7-10. Exchange is an influence technique that leaders use when they make an offer to provide some desired item or action in trade for compliance with a request. The exchange technique requires that the leaders control certain resources or rewards that are valued by those being influenced. A four-day pass as reward for excelling during a maintenance inspection is an example of an exchange influence technique.
7-11. Personal appeals occur when the leader asks the follower to comply with a request based on friendship or loyalty. This might often be useful in a difficult situation when mutual trust is the key to success. The leader appeals to the follower by highlighting the subordinate leader’s special talents and professional trust to strengthen him prior to taking on a tough mission. An S3 might ask a staff officer to
brief at an important commander’s conference if the S3 knows the staff officer will do the best job and convey the commander’s intent.
7-12. Collaboration occurs when the leader cooperates in providing assistance or resources to carry out a directive or request. The leader makes the choice more attractive by being prepared to step in and resolve any problems. A major planning effort prior to a deployment for humanitarian assistance would require possible collaboration with joint, interagency, or multinational agencies.
7-13. Rational persuasion requires the leader to provide evidence, logical arguments, or explanations showing how a request is relevant to the goal. This is often the first approach to gaining compliance or commitment from followers and is likely to be effective if the leader is recognized as an expert in the specialty area in which the influence occurs. Leaders often draw from their own experience to give reasons that some task can be readily accomplished because the leader has tried it and done it.
More leadership lessons here:
This section discusses the procedures used to conduct inspections for a company drill.
8-18. BASIC INFORMATION
The following basic information applies to conducting inspections for a company drill. Company Drill
a. The company has one prescribed formation for inspecting personnel and equipment in ranks—company in line with platoons in line. When inspecting crew-served weapons and
vehicles, the personnel are normally positioned to the rear of the formation with the operator (gunner) standing by his vehicle (weapon).
NOTES: 1. If the commander is not scheduled to receive or inspect the company, the first sergeant and platoon sergeants remain at their posts and execute company drill from their posts. For continuity purposes, the term “first sergeant” may also be used to denote the commander, just as “platoon
sergeant” may be used to denote the platoon leader when they are executing drill from their posts. If the commander is inspecting, he and the platoon leaders execute the same as described below.
2. Manual of arms movements for Soldiers armed with the M249, shotgun, or pistol are outlined in Appendix E.
b. The first sergeant may conduct an in-quarters (barracks) inspection to include personal appearance, individual weapons, field equipment, displays, maintenance, and
sanitary conditions.
c. When field equipment is to be inspected, it should be displayed as shown in Figure 8-5, page 8-18, (as a guide). Additional equipment not shown, or different models of the
equipment, should be arranged in a uniform manner established by the local commander.
Influence Techniques
7-7. Leaders use several specific techniques for influence that fall along a continuum between compliance and commitment. The ten techniques described below seek different degrees of compliance or commitment ranging from pressure at the compliance end to relations building at the commitment end.
7-8. Pressure is applied when leaders use explicit demands to achieve compliance, such as establishing
task completion deadlines with negative consequences imposed for unmet completion. Indirect pressure includes persistent reminders of the request and frequent checking. This technique should be used infrequently since it tends to trigger resentment from followers, especially if the leader-exerted pressure becomes too severe. When followers perceive that pressures are not mission related but originate from their leader’s attempt to please superiors for personal recognition, resentment can quickly undermine an organization’s morale, cohesion, and quality of performance. Pressure is a good choice when the stakes are high, time is short, and previous attempts at achieving commitment have not been successful.
7-9. Legitimate requests occur when leaders refer to their source of authority to establish the basis for a
request. In the military, certain jobs must be done regardless of circumstances when subordinate leaders
receive legitimate orders from higher headquarters. Reference to one’s position suggests to those who are
being influenced that there is the potential for official action if the request is not completed.
LEADS OTHERS
7-3. Former Army Chief of Staff Creighton W. Abrams once said,
The Army is people; its readiness to fight depends upon the readiness of its people,
individually and as units. We improve our readiness and foster a ready state of mind by
training, motivating and supporting our people, and by giving them a sense of
participation in the Army’s important endeavors.
7-4. All of the Army’s core leader competencies, especially leading others, involve influence. Army leaders can draw on a variety of techniques to influence others. These range from obtaining compliance to building a commitment to achieve. Compliance is the act of conforming to a specific requirement or demand. Commitment is willing dedication or allegiance to a cause or organization. Resistance is the opposite of compliance and commitment. There are many techniques for influencing others to comply or commit, and leaders can use one or more of them to fit to the specifics of any situation.
COMPLIANCE AND COMMITMENT
7-5. Compliance-focused influence is based primarily on the leader’s authority. Giving a direct order to a follower is one approach to obtain compliance during a task. Compliance is appropriate for short-term, immediate requirements and for situations where little risk can be tolerated. Compliance techniques are also appropriate for leaders to use with others who are relatively unfamiliar with their tasks or unwilling or
unable to commit fully to the request. If something needs to be done with little time for delay, and there is not a great need for a subordinate to understand why the request is made, then compliance is an acceptable approach. Compliance-focused influence is not particularly effective when a leader’s greatest aim is to create initiative and high esteem within the team.
7-6. Commitment-focused influence generally produces longer lasting and broader effects. Whereas compliance only changes a follower’s behavior, commitment reaches deeper—changing attitudes and beliefs, as well as behavior. For example, when a leader builds responsibility among followers, they will likely demonstrate more initiative, personal involvement, and creativity. Commitment grows from an individual’s desire to gain a sense of control and develop self-worth by contributing to the organization.
Depending on the objective of the influence, leaders can strengthen commitment by reinforcing followers’
identification with the Nation (loyalty), the Army (professionalism), the unit or organization (selfless
service), the leadership in a unit (respect), and to the job (duty).
