More on Influence

Introduction

There are 2 key dimensions to influence, ie strength and warmth and they
"...account for more than 90% of the variance in our positive or negative impressions we form of people around us..."
Amy Cuddy et al as quoted by Michelle Rushton, 2023
"...to be sure, we noticed plenty of other traits in people that they're nowhere near as strong as warmth and strength..."
Michelle Rushton, 2023

When you meet somebody, especially for the first time, your brain asked these 2 questions:
"...- what are this person's intentions towards me?
     - do they have the ability to carry out their intentions?..."
Michelle Rushton, 2023

The first question is linked with 'warmth' and the second with 'strength', ie

- are they going to harm or help me (warmth dimension)

- do they have the capacity to act on their perceived intention (strength dimension).

Lack of perceived threat predicts warmth evaluation and salient status symbols predicts impressions of strength.
Of the 2, warmth is the most powerful, ie understanding person's strengths is not as relevant, if you already know they are not going to harm you.
Research has shown that most people who are perceived as high in one of these qualities, are relatively low in the other.
It is very rare to see a person who is an equally high in both qualities; for those who are perceived as equally high in both qualities, they are universally admired, respected and influential, eg people like Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, etc.

Some people who would be higher in strength than warmth include Steve Jobs (Apple), Bill Gates (Microsoft),
Elon Musk (Tesla), Jack Welch (GE), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), etc.
This has been found to be applicable in many different cultures.

Dimensions (signals)

i) warmth (as shown by trustworthiness, likeability, generosity, etc, ie are you safe? what are the intentions of the other party?)

ii) strength (as shown by confidence and composure, commitment, competence, etc, ie are you able to do it, are you willing to push thru, under pressure can you handle it?)
NB
"...if you are high in warmth, you make other people feel they have got it; if you are high in strength, you make other people realise you have got it......if you are high in both you will have a lot of influence and people feeling positive..."
Michelle Rushton, 2023

If you are in a situation where people are more strength orientated, you need to highlight strengths and vice versa if the people are higher in warmth. This is a way of getting the people on side at the start of your involvement with them.