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 US Army Leadership Continued

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.

Influence Techniques Continued-US Army Leadership

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:

Army Leadership Compliance and Commitment

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).

Influence

When extending influence beyond the traditional chain, leaders often have to influence without
authority designated or implied by rank or position. Civilian and military leaders often find themselves in
situations where they must build informal teams to accomplish organizational tasks.

A unique aspect of extending influence is that those who are targets of influence outside the chain
may not even recognize or willingly accept the authority that an Army leader has. Often informal teams
must be created in situations where there are no official chains of authority. In some cases, it may require
leaders to establish their credentials and capability for leading others. At other times, leaders may need to
interact as a persuasive force but not from an obvious position and attitude of power.

The key element of extending influence and building teams is the creation of a common vision
among prospective team members. At times leaders may need to interact with others as a persuasive
influence but not from an obvious position and attitude of power.