Amplify Your Influence

Rene Rodriguez is a keynote speaker and leadership expert. He has served as CEO of several companies, and is currently the CEO of his own sales training consultancy, Volentum. Educated at the University of St. Thomas, Rene Rodriguez has also been a speaker coach for more than 27 years, with his company training more than 100,000 people, including executive leadership teams at Coca-Cola, 3M, Medtronic, Microsoft, Nestle, Bank of America, and Cargill. He has been named to Fortune's annual 40 Under 40 list for seven years.

Everyone has ideas to share with the world. To succeed, however, you need to learn how to get others to act on what you say. That's the aim and power of influence, and the good news is you can amplify your influence. Influence is a science that can be learned.

Specifically, the best and easiest way to influence people is to communicate using the three-part AMPLIFII formula:

To use the AMPLIFII formula:

• Frame your conversation so people are prepared.
• Deliver your message clearly and concisely.
• Add a tie-down that locks in your message.

Influence is good. Do all you can to learn the science, and you will reap the benefits of achieving new levels of impact. Tip the odds in your favor by using the AMPLIFII formula.

1. The Power of Influence. Influence is all about presenting your ideas or message in the best possible setting or situation. In its purest form, influence is the capacity to have an effect on an outcome. The more you learn how to influence or change people's minds, the greater the capacity you gain to control outcomes in business and in life. Influence matters.

2. The AMPLIFII Formula. To master the art and science of influence, you need to learn how to sequence and frame your ideas. The best and easiest way to do that is to use the AMPLIFII formula — frame, message, and tie-down.

3. The AMPLIFII Skills. Once you start using the AMPLIFII formula successfully, you'll find there are five skills which, if mastered, can enhance your ability to influence and persuade. Those skills are:

1. To influence listeners, frame your message, be succinct and clear, and then add a tie-down to check the message was received. Follow the sequence.
2. Ideas are like plants -- they have to be planted and then nurtured in the proper sequence to take root and grow. Assume nothing, communicate everything.
3. There are no victims in good communication. Influence isn't power or control, it's about building trust and communicating value.

We've summarized a lot of books which cover how to present great ideas. This book deals with what you want to say first and foremost, and how to get others to act on what you're trying to say. That's the power of influence, and AMPLIFY YOUR INFLUENCE by leadership guru Rene Rodriguez is a very good addition to the catalog.

This book explains the three-part AMPLIFII FORMULA:

1. Always frame your conversation so people are prepared.

2. Deliver your message clearly and concisely. Be succinct.

3. Add a tie-down that locks in your message, and confirms they have received it.

It's the sequence that counts. AMPLIFII is all about making sure your message is received, and not lost in the background noise. The perfect example of this is the story of Alan Shepherd, the first American to be launched into space in 1961. (Frame). With the world watching, it suddenly occurred to him he was sitting on a giant hunk of metal which was designed to explode. A reporter asked what he was thinking, Alan Shepherd said: "It's a sobering feeling to realize one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract". (Message) While this story can teach lots of lessons, the point I hope you will remember is going for quality counts, and finding the lowest bidder doesn't always lead to the best result. Do you agree with that idea? (Tie-down)

As Rene Rodriguez states: "Influence is not about sounding good or being a polished speaker. It's about getting people to trust you and act on your ideas." Awesome. AMPLIFII away.