What is influence, and why is it an important skill to learn?

To influence someone is to affect or change their behavior without the direct use of authority, coercion, or force. Instead, the influencer creates change by shifting the mindset of individuals, groups, or entire organizations, persuading them to adopt the desired course of action of their own free will. The ability to influence can be important for everyday communication and maintaining harmonious relationships in our personal and family lives, but it is also a very important skill for many jobs and career paths. For instance, being able to subtly influence your customers to “get to yes” when you’re closing a deal is an essential talent of sales professionals of all kinds, whether you’re selling shoes or business software. In fact, the world of social media and digital marketing has created a new type of selling called influencer marketing, in which influential personalities and cultural figures post pictures and testimonials with the product being sold. The ability to influence is also essential for leadership roles in any organization, as management positions require you to motivate employees to not only fulfill their roles but to work enthusiastically at the peak of their abilities. The best executives and CEOs are talented at bringing their teams into vision alignment, with strongly shared priorities, values, and focused goal setting that allow organizations to succeed - in business as well as in the recruitment of top-flight talent.

What kinds of careers can I have with skills in influencing?

Influencing skills are important for almost any career that requires working in a team, but they are most important for roles as managers and top executives. Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” has been a mainstay in business school curricula despite being written nearly a century ago because this skill has always been fundamental for success in the business world. The ability to get your team aligned to work together effectively is rare and highly valued; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , top executives earned a median annual salary of $104,690 per year in 2019, including a median pay of $184,460 for chief executive officers (CEOs).

Can I learn how to influence by taking online courses on Coursera?

Absolutely. There is a common myth that the ability to influence others is simply an innate talent that some people have and others don’t, but the reality is that influencing is a skill that is taught at every business school - including schools offering courses online through Coursera. You can learn how to influence others from leading faculty at top-ranked schools like University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and Macquarie University. And even though Coursera lets you learn remotely on a flexible schedule, you can still work with faculty in live virtual office hours that let you practice your influencing skills to an expert audience.

What skills or experience do I need to already have, before starting to learn influence?

Some skills or experience you might need to have before learning influence are strong social skills that allow you to get along with all types of people, such as supervisors, peers, and customers. If you have any sales experience or experience presenting information and concepts to others in person or online, you may already have the skills necessary to learn advanced influencing methods.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in influence?

The kind of people who are best suited for roles in influence are those who are confident in their abilities to motivate and persuade others whether or not they’re in authority roles. Types of people well suited for roles in influence can build and maintain high-quality relationships with diverse groups of individuals. People best suited for learning influence can discern other people’s attitudes, diverse social factors influencing behavior, and why people may or may not act on their intentions.

How do I know if learning about influence is right for me?

Learning influence may be right for you if you want to learn how to develop it so you can become more effective in achieving your organizational goals. Studying the subject may be right for you if you want to understand the framework of power and influence and the dynamics of effective networks, persuasion, and leverage. If you're in any type of role where you need negotiation, communication, and sales skills, then learning influence may be a good choice for you.

What are common career paths for someone in influence?

Common career paths for someone who has studied influence are often found in corporate management in general where the ability to persuade people is paramount. Specific common career paths for people who have studied influence might be product and brand management, research and development, and any leadership position in an organization’s C-suite. Another common career path for someone in influence is blogging where paid or sponsored influencers create content on various social media platforms. The most common career path for someone in influence is in sales where it’s critical to understand how to best persuade customers and clients using various tools, including neuromarketing.

What topics can I study that are related to influence?

There are many topics you can study that are related to influence, such as emotional intelligence, which may help you to work effectively in teams, build cooperative relationships, and exercise effective influence to foster meaningful change. Another topic related to influence that you can study is social psychology to help you understand why people behave in certain ways. Marketing is another strongly related topic to influence that you might consider studying.

Top Influence Courses - Learn Influence Online

Explore the Influence Course Catalog

IE Business School
Understanding economic policymaking
Skills you'll gain: Financial Policy, Public Policies, Economics, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Policy Development, Tax, International Finance, Policy Analysis, Financial Regulation, Fiscal Management, Financial Systems, Supply And Demand, Financial Market
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Pennsylvania
Positive Psychology Specialization Project: Design Your Life for Well-being
Skills you'll gain: Positivity, Research, Research Methodologies, Personal Development, Research Design, Psychology, Self-Awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Data Collection, Creativity, Critical Thinking
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
830 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
McMaster University
Finance for Everyone: Decisions
Skills you'll gain: Finance, Financial Market, Peer Review, Business Mathematics, Market Dynamics, Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, Investments, Economics, Cash Flows, Decision Making, Writing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
856 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Managing the Organization
Skills you'll gain: Organizational Change, Organizational Leadership, Business Management, Business Ethics, Change Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Strategic Leadership, Leadership, Decision Making, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Influencing, Strategic Thinking, Culture, People Analytics
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Duke University
The Brain and Space
Skills you'll gain: Spatial Analysis, Human Learning, Image Analysis, Experimentation, Scientific Methods, Physics, Research
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
651 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Arizona State University
Perspective-Taking
Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Persuasive Communication, Strategic Thinking, Negotiation, Communication Strategies, Active Listening, Strategic Communication, Game Theory, Communication, Empathy, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Motivational Skills, Analysis
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Fandom, Social Media, and Authenticity in the Digital Age
Skills you'll gain: Digital Publishing, Self-Awareness, Literacy, Content Creation, Personal Development, Diversity Awareness, Instagram, Media and Communications, Sociology, Electronic Media, Critical Thinking, Social Sciences, Cultural Responsiveness, Student Engagement, Analytical Skills, Writing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Lund University
European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Law, Regulation, and Compliance, International Relations, Regulatory Compliance, Business Economics, Compliance Management, Business Administration, E-Commerce, Public Policies, Labor Law, Organizational Structure, Financial Regulation, Economics, Tax Laws, Contract Review, Higher Education, Governance, Decision Making
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Virginia
Effectuation: Lessons From Expert Entrepreneurs
Skills you'll gain: Ideation, Resource Management, Resourcefulness, Entrepreneurship, Dealing With Ambiguity, Creative Problem-Solving, Overcoming Obstacles, Stakeholder Management, Innovation, Strategic Thinking, Adaptability, New Business Development, Risk Management
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Chinese Politics Part 1 – China and Political Science
Skills you'll gain: Political Sciences, Public Policies, Policy Analysis, Social Sciences, International Relations, Economics, Economic Development, Governance, Culture
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
346 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IE Business School
Pricing Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Price Negotiation, Product Strategy, Revenue Management, Market Dynamics, Marketing Psychology, Consumer Behaviour, Business Marketing, Customer Analysis, Marketing Strategies, Profit and Loss (P&L) Management, Customer Insights, Competitive Analysis
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Pennsylvania
Global Trends for Business and Society
Skills you'll gain: Demography, Market Trend, Trend Analysis, International Relations, Socioeconomics, Global Marketing, Social Sciences, Systems Thinking, Cultural Diversity, Political Sciences, Financial Systems, Analysis, Economic Development, Economics, Consumer Behaviour, Business Development, Governance
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
914 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks