Influencing in the Time of Covid 19, Part 2 (excerpt)

B. Kim Barnes

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn, April 22, 2020

Part 2: Influencing your colleagues, customers, and suppliers remotely

By now, we’re used to seeing at least the top half of our colleagues in their home office or with some virtual paradise as a background. Work still gets done, teams still communicate. We’re on to the next phase of this experience. For those who are used to working with teams spread across the globe, this isn’t very different from the old normal – but for many who are just adjusting to extreme physical distancing, the idea of getting big things done this way is new. To innovate, to change how we deliver our products and services quickly, to maintain relationships with good customers and suppliers – these activities require collaborative problem-solving. Individual idea generation is relatively simple, sharing ideas can be as easy as doing a virtual “round robin” session in a remote meeting. But making good decisions in this environment requires a more complex set of skills. And one of the most important skill-sets is influencing. You may have the best idea since dinosaurs roamed the earth, but if nobody supports, advances, improves, or agrees to it, that idea is as extinct as they are.

Influence means getting others to take an action they were not previously planning to take and that serves an objective of yours or your team or organization (and does not work against the others’ interests). Honest influence (i.e., not manipulation) is done openly and is respectful of others. They make a choice based on whether or not they have been moved to act or to change their approach.

So, what is different about influencing remotely?

• There are a lot of things competing for our attention, and it’s easier not to listen when others are not in your actual presence.
• Team communication platforms offer a lot of opportunity for communication, but not as much pressure to make a decision in a timely way, and it’s easy to ignore what you consider “noise.”
• We may feel less inclined to engage on difficult topics in a new format.
• Our usual norms, habits, and processes may feel strange when we’re not in one another’s actual presence; we may be more self-conscious about our behavior and participation when we can see and hear ourselves.
• We may have patterns of gaining support that seem natural in an informal environment but that feel forced or awkward when planned and implemented consciously. 

The article continues on LinkedIn

Exercising Influence: A Virtual Learning Journey Public Program is Coming Soon to a Desktop/Laptop/Tablet Near You!

Final reminder: Barnes & Conti is offering Exercising Influence: A Virtual Learning Journey as a public enrollment series. The two-part intensive webinar will be held on May 7 (session one) and May 14 (session two), both at 10:00 am - 12:30 pm, PDT.

From a recent virtual Exercising Influence, one of the participants commented, "I would like to compliment the instructors/hosts for handling this over Zoom. Appreciate the effort. It mostly worked and was rather effective. Great job!"

If you or others have any professional development needs or you are interested in checking this session out for your organization, this is an excellent opportunity. Please contact Lauren Powers to discuss or register using the link below.

Register Online

Barnes & Conti Virtual Food Truck: The Chopped Challenge

Lauren Powers, SVP Business Development

For all you foodies out there, Covid-19 has challenged us to work with limited ingredients. Our standards have not changed….just our supplies. Early in quarantine, our nephew came up with the wonderful idea of a “Chopped Challenge.” Four households in New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania participated with the fifth household judging using very high standards.

Here is how we organized it.

1. The day before, the families were invited to participate and the Judge was identified.
2. The morning of the Challenge, each household sent photos of the refrigerator and pantry.
3. By noon, each household was given three unique ingredients for them to incorporate. The ingredients were selected by my 10-year old great-nephew so you can imagine some of his rather creative combinations! A completion time was set for all.
4. The rules were that you needed to use all three ingredients and at least two in the same dish, but extra points were given for incorporating all three in single dish. Googling recipes was permitted.
5. We were to check-in frequently via FaceTime detailing our progress…and our kitchens were not exactly a pretty scene!
6. Criteria for judging was based on creativity and presentation. Taste was not included in the ratings, but we self-reported our taste tests, and bonus points were awarded for honesty!

Below are the results, with the required pantry ingredients listed first, and culinary creations second. The judging was harsh…families can be brutal to one another! First place went to the NY household:

• NY household — Ground Beef, Red Peppers, and Honey Bunches of Oats transformed into…see the photo of the printed menu! Emma Powers clearly played to her judge, a fellow PR and marketing professional!
• PA household —Leeks, Peanut Butter and Parmesan Cheese transformed into Thai Chicken Pizza, Braised Leeks with Parmesan Bread Crumb Topping, and Peanut Butter Cookies Dusted with Parmesan Cheese served with Ice Cream Topped with Caramelized Leeks (also picture is the dog’s contribution, Peanut Butter and Kibble Stuffed Frozen Kong).— Tied for Second Place…extra points for honesty…the pizza was not so tasty, but the caramelized leeks served as a surprisingly good ice cream topping and the Braised Leeks will likely make an appearance next Thanksgiving. 
• NJ household —Eggs, Spaghetti, and Cheetos Variety Pack transformed into Deviled Cheeto Eggs, Cheeto Beer Battered Scallops Over Pasta in a Lemon and Egg Sauce, and Lime Tarts with Meringue served with Flaming Cheeto Dust — Tied for Second… great presentation but the judge had a later admitted aversion to scallops and was a little freaked out by the Cheeto topped eggs.
• CT household —Ribs, Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, and Goldfish transformed into Ribs Slow Roasted with Thin Mint Cookie Goldfish Chile Rub, and Marshmallow Bars with Thin Mints and Goldfish — Last place but it was the judge’s brother so not sure he got a fair shake….just saying! 

The challenge proved to be a great exercise. There was lots of virtual participation and fun while getting the kids involved…a great time for families, friends, and teams who enjoy a little healthy competition and banter. Creativity, resourcefulness, and innovation were unleashed with abandon!

I'm looking forward to getting to be a judge for a future challenge…payback!

New Recipes on the Barnes & Conti Virtual Food Truck:

From the "Chopped Challenge":

• Red Pepper Infused Old Fashioned, this cocktail was part of Emma Power's winning menu
• Braised Leeks with Parmesan Bread Crumb Topping, adapted from the New York Times Cooking website by Lauren Powers
• Beer-battered Scallops and Lemon/Egg Spaghetti, by Olivia Powers

From the Collection of Kim Barnes:

• Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

The recipes are available on our website as part of the Virtual Food Truck.

Please send us some of your favorite recipes you’ve made during these last few weeks. We will add them to our Virtual Food Truck for all to enjoy.

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