The document discusses effective influence behaviors leaders use to build commitment among team members with competing priorities, emphasizing the role of gender and culture in influence styles. Key tactics include reasoning, inspiring, consulting, and collaborating, with specific recommendations for leveraging these behaviors across diverse cultural contexts. It also highlights differences in how men and women utilize these tactics, particularly in their interactions with bosses and colleagues.

1. Influencing In a Team: How to Get a
Roomful of Leaders to Get Things
Done
Presented by: Rick Lepsinger, President

2. 2
Objectives
 Learn four influence behaviors effective leaders use to
build commitment among people who have competing
priorities or conflicting goals
 Learn the role gender plays in determining influence
style and approach

3. 3
Objectives
 Understand which influence behaviors are most
effective when working across cultures
 Understand how to build the foundation to
effectively use influence to gain buy-in to your
ideas and proposals

4. 4
What is Influencing?
Getting people to change their behavior, opinion,
attitude or accept your point of view in a way that
meets their needs and without coercion or a feeling
of being directed.

5. 5
Cross Cultural Study
Twelve Countries Were Involved in the Study
• China
• France
• Hong Kong
• India
• Japan
• Mexico
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• United States

6. Reasoning
• Using logical arguments and
factual evidence
• Most frequently used and seen as
most effective across 12 cultures
• Used to the same extent by men
and women
Kennedy, Ping Fu, and Yukl. Influence Tactics Across Cultures. Advances in Global Leadership 2003 vol. 3, pgs. 127-147 Lepsinger and
Forgie. Using Influence to Gain Commitment: Are Male and Female Leaders That Different. 2010 unpublished study
Most Effective Influence Tactics
6
Most Effective Influence Tactics

7. Reasoning
• Explaining why a requested task
is necessary
• Explaining why a proposed
change or project will be cost
effective
• Providing evidence that a
proposed activity will be
successful
7
Behavior Examples

8. Is most effective when…
• Goals or task objectives are
aligned
• You are recognized as a
credible resource (i.e., track
record of success, considered
an expert)
8
Reasoning

9. Inspiring
• Appealing to a person’s values and
ideals
• Did not make the top 5 across
cultures
• Used significantly more by women
9
Most Effective Influence Tactics

10. Inspiring
• Describing a clear, inspiring
vision
• Making an inspiring presentation
to arouse enthusiasm for a
proposed activity or change
10
Behavior Examples

11. Is most effective when…
• You know the person’s values and what motivates them
• You have a positive personal relationship and high levels
of trust
11
Inspiring

12. Consulting
• Collecting the person’s input and
suggestions
• Seen as effective across 12 cultures
(top 5)
• Used significantly more by women
12
Most Effective Influence Tactics

13. Consulting
• Asking for ideas to improve a
preliminary plan or proposal
• Encouraging the person to
express any concerns about a
proposed change or new
initiative
13
Behavior Examples

14. Is most effective when…
• The person has information you do
not
• The person’s cooperation is needed
for implementation
• You are willing and have the
authority to make changes
14
Consulting

15. Collaborating
• Reducing the difficulty of complying by offering to provide
relevant resources or assistance
15
Most Effective Influence Tactics
• Seen as effective across 12 cultures
(top 5)
• Used to the same extent by men and
women

16. Collaborating
• Offering to help a person do the task
• Offering to provide resources needed to do the task
16
Behavior Examples

17. Is most effective when…
• You can provide additional resources to help the person
• You can reduce the difficulty or cost of complying without
creating a new problem
17
Collaborating

18. Two influence behaviors are used
to the same extent by both men
and women
 Reasoning
 Collaborating
18
Similarities Between Men and Women

19. Men and women recognize that
Inspiring is generally less
effective with bosses than it is
with colleagues and direct
reports
19
Differences - Inspiring

20. Women, however, better
leverage this tactic with
their colleagues and direct
reports, and men may not
be taking full advantage of
this tactic
20
Difference - Inspiring

21. Both men and women often
rely on Consulting when
influencing colleagues; however,
men may be missing
opportunities to use this tactic
with their direct reports
21
Differences - Consulting

22. While women use Consulting
effectively with direct reports, they
may be at risk of overusing this tactic
with their bosses
22
Differences - Consulting

23. • Lay the foundation for the effective use of the tactics
well in advance
 Demonstrate your credibility and track record
 Identify shared goals or common ground
 Build positive work relationships and trust
 Get to know the needs and values of the people you
depend on to get things done
23
Tips for Effectively Influencing

24. • Influence people from their point of view, not your
own
• Do not overly rely on Reasoning
• Translate “facts” and “features” into benefits
• Increase the use of paraphrasing, empathizing and
questions
24
Tips for Effectively Influencing

25. Thank you!
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