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 Toronto
Gender Analytics: Gender Equity through Inclusive Design
Skills you'll gain: Human Centered Design, User Experience Design, Organizational Change, User Research, Design Thinking, Change Management, Data Ethics, Data Collection, Quantitative Research, Influencing, Qualitative Research, Organizational Leadership, Business Leadership, Leadership, Data Analysis, Analysis, Diversity Awareness, Diversity and Inclusion, Gap Analysis, Innovation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
562 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
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, Scheduling, Customer Analysis, Customer Engagement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
341 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Banking and Financial Institutions
Skills you'll gain: Bank Regulations, Financial Systems, Banking, Risk Management, Business Risk Management, Financial Regulation, FinTech, Retail Banking, Financial Services, Commercial Banking, Payment Systems, Finance, Balance Sheet
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
227 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University at Buffalo
Energy: The Enterprise
Skills you'll gain: Workforce Development, Environmental Issue, Economics, Project Design, Environment, Supply And Demand, Business Economics, Innovation, Emerging Technologies, Market Dynamics, Corporate Sustainability, Operational Efficiency
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Case Western Reserve University
Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change
Skills you'll gain: Negotiation, Leadership Development, Professional Development, Organizational Leadership, Communication, Leadership, Influencing, Overcoming Obstacles, Personal Development, Empowerment, Business Leadership, Relationship Building, Diversity and Inclusion, Adaptability
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
545 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
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
Tecnológico de Monterrey
Leadership and Critical Thinking
Skills you'll gain: Critical Thinking, Organizational Leadership, Independent Thinking, Positivity, Self-Awareness, Stress Management, Leadership, Resilience, Influencing, Motivational Skills, Decision Making, Personal Development, Leadership Development, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Strategic Thinking, Leadership and Management, Emotional Intelligence, Optimism, Strategic Decision-Making, Complex Problem Solving
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
250 reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
University of Minnesota
Nursing Informatics Leadership
Skills you'll gain: Clinical Leadership, Nursing Administration, Team Leadership, Nursing Process, Nursing Management, Leadership Development, Leadership, Nursing, Initiative and Leadership, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Health Care Administration, Organizational Effectiveness, Innovation, Nursing Practices, Health Care, Interpersonal Communications, Systems Thinking, Professional Development, Information Management, Program Evaluation
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
323 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Financial Management
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Return On Investment, Risk Management, Balance Sheet, Accounts Receivable, Business Risk Management, Credit Risk, Income Statement, Stakeholder Communications, Operational Risk, Resource Allocation, Proposal Development, Cash Management, Accounts Payable, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Capital Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Cash Flows, Operational Efficiency
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
80 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Maryland, College Park
Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
Skills you'll gain: Risk Management, Business Risk Management, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Finance, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Contract Negotiation, Contract Management, Contract Review, Business, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Labor Law, Business Management, New Business Development, Business Strategy, Innovation, Asset Protection, Brand Awareness, Finance, Branding, Organizational Structure
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
235 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Emory University
AI's Existing Impact
Skills you'll gain: Personalized Service, Marketing Psychology, Business-To-Consumer, Customer Engagement, Consumer Behaviour, MarTech, Customer Insights, Customer Service, Artificial Intelligence, Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Social Media Content, Algorithms, Business Strategy
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
University of Pittsburgh
idea 2 IMPACT: An Introduction to Translating Assistive Health Technologies and Other Products
Skills you'll gain: Storytelling, Competitive Analysis, Stakeholder Management, Solution Design, New Product Development, Project Planning, Presentations, Business Planning, Innovation, Regulatory Affairs, Product Development, User Research, Stakeholder Communications, Commercialization, Public Speaking, Entrepreneurship, Market Analysis, Customer Insights
3.7
Rating, 3.7 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months