• For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • For Universities
  • For Governments
Coursera
  • Online Degrees
  • Careers
  • 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
      J

      Johns Hopkins University

      Social Media Analytics

      Skills you'll gain: Network Analysis, Data Visualization, Graph Theory, Relational Databases, Data Visualization Software, Data Storytelling, Data Analysis, Data Literacy, Social Sciences, Statistical Analysis, Machine Learning, R Programming, Analytical Skills, Data Manipulation, Facebook, Sociology, Natural Language Processing, Text Mining, Analytics, Trend Analysis

      4.2
      Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
      ·
      10 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      L

      London Business School

      Business for Good: Fundamentals of Corporate Responsibility

      Skills you'll gain: Corporate Sustainability, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Sustainability Reporting, Business Ethics, Leadership Studies, Business Strategy, Stakeholder Management, Decision Making, Influencing, Innovation

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      58 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado System

      How Self-Motivation Shapes Personal Success

      Skills you'll gain: Growth Mindedness, Emotional Intelligence, Goal Setting, Persistence, Self-Motivation, Creativity, Adaptability, Self-Awareness, Empathy, Resilience, Lifelong Learning, Curiosity, Innovation, Willingness To Learn, Courage, Mindfulness

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      J

      Johns Hopkins University

      Foundations of Strategic Communications

      Skills you'll gain: Non-Verbal Communication, Interpersonal Communications, Technical Communication, Target Audience, Strategic Communication, Communication, Business Communication, Persuasive Communication, Technical Management, Professional Development, Leadership, Influencing, Organizational Leadership, Active Listening, Culture

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      9 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      Corporate Finance Institute

      Fundamentals of Credit

      Skills you'll gain: Credit Risk, Loans, Capital Expenditure, Lending and Underwriting, General Lending, Consumer Lending, Mortgage Loans, Commercial Lending, Financial Analysis, Loan Documentation, Loan Origination, Financial Statement Analysis, Risk Analysis

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      20 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • N

      Nanjing University

      理解马克思

      Skills you'll gain: Socioeconomics, Social Studies, Economics, European History, World History, Social Sciences, Social Justice, Political Sciences, Economic Development, Research

      4.3
      Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
      ·
      63 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      M

      Microsoft

      Manage Resources in Azure

      Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Azure, Cloud Management, Application Deployment, Cloud Computing, Windows PowerShell, Cloud Services, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Software As A Service, Virtual Machines, Platform As A Service (PaaS), Command-Line Interface, Verification And Validation

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      18 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      K

      Kennesaw State University

      Social Media & Marketing - Jagdish Sheth

      Skills you'll gain: Marketing, Marketing Channel, Social Media Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Effectiveness, Content Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Social Media Campaigns, Digital Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Branding, Digital Media Strategy

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      The Neuroscience of Leading High-Performance Teams

      Skills you'll gain: Organizational Leadership, Team Motivation, Team Leadership, Initiative and Leadership, Leadership, Strategic Leadership, Team Management, Team Performance Management, Leadership and Management, Team Building, Drive Engagement, Storytelling, Employee Coaching, Team Oriented, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Goal Setting, Employee Engagement, Influencing, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Neurology

      Build toward a degree

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      48 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research

      Skills you'll gain: Gerontology, Public Health, Health Policy, Preventative Care, Medical Science and Research, Epidemiology, Geriatrics, Kinesiology, General Science and Research, Pharmacology, Clinical Research, Risk Analysis, Chronic Diseases, Neurology, Mental Health Diseases and Disorders, Biochemistry

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      94 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      ISAE-SUPAERO

      Flight mechanics - Lift and trajectory

      Skills you'll gain: Risk Control, Vibrations, Safety Assurance, Mechanics, Engineering Analysis, Simulations, Mathematical Modeling

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      64 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      P

      Packt

      CRISC: Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control

      Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Risk Control, Vulnerability Assessments, Enterprise Architecture, Personally Identifiable Information, Risk Management Framework, Risk Management, IT Management, Risk Appetite, Compliance Reporting, Risk Mitigation, Risk Analysis, Business Continuity, Business Risk Management, Operational Risk, Information Privacy, Vulnerability Management, IT Security Architecture, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Information Assurance

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      26 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    Influence learners also search

    Social Science Research
    Social Innovation
    Social Responsibility
    Social Welfare
    Debate
    Facilitation
    India
    Mentoring
    1…222324…36

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

    • Social Media Analytics: Johns Hopkins University
    • Business for Good: Fundamentals of Corporate Responsibility: London Business School
    • How Self-Motivation Shapes Personal Success: University of Colorado System
    • Foundations of Strategic Communications: Johns Hopkins University
    • Fundamentals of Credit: Corporate Finance Institute
    • 理解马克思: Nanjing University
    • Manage Resources in Azure: Microsoft
    • Social Media & Marketing - Jagdish Sheth: Kennesaw State University
    • The Neuroscience of Leading High-Performance Teams: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research: University of Colorado Boulder

    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

    Technical Skills

    • ChatGPT
    • Coding
    • Computer Science
    • Cybersecurity
    • DevOps
    • Ethical Hacking
    • Generative AI
    • Java Programming
    • Python
    • Web Development

    Analytical Skills

    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Big Data
    • Business Analysis
    • Data Analytics
    • Data Science
    • Financial Modeling
    • Machine Learning
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Microsoft Power BI
    • SQL

    Business Skills

    • Accounting
    • Digital Marketing
    • E-commerce
    • Finance
    • Google
    • Graphic Design
    • IBM
    • Marketing
    • Project Management
    • Social Media Marketing

    Career Resources

    • Essential IT Certifications
    • High-Income Skills to Learn
    • How to Get a PMP Certification
    • How to Learn Artificial Intelligence
    • Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
    • Popular Data Analytics Certifications
    • What Does a Data Analyst Do?
    • Career Development Resources
    • Career Aptitude Test
    • Share your Coursera Learning Story

    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
    • ECTS Credit Recommendations

    Community

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

    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