Yukl and Tracey's Influencers
Choosing the Most Appropriate Approach to Influence
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed
of either success or failure in the mind of another.” – Napoleon Hill, American writer
and businessman.
There are many ways that you can influence people. For instance, you can appeal
to their deepest-held values and beliefs. You can influence them with logic and
reason, and use facts to build your case. You could even just do favors for them.
Leadership scholars Gary Yukl and J. Bruce Tracey studied influence in the
workplace for more than a decade. They identified 11 different techniques, or
"influencers," that people commonly use. Yukl highlighted these in his respected
1981 book, "Leadership in Organizations."
These 11 influencers are as follows, classified into positive and negative tactics:
Positive Tactics
1. Rational persuasion.
2. Apprising.
3. Inspirational appeal.
4. Consultation.
5. Exchange.
6. Collaboration.
Negative Tactics
7. Legitimation.
8. Coalition.
9. Pressure.
10. Ingratiation.
11. Personal appeals.
From Yukl, Gary A. "Leadership in Organizations," 8th edition, © 2013. Reprinted by permission of Pearson
Education Inc.
Let's look at each tactic, and consider how you can apply the positive ones.
1. Rational Persuasion
With rational persuasion, you persuade others with solid facts, clear explanations, and
logical arguments.
Rational persuasion is most effective when you use it with someone who shares your
objectives.
To use this influence technique, use good information-gathering strategies, and make sure
that your facts, statistics, and theories are accurate, well thought through, and relevant.
Also, brainstorm possible objections ahead of time, so that you have the information you
need to address them, if they arise.
2. Apprising
With apprising, you explain how your request, idea, or proposal will benefit the other
person. However, the person doesn't benefit directly – the benefits come as a result
of that person's involvement or support.
For instance, imagine that one of your members is reluctant to take on a piece of
work with a team. However, you really need her expertise for the project to succeed,
and you know that she wants to advance in the organisation. You explain that, if the
team succeeds, all of you will get to make a presentation at the Regional/ National
Network meeting. This would spotlight her contribution, and could lead to a
promotion down the road.
This technique is especially useful with people who care more about their own
needs than they do about their team or organisation.
3. Inspirational Appeal
You use this tactic when you appeal to another person's emotions, values, hopes,
and ideals. Inspirational appeal helps you forge a strong emotional tie between the
person and the project. This can be a powerful motivator.
For instance, let's say you've decided to sponsor an environmental clean-up day. To
gain buy-in from your members, who will be the chief volunteers, you explain how
their efforts will beautify the environment for everyone in the community, and how
they'll make things safer and healthier for local children and wildlife. For many of
your people, this will provide a powerful inspiration.
4. Consultation
When you use this approach, you ask people to help you plan how to achieve your
goal.
This tactic isn't effective when people don't have the skills, knowledge, and
resources needed to achieve the objective, or when what you want them to do
clashes with other important objectives that they have.
5. Exchange
This technique, which is based on reciprocity, involves rewarding others for their
help or involvement with a request. This could be a reward of resources or
information, help and support on another project or task, or something tangible
(such as additional compensation or benefits).
This tactic is appropriate when you have a request that offers no obvious benefits to
others, yet will cost them a considerable amount of time, stress, or inconvenience.
6. Collaboration
With collaboration, you make it easier for the other person to get involved, or to
approve your request.
For example, let's say that you want someone to attend a meeting with your officers,
but she's reluctant to participate because she's busy and she has a long way to
travel. So, you arrange for your committee to visit her at her office instead. That
way, she only has to take a small amount of time out of her schedule to join the
meeting.
Note:
Collaboration might seem similar to the exchange tactic because, with both, you
offer to do something for others. The key difference is that with exchange, you offer
something to others, while with collaboration, you make it easier for others.
Negative Tactics
When you use negative approaches to influence, you can strain your relationships,
hurt others, and damage your reputation.
It's also important to know about these negative techniques, so that you can tell
when others are using them on you.
7. Legitimation
People use legitimation tactics when they attempt to establish their authority, or their
right to request something from you. They might also try to prove that their request
is consistent with organisational policies, rules, or practices.
8. Coalition
This is when someone uses other people to influence you, such as your officers or
team members – essentially, they try to "gang up" with others to push you into doing
something.
The influencer might ask others to influence you directly. However, he might also
simply use other people's endorsement or opinions to sway your decision.
9. Pressure
People use pressure tactics when they threaten you or act aggressively. They might
make repeated demands for you to change your mind, even after you say "no." Or,
they may try to take away some of your power, or discredit you.
Pressure tactics often go along with bullying, and will likely leave you feeling
stressed, upset, resentful, and angry.
10. Ingratiation
With ingratiation, others try to make you feel better about yourself before they make
a request. For example, they might praise you, or do you a favour, before they ask
for your assistance.
This can turn into manipulation when the praise or flattery is insincere, or when
people do favors so that they receive something in return, later down the line,
without being honest about their intentions.
11. Personal Appeals
People make personal appeals when they ask you to do things because of
friendship, loyalty, kindness, or generosity.
This influence tactic can make you feel that someone has manipulated you, or that
they've taken advantage of you.
Key points
It's helpful to understand these tactics, so you can choose the right one to use when
you need to influence others.
It's also useful to understand negative influence tactics, so that you can avoid using
them, and so that you can recognize when someone is using them on you.
1. Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you
listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of
your relationships with others.
•
•
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We
We
We
We
listen
listen
listen
listen
to obtain information.
to understand.
for enjoyment.
to learn.
There resources explore the concept of active listening and identify some of
the barriers that interfere effective with communication.
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/Mind%20Tools%20Listening.pdf