The Art of Influence: How Leaders Get Things Done
The Art of Influence: How Leaders Get Things Done
I recently led a class lecture and activity on influence, power, and leadership. As we analyzed different influence tactics leaders use to accomplish goals and motivate teams, my 35+ years of examples came in handy.? I also recognized when I found myself remembering that these tactics can – if taken too far- cause harm. ?Influence, power, and leadership are all about relationships; managing those is key to impacting value in our organizations.
Through discussion and activities with the students, we explored 11 key influence tactics from research (Lee et al., 2017):
1.?????? Rational Persuasion – Using facts and logic to persuade people into action
2.?????? Pressure – Subtle pressure is good – asking for updates – but too much or threats rarely work
3.?????? Personal Appeal – Leverage your personal friendships and relationships – hopefully built on trust
4.?????? Exchange – Sometimes financial or other incentives ( time off, perks)
5.?????? Ingratiation – Flattery goes along ways – get them in a good mood – then ask them for their buy-in
6.?????? Coalition – Find others who have already agreed or bought in and bring them to bear on those still not quite ready to commit
7.?????? Legitimizing – Using authority or norms of operation related to the goal in mind
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8.?????? Consultation – Active participation by all parties so they feel they are part of decision process.
9.?????? Inspirational Appeal - ?Key into the persons own set of aspirations or values.
10.?? Apprising – Focus on how the change will impact them in a positive way.
11.?? Collaboration – Ask them for their help but offer to help. Makes the ask less onerous
What stood out was the nuance required to influence well.? All of these tactics are situational, and some situations require multiple tactics. ?There are ethical ways to persuade and rally people towards noble goals. But influence easily turns inappropriate when misused for selfish ends without concern for people.? Building trust and maintaining relationships should always be the priority.
As leaders aiming to do good in our organizations and the world, we must reflect on how we seek buy-in and attempt to motivate action. Do we pressure out of impatience or make inspiring appeals rooted in higher ideals? The tactics we choose impact relationships and results.
I encourage examining your influence orientation, and style. Are adjustments needed to persuade ethically and motivate with positivity? Our people and organizations will thank us for it.
Source: Lee., S., Han, S., Cheong, M., Kim, S. L., and Yun, S. (2017). How do I get my way? A meta-analytic review of research on influence tactics. The Leadership Quarterly, 28 (1), 210–228.
#leadershipmatters
Well said.
Newly Retired Assistant Professor of Social Work and Director of Field Education, Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri
10 个月“But influence easily turns inappropriate when misused for selfish ends without concern for people.? Building trust and maintaining relationships should always be the priority.” So important in a change process in a world where people are often “disposed of” without adequate responsibility from the institution. When a system is in transition the worth and dignity of all should remain a primary matter. Adequate notice of lay offs, severance pay, access to counseling and training resources, conversation w administrators about the losses involved in necessary change, and true recognition of past contributions during one on one conversations makes all the difference for how integrity is upheld. While broad sytemic change is often a necessary choice for survival, the wounding that can occur to long term dedicated workers that upheld the “old” system can be truly damaging all the way around. Change is inevitable in a dynamic system. How the change is implemented is paramount.