Putting Influence Techniques to Work-Army Leadership

7-18. To succeed and create true commitment, influencing techniques should be perceived as authentic and sincere. Positive influence comes from leaders who do what is right for the Army, the mission, the team, and each individual Soldier. Negative influence—real and perceived—emanates from leaders who primarily focus on personal gain and lack self-awareness. Even honorable intentions, if wrongly perceived by followers as self-serving, will yield mere compliance. False perception may trigger unintended side

effects such as resentment of the leader and the deterioration of unit cohesion.

7-19. The critical nature of the mission also determines which influence technique or combination of techniques is appropriate. When a situation is urgent and greater risk is involved, eliciting follower compliance may be desirable. Direct-level leaders often use compliance techniques to coordinate team activities in an expedient manner. In comparison, organizational leaders typically pursue a longer-term focus and use indirect influence to build strong commitment. 

7-20. When influencing their followers, Army leaders should consider that—  

• The objectives for the use of influence should be in line with the Army Values, ethics, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the Warrior Ethos, and the Civilian Creed.
• Various influence techniques can be used to obtain compliance and commitment.
• Compliance-seeking influence focuses on meeting and accounting for specific task demands.
• Commitment-encouraging influence emphasizes empowerment and long-lasting trust.

Influence Techniques Continued-Army Leadership

7-14. Apprising happens when the leader explains why a request will benefit a follower, such as giving
them greater satisfaction in their work or performing a task a certain way that will save half the time. In contrast to the exchange technique, the benefits are out of the control of the leader. A commander may use the apprising technique to inform a newly assigned noncommissioned officer that serving in an operational staff position, prior to serving as a platoon sergeant, could provide him with invaluable experience. The commander points out that the additional knowledge may help the NCO achieve higher performance than his peers and possibly lead to an accelerated promotion to first sergeant.

7-15. Inspiration occurs when the leader fires up enthusiasm for a request by arousing strong emotions to build conviction. A leader may stress to a fellow officer that without help, the safety of the team may be at risk. By appropriately stressing the results of stronger commitment, a unit leader can inspire followers to surpass minimal standards and reach elite performance status.

7-16. Participation occurs when the leader asks a follower to take part in planning how to address a problem or meet an objective. Active participation leads to an increased sense of worth and recognition. It provides value to the effort and builds commitment to execute the commitment. Invitation to get involved is critical when senior leaders try to institutionalize a vision for long-term change. By involving key leaders of all levels during the planning phases, senior leaders ensure that their followers take stock in the vision.
These subordinates will later be able to pursue critical intermediate and long-term objectives, even after senior leaders have moved on. 

7-17. Relationship building is a technique in which leaders build positive rapport and a relationship of mutual trust, making followers more willing to support requests. Examples include, showing personal interest in a follower’s well-being, offering praise, and understanding a follower’s perspective. This technique is best used over time. It is unrealistic to expect it can be applied hastily when it has not been
previously used. With time, this approach can be a consistently effective way to gain commitment from
followers.

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