it is considered as an offensive style when some says I DO NOT CARE, whereas in North America and Canada the same words imply that he or she is not interested in what is being discussed. It is not considered offensive.
Management Gurus time and again come out with different interpretation to distinguish words what we otherwise recognize as synonymous. The attachment posted by Senior Member Nash is an example.
Again, using the words as a Noun or Verb adds to the gamut of meanings.
I am amazed at the different possibilities in using the two words as pointed by our learned readers in the preceding discussions. To continue the discussions, I have attached some extracts from Collins and Thesaurus. Certainly, it will be arousing the curiosity of all readers as they see that Thesaurus treats ‘Influence’ and “Persuasion” as synonymous.
V.Raghunathan

From India
Attached Files (Download Requires Membership)
File Type: pdf Influence Collins Dictionary.pdf (309.4 KB, 44 views)
File Type: pdf Persuasion Collins Dictionary.pdf (152.3 KB, 43 views)
File Type: pdf Thesaurus on Influence and Persuasion.pdf (249.7 KB, 47 views)

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