The Influencer Strategy
An influencer strategy is a framework for creating sustained behavioral change by identifying vital behaviors and systematically applying the Six Sources of Influences.The goal is to make the desired behavior both motivating and possible across multiple levels of influence (Grenny et al., 2013). As Harapnuik explains, an effective influencer strategy requires addressing all six sources (Harpnuik, 2015).. This underscores the importance of using a holistic approach that layers different sources of influence to maximize the likelihood of meaningful and lasting change.
Applying the Influencer Strategy
An influencer strategy works by first defining the desired results and then identifying a few vital behaviors that most directly drive those results. Once these behaviors are established, the next step is to diagnose potential barriers and apply the Six Sources of Influence; personal, social, and structural factors of both motivation and ability(Grenny et al., 2013). According to Harapnuik , many change efforts fail when they only target one or two sources of influence; sustainable change requires addressing all six in a layered and intentional approach.
I will present a detailed plan that directly connects to my innovation proposal of increasing authentic Spanish conversation in the classroom. This plan emphasizes the role of teachers in using technology to enhance authentic communication and cultural learning while also guiding, modeling, and monitoring its responsible use to ensure it supports. To further demonstrate this connection, I have included snapshots of the desired results, the vital behaviors, and the influencers that are directly impacted by my plan.
Integrating the Model Matrix into My Innovation Plan
In my innovation plan, the vital behavior I seek is for students to consistently engage in authentic Spanish conversations rather than defaulting to English or translation tools. The Six Sources of Influence shape this behavior by targeting both motivation and ability.
The personal motivation connects Spanish use to real world benefits, while personal ability is built through scaffolds like sentence stems and modeled dialogues. In contrast, social motivation fosters peer encouragement, and social ability uses group work where stronger speakers support others. Lastly, the structural motivation includes digital rewards and recognition, while structural ability provides technology tools, guided by the teacher to ensure technology supports rather than replace authentic communication. To further illustrate this plan, I will include a graph of the model matrix that visually shows how each of the six sources connects to the desired behaviors ((Grenny, Maxfield, & Shimberg, 2007).
References
Grenny, J., Maxfield, D., & Shimberg, A. (2007). 10x your influence research report. Provo, UT: VitalSmarts. Retrieved from https://mrswatsonsweb.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/0/9/14094347/10x_your_influence_research_report.pdf
Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Harapnuik, D. (2015, January 30). Influencer strategy: Six sources of influence. Retrieved from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6253
