If one googles the phrase "Strategic Influence" we see
literally thousands of references to a controversial
department of the Pentagon established by the US in the
advent of the war in Iraq which has since been disbanded.
In contrast the humble program designed several years ago
for AIM has arguably less 'reach' .... but is still running.
More and more those working for organisations realise the
critical importance of being able to wield personal power
and the eroded impact and acceptability of positional power
in all but a few select (aka military or emergency
services) organisations, and even then, only when they are
responding to 'crisis'. This has partly occurred because of
the generational shift in the workplace and the fact that
many employees left home in their 20's so that no one would
tell them what to do anymore. But it is also because much
of what an organisation has to do these days to earn true
competitive and sustainable advantage revolves around
values and culture, ethics and social conscience which are
all intangible 'soft' aspects of business. One can't force
attitudinal change in the way one can rationalise a product
line.
A discussion of strategic influence, namely the very
deliberate joining of two words, must firstly be
precipitated by a discussion on influence and its uneasy
bedfellow, manipulation. It could be argued that both are
underpinned by intent, utilise power, both have impact on
relationships, both can get results and both can generate
choices in the recipient of the respective influence or the
manipulation. However influence is more likely to involve
the sharing of complete and balanced information that
affords "effective choice", utilises persuasive power
rather than coercive power, tends to engender ownership,
not resentment or manipulation's best case scenario,
forced compliance.
I have a confession to make. We are tragics of the hit
series "24" at our place. Six seasons later, what is the
extraordinary enduring appeal of the character Jack Bauer
that goes beyond the action-packed style of the show and
its real time competitive advantage? He faces moral
dilemmas, as the singularly focussed operative, who has
blinding clarity about the outcomes he needs to achieve ( a
few hours to save LA) and a situational context that
somehow makes torture permissible to viewing audiences in
their millions. Yes, there is a good dose of coercive
power but he is totally transparent regarding his intent
with the bad guy protagonist ("You have information we need
and I'm going to get it"), provides the rationale
("Otherwise thousands of innocent people will die") and
gives the person an explicit choice ("Tell me what I need
to know or I'll hurt you"). Could any organisation employ
the same communication tactics to get the job done and ever
be regarded as an employer of choice? I think not. The
context relevant to the Counter Terrorist Unit in LA
somehow makes his actions credible, at least for the
viewer, if not, perhaps, for the bad guy!
So might some say there are times when the end justifies
the means? Ethically speaking, in our lines of work, that
doesn't hold. Strategically? If one considers that rarely
in life is anything a one-shot deal, then coercive
persuasion and its evil twin manipulation are risky because
of the likely adverse impact on the relationship assuming
the 'manipulatee' catches on. The manipulatee is likely to
feel any/all of "mad", "sad" "bad" or "had".
Predictably I am advocating for influence over manipulation
although there are times as a parent when I need to put my
glasses on to see the very fine (read as imperceptible!)
line between a threat and a logical consequence. I am sure
to the child they are often one and the same and I am left
to rationalise that it was my intent (ie what was in my
head, agent of change or axe murderer) that dictates the
difference. Thus even when intent is pure, perception
counts for much.
Perhaps you are sold on the idea that influence is the way
to go. The reality is that we are only one half of the
influence transaction and as long as we are not Tom Hanks
living on an island with only a Wilson volleyball for
company, then the reaction of different parties; possessing
different needs, personalities and values will be variable.
Effective influence requires behavioural and communication
flexibility.
What is perhaps a little daunting, even onerous, is that
even if we've committed to influence over manipulation as a
way of life, and recognised the critical importance of
shared value and behavioural dexterity, influence must
still have a purpose. Thus strategic influence involves
the consideration of context and the pursuit of
premeditated outcomes, sometimes the use of
frameworks/tools eg. gatekeeper analysis or a comms.
strategy that informs a strategic approach, rather than
adopting a simple position on something and trying to beat
or wear down the other party. Yes, when we attempt to
persuade we are trying to create movement in the other
person and that may involve espousing evidence, selling
benefits and establishing the correct emotional match with
the audience. Being purposeful however separates the
expert persuader from the good communicator.
So context, situational versatility and purposeful pursuit
of outcomes are what characterise Strategic Influence.
However those elite persuaders who, along with the
agreements they strike, endure, do so because they have
found an exquisite balance between the ongoing relationship
with the other party, the respect for choice and genuine
empowerment and the outcomes they seek to achieve. In
aspiring for that balance they know that long after they
have left the room, their impact is felt in the genuine
commitment of people around them to achieve what they on
their own, could not.
----------------------------------------------------
Leanne Faraday-Brash MMgmt BA Hons(Melb) MAPsS,is an
Organisational Psychologist, executive coach, speaker and
facilitator with two decades of experience in
organisational capability, culture,workplace justice,
conflict resolution and leadership. Leanne is Principal of
Brash Consulting and co-founder of the Workplace Justice
Consortium. To find out how to achieve better persuasive
outcomes with less effort,go to
http://www.brashconsulting.com.au
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