Hannah Julia Paredes Kilnoski
Research Base:
Cialdini. (2007). Influence : the psychology of persuasion. (EPub edition.). HarperCollins Publishers.
Fourie, W., & Mystris, D. (2021). Leader Influence beyond the Individual Leader: Group‐Level and Member‐Level Factors that Affect Leader Influence. European Management Review, 18(1), 115–124. https://doi-org.leo.lib.unomaha.edu/10.1111/emre.12420
HOFFMAN, B. J., BYNUM, B. H., PICCOLO, R. F., & SUTTON, A. W. (2011). Person-Organization Value Congruence: How Transformational Leaders Influence Work Group Effectiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 54(4), 779–796. https://doi-org.leo.lib.unomaha.edu/10.5465/AMJ.2011.64870139
Theory and Research:
Cialdini’s research identified 6 “weapons” of influence. These are reciprocity, commitment, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. According to his book, ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’, if a leader can master their application of these principles, they will wield true influence with employees(Cialdini, 2007). The first two are self-explanatory while the last four are a bit more complex. Social Proof is the idea that we look for others’ guidance and decisions to inform our own (Cialdini, 2007). Liking is the idea that people will agree to thing sif a friend recommends it before they try, the trusting relationship is the persuasive factor.
Fourie’s research highlights that influence not only can affect individuals that play a part in a larger Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) model but also that influence is gained and grown in social groups. These groups build off the influence of others in the group. To quote from this insightful article, “...the cognitive processes that lead to the emergence of social groups explain the production of influence…” (Fourie et.al, 2021). The construction of these social groups comes with the feeling that people share certain attributes. This shared feeling creates the trust and social networking needed for true influence to take place. In a school setting, the concept still applies. People work in an environment working towards a shared goal and hence influence exists.
Hoffman et. al focuses on uncovering the processes of subtle influence through transformational leaders. This influence is applied and effective when the individuals see consistency in their leadership’s values toward the improvement of their own individual goals which will positively affect the overall goals and vision for the organization as a whole (Hoffman et. al, 2011).
Application and Reflection:
When I think about how I have applied influence in my own leadership contexts, I feel that I have been employing a lot of the techniques I read about when reviewing the literature though maybe unknowingly until now. Looking at Cialdini’s research, there are some of the 6 “weapons” that I agree with and others that I take issue with. I first take issue with the term “weapon” though I have seen the term “principle” in other literature that cites Cialdini’s work. I also disagree with the Authority principle. In his original work, Cialdini cites a psychological experiment that tested subjects on whether or not they would inflict pain on another subject when given the authority to do so. The idea of authority as a pillar of leadership is concerning. If the way we assert influence is to establish authority, there’s an opportunity here for a service leadership principle, that respect and influence are given by the followers, not demanded by the leaders. The other principles I understand and think many leaders I have seen use. I think I use my social skills to employ the ‘Liking’ principle the most. I use my social relationships to build trust and help grow the bonds I use to influence others. Based on Fourie’s research, my leadership approach still applies. The strategies I use as a leader not only play into the LMX model but also go hand in hand with the idea that creating social groups leads to the emergence of influence. When a leader emerges in a group, it is because they have shown importance and attention to the individuals’ goals and aspirations that will go on to build the potential and production of the organization. This could also apply to the transformational leadership framework described in the Hoffman et. al article. When the leader takes the time and energy to prioritize the needs of the individuals and helps to build their skills and accelerate their career paths, they get an entire organization of highly qualified and motivated individuals that are all working towards the common good of the organization. In this example, the leader has influenced from below and has encouraged the employees to go further and the results are a growth of employee effectiveness based on the subtle yet powerful influence of the leader. In my own experience, I like to think of all these theories as a combined approach. For me, I like to lead by example and encourage others by supporting their needs and dreams. For example, as a department head in my previous position, I was earning my Master’s degree while working full time. Others saw my constant work and were inspired to begin professional development of their own. This turned into a brilliant opportunity for us to sit down, create individualized career paths with professional development and future learning opportunities that catered to the needs and interests of each teacher. The result of this was a highly qualified, specialized and diverse team.
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