• For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • For Universities
  • For Governments
Coursera
Log In
Join for Free
Coursera
  • Browse
  • Influence

Influence Courses Online

Explore principles of influence for effective communication and leadership. Learn techniques for persuasion, negotiation, and building credibility.

Skip to search results

Filter by

Subject
Required
 *

Language
Required
 *

The language used throughout the course, in both instruction and assessments.

Learning Product
Required
 *

Build job-relevant skills in under 2 hours with hands-on tutorials.
Learn from top instructors with graded assignments, videos, and discussion forums.
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject by completing a series of courses and projects.
Earn career credentials from industry leaders that demonstrate your expertise.
Graduate level learning within reach.

Level
Required
 *

Duration
Required
 *

Skills
Required
 *

Subtitles
Required
 *

Educator
Required
 *

Explore the Influence Course Catalog

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Michigan

    Influencing People

    Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Persuasive Communication, Leadership, Professional Networking, Initiative and Leadership, Relationship Building, Public Speaking, Decision Making, Negotiation, People Development, Social Skills, Organizational Structure

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    4.2K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Pennsylvania

    Influence

    Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Relationship Building, Professional Networking, Persuasive Communication, Leadership, Organizational Effectiveness, Initiative and Leadership, Organizational Structure, Business Ethics, Collaboration, Stakeholder Analysis, Decision Making, Social Network Analysis, Self-Awareness

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    339 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    M

    Macquarie University

    Influencing: Storytelling, Change Management and Governance

    Skills you'll gain: Overcoming Objections, Influencing, Risk Management Framework, Persuasive Communication, Governance, Storytelling, Risk Management, Change Management, Organizational Change, Rapport Building, Meeting Facilitation, Leadership, Conflict Management, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Business Transformation, Negotiation, Communication, Intercultural Competence, Stakeholder Management, Process Management

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    4.5K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Preview
    Preview
    C

    Coursera Instructor Network

    Growing your Influence

    Skills you'll gain: Thought Leadership, Influencing, Communication, Self-Awareness, Lifelong Learning, Professional Networking, Leadership, Professional Development, LinkedIn, Personal Development, Emotional Intelligence, Branding, Growth Mindedness, Social Media Strategy, Adaptability

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    17 reviews

    Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    L

    LearnKartS

    Effective Communication Skills

    Skills you'll gain: Oral Expression, Active Listening, Verbal Communication Skills, Influencing, Emotional Intelligence, Persuasive Communication, Interpersonal Communications, Communication, Non-Verbal Communication, Communication Strategies, Public Speaking, Business Communication, Professionalism, Conflict Management, Business Correspondence, Teamwork, Virtual Teams, Self-Awareness, Adaptability

    4.9
    Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
    ·
    36 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    N

    Northwestern University

    Organizational Leadership

    Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Persuasive Communication, Design Thinking, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Leadership, Strategic Communication, Innovation, Collaboration, Crisis Management, Negotiation, Organizational Leadership, Ideation, Team Leadership, Resource Allocation, Human Centered Design, Teamwork, Motivational Skills, Corporate Communications, Marketing Strategies, Marketing

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    5.3K reviews

    Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

What brings you to Coursera today?

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Leadership and Influence

    Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Negotiation, Leadership, Conflict Management, Persuasive Communication, Leadership Development, Professional Development, Business Leadership, Communication, Initiative and Leadership, Empowerment, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, Cooperation, Communication Strategies, Team Building, Constructive Feedback, Decision Making, Ethical Standards And Conduct

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    72 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    M

    Macquarie University

    Storytelling and influencing: Communicate with impact

    Skills you'll gain: Overcoming Objections, Influencing, Persuasive Communication, Storytelling, Rapport Building, Meeting Facilitation, Leadership, Presentations, Communication, Verbal Communication Skills, Public Speaking, Non-Verbal Communication, Empathy, Decision Making

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    2.4K reviews

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    N

    Northwestern University

    Leadership Through Social Influence

    Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Persuasive Communication, Leadership, Motivational Skills, Communication, Social Skills, Negotiation, Communication Strategies, Behavioral Management

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    1.4K reviews

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Developing Interpersonal Skills

    Skills you'll gain: Active Listening, Interpersonal Communications, Conflict Management, Constructive Feedback, Social Skills, Trustworthiness, Relationship Building, Business Communication, Collaboration, Communication, Professional Development, Empathy, Assertiveness, Emotional Intelligence, Influencing, People Management

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    2.8K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Preview
    Preview
    U

    University of Pennsylvania

    Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content

    Skills you'll gain: Social Network Analysis, Social Media Campaigns, Consumer Behaviour, Influencing, Content Creation, Marketing Communications, Social Media Marketing, Persuasive Communication, Social Media, Advertising, Brand Strategy, Marketing, Marketing Psychology, Storytelling, Communication

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    5.3K reviews

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of California, Irvine

    Effective Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

    Skills you'll gain: Creative Problem-Solving, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Creativity, Organizational Effectiveness, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Strategic Decision-Making, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Professional Development, Root Cause Analysis, Personal Development, Critical Thinking, Adaptability, Analysis, Analytical Skills

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    7.5K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Influence learners also search

Social Science Research
Social Innovation
Social Responsibility
Social Welfare
Debate
Facilitation
India
Mentoring
1234…41

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular influence courses

  • Influencing People: University of Michigan
  • Influence: University of Pennsylvania
  • Influencing: Storytelling, Change Management and Governance: Macquarie University
  • Growing your Influence: Coursera Instructor Network
  • Effective Communication Skills: LearnKartS
  • Organizational Leadership: Northwestern University
  • Leadership and Influence: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Storytelling and influencing: Communicate with impact: Macquarie University
  • Leadership Through Social Influence: Northwestern University
  • Developing Interpersonal Skills : IBM

Frequently Asked Questions about Influence

To influence someone is to affect or change their behavior without the direct use of authority, coercion, or force. Instead, the influencer creates change by shifting the mindset of individuals, groups, or entire organizations, persuading them to adopt the desired course of action of their own free will. The ability to influence can be important for everyday communication and maintaining harmonious relationships in our personal and family lives, but it is also a very important skill for many jobs and career paths.

For instance, being able to subtly influence your customers to “get to yes” when you’re closing a deal is an essential talent of sales professionals of all kinds, whether you’re selling shoes or business software. In fact, the world of social media and digital marketing has created a new type of selling called influencer marketing, in which influential personalities and cultural figures post pictures and testimonials with the product being sold.

The ability to influence is also essential for leadership roles in any organization, as management positions require you to motivate employees to not only fulfill their roles but to work enthusiastically at the peak of their abilities. The best executives and CEOs are talented at bringing their teams into vision alignment, with strongly shared priorities, values, and focused goal setting that allow organizations to succeed - in business as well as in the recruitment of top-flight talent.‎

Influencing skills are important for almost any career that requires working in a team, but they are most important for roles as managers and top executives. Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” has been a mainstay in business school curricula despite being written nearly a century ago because this skill has always been fundamental for success in the business world. The ability to get your team aligned to work together effectively is rare and highly valued; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, top executives earned a median annual salary of $104,690 per year in 2019, including a median pay of $184,460 for chief executive officers (CEOs).‎

Absolutely. There is a common myth that the ability to influence others is simply an innate talent that some people have and others don’t, but the reality is that influencing is a skill that is taught at every business school - including schools offering courses online through Coursera. You can learn how to influence others from leading faculty at top-ranked schools like University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and Macquarie University. And even though Coursera lets you learn remotely on a flexible schedule, you can still work with faculty in live virtual office hours that let you practice your influencing skills to an expert audience.‎

Some skills or experience you might need to have before learning influence are strong social skills that allow you to get along with all types of people, such as supervisors, peers, and customers. If you have any sales experience or experience presenting information and concepts to others in person or online, you may already have the skills necessary to learn advanced influencing methods.‎

The kind of people who are best suited for roles in influence are those who are confident in their abilities to motivate and persuade others whether or not they’re in authority roles. Types of people well suited for roles in influence can build and maintain high-quality relationships with diverse groups of individuals. People best suited for learning influence can discern other people’s attitudes, diverse social factors influencing behavior, and why people may or may not act on their intentions.‎

Learning influence may be right for you if you want to learn how to develop it so you can become more effective in achieving your organizational goals. Studying the subject may be right for you if you want to understand the framework of power and influence and the dynamics of effective networks, persuasion, and leverage. If you're in any type of role where you need negotiation, communication, and sales skills, then learning influence may be a good choice for you.‎

Common career paths for someone who has studied influence are often found in corporate management in general where the ability to persuade people is paramount. Specific common career paths for people who have studied influence might be product and brand management, research and development, and any leadership position in an organization’s C-suite. Another common career path for someone in influence is blogging where paid or sponsored influencers create content on various social media platforms. The most common career path for someone in influence is in sales where it’s critical to understand how to best persuade customers and clients using various tools, including neuromarketing.‎

There are many topics you can study that are related to influence, such as emotional intelligence, which may help you to work effectively in teams, build cooperative relationships, and exercise effective influence to foster meaningful change. Another topic related to influence that you can study is social psychology to help you understand why people behave in certain ways. Marketing is another strongly related topic to influence that you might consider studying.‎

This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

Other topics to explore

Arts and Humanities
338 courses
Business
1095 courses
Computer Science
668 courses
Data Science
425 courses
Information Technology
145 courses
Health
471 courses
Math and Logic
70 courses
Personal Development
137 courses
Physical Science and Engineering
413 courses
Social Sciences
401 courses
Language Learning
150 courses

Coursera Footer

Skills

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Analytics
  • Digital Marketing
  • English Speaking
  • Generative AI (GenAI)
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Project Management
  • Python

Certificates & Programs

  • Google Cybersecurity Certificate
  • Google Data Analytics Certificate
  • Google IT Support Certificate
  • Google Project Management Certificate
  • Google UX Design Certificate
  • IBM Data Analyst Certificate
  • IBM Data Science Certificate
  • Machine Learning Certificate
  • Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Certificate
  • UI / UX Design Certificate

Industries & Careers

  • Business
  • Computer Science
  • Data Science
  • Education & Teaching
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources (HR)
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • Marketing

Career Resources

  • Career Aptitude Test
  • Examples of Strengths and Weaknesses for Job Interviews
  • High-Income Skills to Learn
  • How Does Cryptocurrency Work?
  • How to Highlight Duplicates in Google Sheets
  • How to Learn Artificial Intelligence
  • Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
  • Preparing for the PMP Certification
  • Signs You Will Get the Job After an Interview
  • What Is Artificial Intelligence?

Coursera

  • About
  • What We Offer
  • Leadership
  • Careers
  • Catalog
  • Coursera Plus
  • Professional Certificates
  • MasterTrack® Certificates
  • Degrees
  • For Enterprise
  • For Government
  • For Campus
  • Become a Partner
  • Social Impact
  • Free Courses
  • Share your Coursera learning story

Community

  • Learners
  • Partners
  • Beta Testers
  • Blog
  • The Coursera Podcast
  • Tech Blog

More

  • Press
  • Investors
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • Articles
  • Directory
  • Affiliates
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Manage Cookie Preferences
Learn Anywhere
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Logo of Certified B Corporation
© 2025 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Coursera Facebook
  • Coursera Linkedin
  • Coursera Twitter
  • Coursera YouTube
  • Coursera Instagram
  • Coursera TikTok