Leadership - Influence
Influence
Lead not follow
True leadership is characterised by people wanting to follow. If you have no followers you are not a leader.
If you are trying to achieve a particular task and it requires the input of others you can only get them to do what you want with influence.
It is perhaps thought that a weak leader has no influence. In fact, everyone will influence many people every day of their lives and in turn will be influenced by many others.
The leader is marked out as a person who can influence the necessary people to attain a particular goal.
He or she is the person in the crowd that everyone turns to for advice and listens to when they speak.
A good leader can leave a lasting impression on an individual.
Misconceptions
We are used to thinking that people in particular situations are leaders.
This may be the case but not always.
Position or title
It is natural to believe that a person in a particular position or has been conferred with a title is there due to leadership qualities.
Many inherited titles e.g. Lord or Prince may have associated power but the individual concerned may not have leadership abilities.
The position itself may have great influence irrespective of the person attached to it.
Some people see leadership as the ability to reach a particular position. It is not.
Management
Most people would believe that managers are leaders that is not the case. Some will be, but, just being a manager does not make you a leader. Management is about the implementation of a plan containing processes and systems together with their control.
Leadership is about influencing people to achieve your aims and objectives.
If you have a vision that requires a modification of a plan or a change in direction you will need to influence people to move them from their present path.
In this respect there is an analogy to Newton's first law which states that:
‘If a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by a force’
This postulate is known also as the law of inertia.
People often will not move or change their direction unless acted upon by an external force which in leadership terms is ‘influence’.
Knowledge
We have all heard of the phrase ‘knowledge is power’. Certainly, knowledge will aid the decision making process but it alone cannot influence people.
There are plenty of very intelligent and knowledgeable people that are very poor in the leadership stakes.
First
Just because a person is first to invent or take advantage of a particular technology or idea does not make him a leader.
Just because Roger Bannister was the first person to run a mile in under 4 minutes did not make him a leader. Certainly he would have had great determination but not necessarily leadership skills.
When Edmund Hillary first conquered Everest the leader of the expedition was John Hunt.
It is not unusual for great inventors to have little leadership skills to fulfil the commercial potential of the invention.
Influence v persuade
Influence
An effect of one person or thing on another (long term)
Persuade
To induce, urge or prevail upon successfully (short term)
In general, influence remains over a longer period of time. If you have influence you will be followed in what area you choose to go.
Persuasion is often a repetitive requirement for short term gains, for example, a salesman may persuade you to purchase on one occasion which will need repeating for another product.
Incentive
Even leaders are themselves lead. Although leadership is marked by influencing skills other factors clearly play a part.
For most people money will motivate them to work hard. Perks will motivate short term. The threat of punishment may well influence behaviour in the armed forces etc.
Everyone is lead in some manner or other, for example, in fashion. Most people wear clothes without being leaders in fashion.
So, true leadership skills often show themselves where natural incentives are not present.
This could present itself in an emergency situation, although, self preservation may play a part. If however, you arrive at the scene of an accident leadership skills are often invaluable in reducing panic and injury and potentially saving lives.
In a situation where people have no real incentive to cooperate leadership skills are invaluable.
Such a situation might occur in voluntary organisations where none of the members have any incentive to perform.
Hence, performance in this environment can sort out those with leadership ability.
Situation
The position of leader may not be yours by right.
Being the leader may well depend upon the situation you find yourself in.
If you were a captain of an aircraft you would naturally assume leadership whilst the aeroplane was in the air.
If you crash landed on to an island the situation suddenly becomes very different.
In this situation you may not be the leader.
Individuals with particular skills may take up leadership where their skills are required.
For example, an engineer if you were building a system for water transport.
Perhaps a farmer if you were trying to grow your own food etc.
This approach may cause a degree of fragmentation of the overall management of the situation.
Hence, it may still be useful to have an overall leader with delegation going to those expert in particular fields.
The requirements for a leader may vary depending on the situation.
One common aspect is experience and knowledge in the area concerned.
It would seem inconceivable that the captain of a ship would have little nautical knowledge.
In these sort of situations people readily follow those that appear to have more knowledge than themselves.
This may be less relevant as leadership becomes more strategic.