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

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Introduction to Business Analytics with R
Skills you'll gain: Tidyverse (R Package), Data Processing, Business Analytics, Data Wrangling, Data Transformation, Business Intelligence, Data Manipulation, R Programming, Business Process, Business Process Automation, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Descriptive Statistics
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
283 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Minnesota
Lean Software Development
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Process Mapping, Kanban Principles, Lean Methodologies, Lean Manufacturing, Agile Software Development, Business Workflow Analysis, Product Development, Agile Methodology, Process Improvement, Software Development, Software Development Methodologies, Usability Testing, Continuous Improvement Process, Innovation, Product Testing, Prototyping, Waste Minimization
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
413 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Copenhagen Business School
FinTech and the Transformation in Financial Services
Skills you'll gain: FinTech, Payment Systems, Financial Services, International Finance, Mobile Banking, Digital Transformation, Blockchain, Financial Regulations, Financial Market, Banking, Emerging Technologies, Fundraising and Crowdsourcing
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
1.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
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
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Global Impact: Cross-Cultural Management
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Teams, Cultural Sensitivity, Intercultural Competence, Cultural Diversity, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Team Management, Negotiation, Leadership and Management, Leadership, Communication, Diversity and Inclusion, Non-Verbal Communication
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Alfaisal University | KLD
إتقان فن الإيجاز في الحديث | Mastering The Art of Briefing
Skills you'll gain: Concision, Business Correspondence, Communication, Business Writing, Public Speaking, Verbal Communication Skills, Writing, Editing
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Arizona State University
Business English: Finance and Economics
Skills you'll gain: Purchasing, Negotiation, Business Communication, Business Correspondence, Procurement, Budgeting, Financial Forecasting, Financial Data, Communication, Forecasting, Verbal Communication Skills, Auditing, Business Economics, Influencing, Business Ethics, Presentations
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
609 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado System
Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness
Skills you'll gain: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medicine, First Aid, Acute Care, Emergency Response, Patient Treatment, Behavioral Health, Patient Safety, Vital Signs, Medication Administration, Health Assessment, Anatomy
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
517 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Digitalisation in Aeronautics and Space
Skills you'll gain: Global Positioning Systems, Human Factors, Manufacturing Processes, Digital Transformation, Environmental Monitoring, Structural Engineering, Vibrations, Aerospace Basic Quality System Standards, Production Process, Manufacturing Operations, Automation, Manufacturing and Production, Geospatial Information and Technology, Engineering Analysis, Leadership, Image Analysis, Big Data, Industrial Engineering, Mathematical Modeling, Engineering Design Process
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
449 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Northeastern University
Understanding & Influencing Workplace Behavior
Skills you'll gain: Organizational Change, Change Management, Organizational Leadership, Business Leadership, Leadership and Management, People Management, Team Leadership, Business Transformation, Leadership, Communication Strategies, Organizational Structure, Team Management, Influencing, Empowerment, Culture, Innovation, Decision Making
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Digital Marketing Institute
Social Media and Digital Marketing Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing, Social Media Content, Social Media, Content Creation, Marketing Strategies, Digital Content, Social Media Strategy, Integrated Marketing Communications, Consumer Behaviour, Digital Transformation, Scheduling, Target Audience, Customer Engagement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
341 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
How to use influencer marketing to grow instagram business
Skills you'll gain: Instagram, Strategic Marketing, Content Creation, Marketing Strategy and Techniques, Brand Marketing, Marketing Communications, Business Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Influencing, Target Audience, Relationship Building
1.8
Rating, 1.8 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours