Interpersonal Influence Inventory

Identifies 1 of 4 interpersonal influence styles and helps individuals improve their assertive

communication skills improved personal, leadership, and organizational performance.

Research shows that assertive behavior improves individual and organizational performance. But individuals are not born assertive – influencing people is an acquired soft skill. The Interpersonal Influence Inventory is an assessment that has helped thousands of professionals assess their personal influence style, learn how they “come across” to others, and work toward becoming more effective communicators.

Based on an assertive behavior model, the Interpersonal Influence Inventory measures Openness of Communication and Consideration for Others. Combining the two dimensions results in four different individual influence styles: Open Aggressive Behavior, Concealed Aggressive Behavior, Assertive Behavior and Passive Behavior.

Learning Outcomes

Identify their preference for one of 4 personal influence styles: Passive, Assertive,
Openly Aggressive, or Concealed Aggressive
Learn why assertive behavior is the one style that always yields positive results
Understand how other influence styles can hamper interpersonal communication
Discover the behavioral cues that signal each style

Theory and Development

The core of the Interpersonal Influence Inventory is derived from leadership and persuasive communication literature. The literature suggests that direct expression of one’s views, coupled with consideration for others, can help improve individual and organizational functioning. When one attempts to influence another, two dimensions of behavior produce an influence style. The dimensions of behavior are openness in communication and consideration for others.

Openness in Communication
Openness is an individuals’ willingness to disclose to another his or her thoughts, feelings, past experiences, and reactions. People are willing to disclose information about themselves to varying degrees. At one end of the spectrum are people who disclose very little, playing their cards “close to the vest.” At the other end are people who speak their thoughts and feelings directly and fully.

Consideration for Others
Consideration means an individual’s willingness to accord to others the same rights he or she expects for him- or herself. At one extreme are people who have very little respect for the opinions, feelings, and reactions of others. At the other extreme are people who defend and attempt to preserve the rights of others as strongly as they do their own.

The amount of openness and consideration that people show in their behavior determines the influence style they use. Depending on the relative use of openness and consideration, one of four influence patterns or styles results:

Openly Aggressive Behavior: “I boldly insist that my rights and needs prevail.”
Assertive Behavior: “I clearly expresses that everyone has rights and needs.”
Concealed Aggressive Behavior: “I subtly make sure that my rights and needs prevail.”
Passive Behavior: “Others’ rights and needs take precedence over mine.”

Uses for the Assessment

The Interpersonal Influence Inventory can be used as a standalone training instrument, or it can be incorporated into a more comprehensive program on communication or leadership. It also makes an effective component in training programs for a variety of soft skills topics, including coaching, management, and supervisory skills.

How It Works

The Interpersonal Influence Inventory starts with a self assessment that takes individuals approximately 20 minutes to complete. Individuals respond to 40 statements relating to communication and influence, selecting one of five choices ranging from Complete Uncharacteristic to Completely Characteristic of their behavior. The result is the identification of one of four personal influence styles: Openly Aggressive Behavior, Assertive Behavior, Concealed Aggressive Behavior, or Passive Behavior.

If you intend to use the Interpersonal Influence Inventory in a classroom training session, we recommend you allow approximately 40 for interpretation of scores, topic discussion, debrief, and action planning. The Interpersonal Influence Inventory Facilitator Guide includes everything you need to lead a successful training session from comprehensive background information and activities, to reproducible handouts and even a professional PowerPoint presentation. The Facilitator Guide also offers an easy-to-follow workshop outline that expands the Interpersonal Influence Inventory into a 2 ½ -hour program.

What to Order

The Interpersonal Influence Inventory is available in both Online and Print Versions.

The Online Version is an excellent choice for enterprise-wide training or audiences that are geographically dispersed. It offers 24/7 access, streamlined distribution, and instant scoring. Each Online Assessment includes personalized reporting, full-color charts, interpretive information, worksheets, and action planning.

The Print Version participant training materials are ideal for facilitators who prefer to oversee scoring and administration of the assessment, if you don’t know who the participants will be before the class begins, or if your learners do not have easy access to computers. Includes pressure-sensitive forms for scoring to aid manual tabulation. The accompanying Participant Guide includes interpretive information, worksheets, and action planning.

Initial Rollout

You will need to order a Facilitator Guide per trainer and either 1 Print Participant Guide or 1 Online Assessment for each individual learner. The Starter Kit is a great way to begin your rollout and includes a Facilitator Guide and 5 Print Participant Guides or 5 Online Assessments. Additional Participant Guides or Online Assessment credits may be purchased separately. Purchasing all of the participant materials you need at one time may qualify you for quantity discounts that can save you money and simplify ordering.

Time Required:

Scoring: 20 minutes

Interpretation: 40 minutes

Workshop: 2.5 hours (optional)

Related Assessments and Workshops

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2015 - Influencing with Assertive Communication

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2016 - Building the Communication Bridge

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2017 - What's My Communication Style?

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2019 - Learning to Listen

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2020 - Neuro-Linguistic Communication Profile

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2021 - Presentation Skills Profile

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2022 - Emotional Intelligence Skills Assessment

Related Reproducible Training Library Titles

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2050 - Communication Skills for Emerging Leaders

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2051 - The Art and Science of Communication

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2052 - Communication Skills for Tech Professionals

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2053 - The Art of Effective Communication

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2054 - Fundamentals of Effective Facilitation

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2055 - The Art of Influencing Others

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2056 - Giving and Receiving Feedback

Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2057 - The Communication Mystery: Solved Interpersonal and Communication Skills > Course 2058 - Supervisor Communication Skills

These programs come ready-to-deliver and include a Facilitator's Guide, Participant Guide and PowerPoint presentation or register for an in-house session.

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