Former Edward J. Frey Dean of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Influencing People
What You'll Learn
- Gain influence tactics to become more persuasive and influential in working with your superiors, peers, and even subordinates.
- Build and maintain high-quality relationships to maximize your informal power and ability to influence others.
- Distinguish between influence and manipulation.
4 Modules
12 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Influencing People
This course will improve your ability to influence people in situations where you cannot use formal authority. You will learn about effective ways to build, develop, and sustain a power base in your organization. You will also learn influence tactics that enable you to be more persuasive and influential in working with your superiors, peers, and even subordinates. In addition, you will learn how to build and maintain high-quality relationships to further maximize your informal power and ability to influence others. Importantly, you will distinguish between influence and manipulation and learn how to protect yourself from the unwanted influence of others.
The influence strategies you learn in this course will make you a more confident and influential leader, presenter, and decision-maker. You will more effective in pitching business ideas to your superiors, influencing customers, and building coalitions across stakeholders. This course will not only give you strategic guidance on how to develop and maintain your network for influence and power, but we will also equip you with specific tactics and strategies that are proven to work for gaining power and influencing people.
Skills You'll Gain
- Advanced Negotiation
- Develop Networks
- Leadership
- Social Skills
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Influencing People, the third course in the Leading People & Teams Specialization. This course helps you develop the skills to influence others without relying on formal authority. You will explore how power is built, how influence works psychologically, and how relationships and networks strengthen your impact. By learning proven influence strategies and ethical tactics, you will become more confident in persuading stakeholders, protecting yourself from manipulation, and leading effectively across organizational boundaries.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Building Your Base of Power
- Video: 01.01 - Welcome
- Reading: Help us learn more about you!
- Video: 01.02 - What You Will Learn in this Course
- Video: 01.03 - Defining Power in Organizations
- Reading: Youtube links
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Unit 1 Lecture Slides
- Video: 01.04 - The Benefits of Power
- Video: 01.05 - The Dark Side of Power (Part 1)
- Video: 01.06 - The Dark Side of Power (Part 2)
- Video: 01.07 - Bases of Power: Structural, Personal and Cognitive (Part 1)
- Video: 01.08 - Bases of Power: Structural, Personal and Cognitive (Part 2)
- Video: 01.09 - Strategies for Building Structural Power (Part 1)
- Video: 01.10 - Strategies for Building Structural Power (Part 2)
- Video: 01.11 - Strategies for Building Your Personal Power
- Video: 01.12 - Strategies for Building Your Cognitive Power
- Video: 01.13 - With Power Comes Responsibility
- Video: 01.14 - Recap: Building Your Base of Power
- Reading: Notice for Auditing Learners: Assignment Submission
Module 2: Influencing People Without Relying on Formal Authority
- Reading: Unit Lecture Slides
- Video: 02.01 - Social Proof
- Reading: Social Proof Videos
- Reading: Introduction to Jeff Brodsky, Chief Human Resources Officer at Morgan Stanley
- Video: 02.02 - Informal Influence and Power
- Video: 02.03 - Authority and Influence
- Reading: Stanley Milgram Video
- Video: 02.04 - Cognitive Biases and Influence
- Reading: Alex Laskey Opower Video
- Video: 02.05 - Liking, Scarcity, and Reciprocity
- Video: 02.06 - Message, Speech, and Influence
- Reading: Hans Rosling TED Talk
- Video: 02.07 - Non-verbal Influence
- Reading: Handshake video
- Video: 02.08 - Time of Day & Influence
- Video: 02.09 - Your Influence Toolkit
Module 3: Developing High-Quality Relationships to Enhance Influence and Power
- Reading: Unit Lecture Slides
- Video: 03.01 - Networks and Power
- Video: 03.02 - Power and Dependence
- Video: 03.03 - Resources in Social Exchange
- Video: 03.04 - Jeff Brodsky on Building Relationships (Part 1)
- Video: 03.05 - Jeff Brodsky on Building Relationships (Part 2)
- Reading: Introduction to John Beilein, Head Coach, University of Michigan Men's Basketball Team
- Video: 03.06 - John Beilein on Building Relationships (Part 3)
- Video: 03.07 - Building a Reputation
- Video: 03.08 - Energy and Influence
- Video: 03.09 - Building Relationships for Influence
- Video: 03.10 - Building Influence From Day #1 on the Job
Module 4: Protect Yourself from Unwanted Influence
- Reading: Unit Lecture Slides
- Video: 04.01 - Why You Must Protect Yourself and Your Team
- Video: 04.02 - The Difference Between Influence and Manipulation
- Video: 04.03 - What is the Difference Between Influence and Manipulation
- Video: 04.04 - Strategies and Tactics: Minimize Biases That Allow Others to Influence
- Video: 04.05 - Strategies and Tactics: Flip the Influence Tactic
- Video: 04.06 - Strategies and Tactics: Reframing the Power Relationship
- Video: 04.07 - Protecting Yourself from Others' Manipulation
- Video: 04.08 - Recap: Protecting Yourself from Unwanted Influence
- Reading: Post-course Survey
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online!
Grading Policy
You must earn an overall course grade of 80% to pass and receive a certificate. Course materials are self-paced and remain open throughout the course. The course grade is based on four quizzes worth 15% each and a final quiz worth 25%.
Whirlpool Corporation Research Professor of Business Administration, Professor of Management and Organizations
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
