What Is Your Influence Quotient?

Horsepower. Pull. Sway. These should be words used to describe your organizational influence.

Readers of my book, Persuasion Equation, know that I consider “persuasion” to be an action and “influence” to be a state or a condition. Influence reflects the ability to create an effect without exerting an effort. The ability to persuade depends significantly on your influence and, frankly, has precious little to do with your title or ranking in an organization.

Below are 11 ways in which you can evaluate your IQ — that is, your influence quotient. Don’t overthink your answers, and don’t search for surgical precision. Just answer the questions, completely and honestly.

1. Do others in your organization regularly ask for your opinion?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often
1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

2. Have you been asked repeatedly to present your ideas, projects, or results to your organizations’ senior management?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often
1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

3. Have you been cited in outside media for your positive contributions?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often
1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

4. Have you been asked to speak to industry trade groups?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

5. Are you invited to weigh in on future company initiatives?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

6. Have others asked you to informally mentor them?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1          2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

7. Do your peers repeatedly use you as a sounding board?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

8. Have you been formally asked to play a role in your organization’s leadership development?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1          2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

9. Are you actively involved in the design and execution of company or workgroup policy?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often
1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

10. Are you invited by powerful people in your organization to get together socially?

Never                            Sometimes                                         Often

1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

11. Do you believe people speak about you in an overwhelmingly positive way when you’re not present?

Never                           Sometimes                                          Often

1         2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9          10

What Your Score Means

Add up your score, and divide by 11.  This is your Influence Quotient.

If you score 1 to 3, your Influence Quotient is Low.

If you score 3 to 6, your Influence Quotient is Medium.

If your score 6 to 8, your Influence Quotient is High.

If your influence score is more than 8, your IQ is Superior.

Does the title on your business card have something to do with your organizational pull? Of course, it does. But it’s not the most powerful. People who rely on their position for their power base typically don’t enjoy great careers. Which is why no matter where you are in your organization (or even if you are an entrepreneur), this test can help determine the way to get more sway.