BECOME CERTIFIED IN influence & persuasion excellence ...

THE NEW  "INFLUENCE" CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR RLF GRADS AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

The SIM Leadership Institute is now offering a special certification in "Influence" via a new interactive class available to grads of RLF and the Executive Leader Forum programs -- and other technology leaders.  This new course and certification will equip you with important advanced skills in strategic influence and impactful communication ... empowering you to better drive organizational success with confidence and respected authority. 

COMPLETED IN 4 HIGHLY-PERSONALIZED 90-MINUTE SESSIONS WITH JUST 4 OTHER PARTICIPANTS

This highly-interactive experience will be undertaken primarily with other RLF grads -- in an intentionally small cohort limited to 5 participants -- allowing deep discussion and individual participation for a rich, RLF-type outcome.  The program facilitator, Blake Holman, will coach and engage each participant during each session of the 4-week program.  Blake is a certified coach, certified trainer, and an instructor in Influence And Persuasion For Leadership Excellence.  Leaern more about Blake here.

WHY DOES "INFLUENCE" MATTER?

The ability to influence others -- ethically -- has become a crucial cornerstone of success for today's leaders who must navigate our world's complex, fast-paced business environment.  Even as technology continues to shape the future of organizations, today's rising leaders must also master the art of leading people ... using strategic influence skills to align teams, drive change, and achieve results. This highly interactive, online class is ideal for graduates of the RLF and Executive Leader Forum  programs who are ready to elevate their impact.  It is also open to other rising leaders who may be SIM members or other technology professionals with 3+ years of leadership experience, including managers, team leads, and those preparing for more strategic roles.

AS A SENIOR LEADER IN TODAY'S WORLD YOU MUST LEARN HOW TO:

• Cultivate and continually enhance trust and credibility to inspire teams and stakeholders.
• Communicate persuasively to gain buy-in for key initiatives.
• Build and leverage strategic relationships to achieve organizational goals.
• Navigate  complex challenges with confidence and influence outcomes effectively.

This new Master Class in " Influence" has been thoughtfully designed by seasoned leadership experts and leverages Dr. Cialdini’s foundational principles of influence ... including reciprocity, authority, and social proof.  Sharing principles  recognized as a pivotal step in advancing a leader’s ability to inspire and align others, this Master Class equips participants with actionable strategies for real-world impact.

A unique aspect of this 4-week class is the incorporation of Dr. Cialdini's acclaimed video course (approximately 6 hours) to impart the foundational science behind persuasion principles. 

The Master Class in "Influence" curriculum has been reviewed and endorsed by a panel of accomplished technology and business leaders to ensure the effective delivery of practical, relevant insights.

Those completing this program will return to their organizations with proven influence frameworks, enhanced communication skills, and a strategic mindset to navigate complex challenges.

LEARN HOW TO LEVERAGE CONTRAST AND RECIPROCITY TO HIGHLIGHT VALUE, BUILD GOODWILL AND INSPIRE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

• Pre-work:
  • Review Modules 1-4 of Dr. Robert Cialdini's "Ethical Influence Practitioner" video course ... the modules regarding Course Introduction, Contrast and Reciprocity.
  • Self-Assesment ... complete a self-assessment before starting the course.

• Objectives:
  • Introduce the science of persuasion and ethical influence.
  • Explore the concept of Contrast and its applications.
  • Explore the principle of Reciprocity and its applications.

• Agenda for the 90-minute online, instructor-led session:
  • Welcome and overview of course structure (10 minutes)
  • Discussion: Key takeaways from pre-work (15 minutes)
  • Deep dive: Applying Contrast and Reciprocity to leadership (30 minutes)
    • Examples: Budget requests, highlighting team performance, negotiating with vendors,        influencing change adoption.
    • Examples: Building goodwill with colleagues, fostering collaboration, enhancing client        relationships, encouraging organizational change, team recognition.
  • Group activity: Develop strategies to utilize contrast and foster reciprocity in organizational       settings (25 minutes)
  • Wrap-up and key takeaways (10 minutes) 

• End-Of-Session Action Plan:  Develop a personalized action plan based upon this session's curriculum, discussions and takeaways.

LEARN HOW TO FOSTER TRUST, CREATE SHARED PURPOSE, AND USE SUCCESS STORIES TO INSPIRE ACTION AND ALIGNMENT. 

• Pre-work:     Review Modules  5-7 of Dr. Robert Cialdini's "Ethical Influence Practitioner" video course ... the modules regarding Liking, Unity, and Social Proof.

• Objectives:
  • Strengthen relationships through Liking.
  • Foster collaboration with Unity.
  • Leverage Social Proof to inspire action.

• Agenda for the 90-minute online, instructor-led session:
  • Recap of Session 1  (10 minutes)
  • Focused discussions (20 minutes each):
    • Liking: Building genuine connections within teams.
    • Unity: Creating shared goals and a sense of belonging.
    • Social Proof: Using testimonials and success stories to influence decisions.
  • Group activity: Design influence strategies integrating all three principles (15 minutes)
  • Wrap-up and key takeaways (5 minutes)

• End-Of-Session Action Plan:  Develop a personalized action plan based upon this session's curriculum, discussions and takeaways.

LEARN HOW TO BUILD CREDIBILITY, ENCOURAGE LASTING ENGAGEMENT, AND ALIGN STAKEHOLDER ACTIONS WITH ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS THROUGH COMMITMENT AND CONSISTENCY.

• Pre-work:    Review Modules 8-9 of Dr. Robert Cialdini's "Ethical Influence Practitioner" video course ... the modules regarding Authority and Commitment/Consistency.

• Objectives:
  • Establish credibility and influence through Authority.
  • Encourage sustained action with Commitment/Consistency.

• Agenda for the 90-minute online, instructor-led session:
  • Recap of Session 2  (10 minutes)
  • Focused discussions (25 minutes each):
    • Authority:  Strategies to position yourself as a trusted expert.
    • Commitment/Consistency:  Encouraging and reinforcing aligned behaviors.
  • Small-group work: Develop initiatives to apply these principles within the organization (25 minutes)
  • Wrap-up and key takeaways (5 minutes)

• End-Of-Session Action Plan:  Develop a personalized action plan based upon this session's curriculum, discussions and takeaways.

LEARN HOW TO DRIVE URGENCY AND SYNTHESIZE ALL PRINCIPLES TO CREATE COHESIVE INFLUENCE STRATEGIES THAT ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL RESULTS.

• Pre-work:     Review Modules  10-11 of Dr. Robert Cialdini's "Ethical Influence Practitioner" video course ... the modules regarding Scarcity and revisiting Ethics.

• Objectives:
  • Explore the motivational power of Scarcity.
  • Synthesize all principles for a comprehensive leadership influence framework.

• Agenda for the 90-minute online, instructor-led session:
  • Recap of Session 3   (10 minutes)
  • Deep dive: Scarcity in decision-making and urgency creation (20 minutes)
  • Integration exercise: Create influence strategies combining all seven principles (30 minutes)
  • Presentations and feedback (20 minutes)
  • Final wrap-up: Ethical considerations and sustaining influence (10 minutes)

• End-Of-Session Action Plan:  Develop a personalized action plan based upon this session's curriculum, discussions and takeaways.

• Post-Assessment:     Participants will reflect on applied influence strategies in real-world scenarios.

• Outcomes:
  • You will gain a heightened awareness of the influence principles in use throughout your day-to-day life.
  • You will gain practical tools to ethically influence stakeholders, foster collaboration and achieve organizational goals.  

• Certification:
  • At the conclusion of the 4-session master class, participants will receive from the SIM Leadership Institute a Certificate of Completion citing the mastering of advanced influence / communication techniques. 
  • Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to take a voluntary certification assessment based on Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles of influence, which can lead to earning a Certified Ethical Influence Practitioner designation from The Cialdini Institute. 

This program is ideal for RLF / ELF graduates or other technology professionals with 3+ years of leadership experience, including managers, team leads, and those preparing for more strategic roles.

• This class delivers advanced training in influence and communication, grounded in the research of Dr. Robert Cialdini, one of the world’s leading authorities on Influence and Persuasion, to equip leaders with tools to build trust, drive alignment, and inspire action.
• This instructor-led program offers live interaction and actionable insights delivered over four 1-1/2 hour sessions (hours will vary by time zone).
• Diverse learning techniques are utilized throughout the program to cater to different styles and ensure engagement.
• A Certificate of Completion from the SIM Leadership Institute will be provided upon successful completion of the program. 
• Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to take a voluntary certification assessment based on Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles of influence, which can lead to earning a Certified Ethical Influence Practitioner designation from The Cialdini Institute. 

PARTICIPANT CRITERIA

• Ideal for graduates of either the RLF (Rising Leader Forums) or Executive Leader Forum programs ... or a SIM member or other technology leaders with 3+ years of experience; including managers, team leads, and those seeking to deepen their strategic influence and leadership capabilities.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

• Select  your preferred time zone ... Choose your time preference from these 2 options:

SESSION "A"          6:30 -  8 PM Eastern on 4 consecutive Tuesdays in the fall of 2025 (Dates to be announced)

1. Tuesday
2. Tuesday
3. Tuesday
4. Tuesday

SESSION "B"          8:30 - 10 PM Eastern on 4 consecutive Tuesdays in the fall of 2025 (Dates to be announced)

1. Tuesday 
2. Tuesday 
3. Tuesday 
4. Tuesday 

• Complete your registration: When registration opens, click any "Register" button on this page, enter your details on the electronic registration form, and submit payment.

• Prepare for your session: After you complete registration and payment , you will receive email confirmation with program details and preparation materials.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM DETAILS

• Participants will retain their participant guides for future reference, and the Cialdini Video Course will be available for one year from initiation.
• Upon completing the 4-session program, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the SIM Leadership Institute.
• After the program, participants may choose to take a voluntary certification assessment based on Dr. Cialdini’s principles of influence, which can result in earning the Cialdini Ethical Influence Practitioner certification.

PROGRAM PRICE

• $1,497 – Includes the interactive 4-session master class, the foundational Ethical Influence Practitioner video course, a certificate of completion, one year access to video course materials, and an opportunity for Cialdini Ethical Influence Practitioner certification at no additional cost (if the assessment is completed and passed).  
• Because of the 5-seat limit for this 4-week course, the $1,497 program fee must be paid at the time of registration in order to hold your seat.  Please see more details on the registration page.