Chapter+6+-+Leadership+and+Inlfuence



Chapter 6: Leadership and Influence

Chapter 6, Leadership and Influence, focuses on four sets of influence tools significant to leaders: (1) credibility building behaviors, (2) compliance-gaining strategies, (3) argumentation skills, and (4) negotiation tactics.

[|Credibility] is an important characteristic in leaders. An individual must believe you are competent, trustworthy, and dynamic in order for them to perceive you as a credible human being. There are numerous ways in which an individual may build or improve one’s credibility, some which include sustaining eye contact, using gestures, and maintaining an open and inviting posture.

Compliance gaining strategies are the verbal tactics that individuals within a leadership setting use to communicate thoughts and ideas. Leaders try to influence individuals with a number of different tactics, some which are considered “hard” while others are considered “soft.” Hard tactics include applying pressure or creating strength in numbers by forming alliances. Soft tactics may include consulting with others and promoting enthusiasm in a friendly environment. [|How do you influence others?]

When two or more individuals take different sides on a controversial issue, they usually try to persuade one another through argument. Dominic Infante outlines five key skills that constitute argumentative competence: (1) Stating the controversy in propositional form, (2) Inventing arguments, (3) Presenting and defending your position, (4) Attacking other positions, and (5) Managing interpersonal relations.

[|Negotiation] is much like argumentation in that individuals try to influence the decisions of others. However, the end goal is much different. Negotiation is used to reach goal where both parties are satisfied. Successful negotiation between two parties includes a cooperative atmosphere, take the perspectives of others into consideration and finally, reach a mutual conclusion that both parties are happy with.

For more information on Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: See Chapter 4.

For more information on Leadership and Power: See Chapter 5.