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The word power is a noun that indicates ability, strength, and authority. Influence is most often used as a verb, meaning to sway or induce another to take action. (It can also be used as a noun, often interchangeably with power.) In this book, we'll consider power to be something you have and influence to be something you do. Electric power exists only as a potential source of light in your home or office until you flip a switch (or activate an app or a beam that does the switching). Likewise, your power exists only as potential until you activate it through the use of influence.
Many sources of power are available to you. Among them are
Power may be used directly (for example, "You are going to bed now because I am your mother and I say so") or indirectly, through others (for example, "Let Jack know in a subtle way that I would prefer the other vendor"). If the demanding party's power is understood and considered legitimate and sufficient from the point of view of the responding party, the action will happen. In general, when power is called for, it's better to use it directly to avoid confusion, delay, or doubt. Power used indirectly can sometimes be experienced as manipulation, because most of us define manipulation as an attempt to influence in a false or obscure way.
Many situations call for the direct use of power. Emergencies and other situations in which rapid decision making is essential are times when fast and effective action is more important than involvement and commitment.
In day-to-day life, the direct use of power has several limitations
Influence behavior instead uses your sources of power to move another person toward making a conscious choice or commitment that supports a goal you wish to achieve. Different sources of power will be appropriate with different people and in different situations. They will support the use of a variety of influence skills. Using influence rather than direct power sends a message of respect to the other. It results in action by the other that is voluntary rather than coerced; thus quality and timelines are likely to be better. It's also the realistic choice to make in the many situations we encounter in which we need to get things done through people over whom we have no legitimate power.
Leaders must be able to use both approaches-direct power and skillful influencing-and must know when each is appropriate. Few leaders are satisfied with blind obedience (obedience in adults is never "blind"-it's an emergency response, a fear response, or one that betrays a lack of interest in and responsibility for the outcome). Most leaders want to work with people who are willing to influence as well as to be influenced.
Because influence tends to be reciprocal, part of a relationship, it's important for a leader to let others know when and how he or she can be influenced on an issue. A big mistake often made by leaders and managers is to act as if they can be influenced (for example, by asking people what they think about something) and then communicating (often by arguing with their suggestions) that the decision has already been made. Presumably, the leader was hoping that people would come to the same-obvious to the leader-conclusion so that they would be committed to the decision. This only creates cynicism and has given "participatory management" and "employee empowerment" bad names.
If you need to use direct power, use it with confidence, not apologetically. Then involve people about something related to the issue where you can be influenced. For example, suppose that a reorganization will occur whether your direct reports want it to happen or not. Although you might be tempted to try to develop support for the action by seeming to engage others in the decision, you know that would be inappropriate given the fact that the decision has already been made. Announce it and give people time to absorb the news, express concerns, and ask questions. Then ask, "What support will you need from me to communicate about this and plan transitions for your employees?"
Successful leaders learn and practice a wide variety of influence behaviors. They keep the goal in front of them and act in a way that is consistent with the aim of achieving that result, through and with others. Leadership in a team, family, or community organization is usually shared. The option to use direct power is often less available or effective, yet the responsibilities remain. Those in both formal and informal leadership roles must call on their personal influence skills to align other members toward a shared goal and to energize and inspire them to do what it takes to achieve it.
Each of us has a "sphere of influence." This includes issues and areas over which we exercise control, those where we can directly influence the outcome, and those where we can influence the situation indirectly through other people or as part of a group.
Use Figure 2.1 to chart your current sphere of influence. In which aspects of your life can you control an outcome by yourself? Where can you directly influence someone to take an action that you need or prefer? Where do you have the opportunity to influence a situation indirectly by getting another person or a group to do the direct influence? What are the areas and issues in your life that are important to you, but where you see no opportunity to influence?
Figure 2.1 Sphere of Influence.
Many people find that their areas of direct control are limited to choices about their own behavior, but that it's possible to influence, either directly or indirectly, many events and outcomes in which they hold a strong interest. As you review your chart, notice how active a role you are taking in influencing the outcome of issues and events that you care about. Is there anything about which you care deeply that you perceive as being outside of your sphere of influence entirely?
Typical examples for sphere of control might include
These are choices you can make on your own-no one else needs to be involved or consulted (although you may opt to involve or consult others).
Your sphere of direct influence may include issues involving
In these cases, you can go directly to the person or group you wish to influence and use your skills to achieve the results that are of interest to you.
Your sphere of indirect influence may include
You may be able to have an impact on them through others who are in a position to influence them directly. Alternatively, you might organize a group to influence together by initiating a campaign through social media or other means.
External events, trends, and issues can also have an important impact on our approach to influencing someone. Most of us would acknowledge that we have little or no influence in areas such as the global economy, a competitor's business strategy, large-scale trends such as industry consolidation, or decisions made by leaders of countries we don't live in, any more...
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