We have said it before, and we’ll say it again! People grow recruitment companies, period. 

Once you have mastered your beliefs about what is possible for you, identified your sector and nailed your offer and pricing, developing a focused billing team who are ready, willing and able to deliver the results you want is the next step. 

How does this happen? 

….. through developing your ability to influence. 

Barking orders at everyone around you might work in the short term, and it’s rarely a viable long-term strategy if you want to develop an engaged workforce. 

All successful leaders have a focus on developing their ability and skill to influence; whether it’s an investor they are courting or a billing team they are inspiring to even greater things. 

So how, as an ambitious recruitment director, can you develop your influence? 

As a first start, it’s about committing to your self-development, reading this post included. Here are some other strategies that both Katy and I recommend to our clients to increase their influence. 

 

Connect And Build Rapport 

 

The world we live in is more connected than ever, and the people we work with want closer relationships with both their team members and leaders. 

Building connection with someone starts with developing rapport. 

Rapport is the ability to relate to others in a way that creates trust and understanding. It is the ability to see the other’s point of view and enable them to understand yours.  You don’t have to agree with their point of view or even like it. It makes any form of communication so much easier too. 

Unless you build rapport, it will be impossible to make progress and influence others. Rapport, trust and influence are all interconnected. 

I was reading an interesting post about rapport based on a recent New York Times poll. 

The poll asked, “What percentage of people, in general, are trustworthy?” 

The answer: 30%……. Pretty sceptical we all are! 

Perhaps not. At the same time, the poll asked a similar group the same question, but with a slight twist. “What percentage of people that you know are trustworthy?” 

The answer: 70%. 

That’s a huge difference. Goes to show you: when people get to know you and people get to like you, people begin to trust you and then you can be influential. 

The good news is that there are many basic human traits that will help you build rapport such as: 

  • Be authentic and genuine. 
  • Show an interest in them and what is important in their map of the world. 
  • Be warm and friendly. 
  • Give compliments. 
  • Listen, and DON’T finish their sentence for them. 

Let’s be honest, none of these five suggestions is especially hard to do, are they? 

 

Expect Great Things of Your Team…. Even If They Are Yet To Be Convinced. 

 

Cast your mind back to your school days. Did you ever have a connection with a teacher who ‘lifted’ you higher? I know I did; this pattern is universal and plays out in business too. 

I was reminded of it last night as I decided to write this post for you. 

I was watching a re-run of Educating Essex. If you haven’t watched this series, it certainly makes you respect the challenge our teachers face today. 

In last night’s programme, Mr Drew the Deputy Head, had been given the ‘gift’ of one particular student, who would have driven most of us crazy. His view was that this individual could pass all her exams and do well in life. 

The story ended on a positive note and Marcella did incredibly well in all her exams. It was a super programme to watch as you saw the impact Mr Drew’s relationship had on Marcella’s belief in herself. 

His belief influenced hers….. which means it’s possible that your belief will influence your recruiting team too. 

The more you ‘connect’ and ‘invest’ in building up your team’s belief in themselves, the more likely they are to view you as their leader.  

Leadership is not about titles or positions but one life influencing another. True leaders bring out the personal best in those around them. As a recruitment leader, you should influence others in such a way that it builds people up, encourages and educates them so they can duplicate this attitude in others too. 

 

Provide an Opportunity to Win 

 

Small wins lead to bigger wins, don’t they? As a mentor of mine says; “Start where you are with what you have got”. 

When our children first start walking we don’t expect them to do 100 meters, do we! More like a few stumbling steps from one set of arms to another. 

It’s the same with our billing teams. 

When we interviewed for that recruiter role and gave Jay or Rachel the position, we saw a hint of greatness in them which we want to develop. 

There is nothing wrong with working to a set of KPI’s at all – only be ‘realistic’ and… build towards smashing them. 

Create circumstances that give your consultants an opportunity to experience a series of small wins that will magnify their potential. When challenges are mastered, and opportunities turn into wins, people admire the leader who has helped them stretch. 

 

What Next? 

Simple!  Take action and watch the impact it has. Remember if you want help to develop the high performing organisation you have always dreamed of, get in contact with us here and schedule a call. 

 

Warm regards, 

Nicky and Katy 

P.S. Talking about influence and teams, if you want to support your billers to deliver more sales download our latest guide on how to convert more sales here.