Gillian Ku & Daniel Effron 1
Managing Organisational Behaviour
Influencing and Persuading
1. As with the decision-making biases, understanding influence
tactics allows you to lead others while simultaneously ensuring
that you are not being adversely influenced by others. The use of
influence tactics also helps to resolve the leadership dilemma of
creating commitment since the very idea of influence is to create
buy-in rather than mere compliance.
2. Although we often believe that the logic and strength of our
arguments should persuade
others, how we go about influencing others may be just as
important. When individuals motivational and cognitive capacities
are limited, the influence tactics below may be more influential
than the content of our message.
Interpersonal Influence Tactics The way in which you interact
with others can influence whether they will follow you. In
particular, consider the following principles 1. Reciprocity
a. Description: We try to repay in kind what another person has
provided us b. Examples/Use: Do favors for others, give others
small gifts/monetary incentives,
leave room in negotiations to make concessions c. Defuse:
Politely reject gift, understand givers motivations, establish
organizational limits
2. Commitment and consistency a. Once we make a choice or take a
stand, we will encounter personal and
interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that
commitment; commitments are most effective when they are uncoerced,
public, and effortful
b. Examples/Use: Escalation of commitment, foot in the door
technique, petitions, bumper stickers
c. Defuse: Have a neutral third party check your decisions,
avoid commitments (particularly public ones) unless you are
sure
3. Social proof
a. The greater the number of people who find any idea correct,
the more we will perceive the idea to be correct; we are
particularly likely to rely on social proof when the situation is
uncertain and the other actors are similar to us
b. Examples/Use: Laugh tracks, M&A deals, bystander
intervention (or lack thereof) c. Defuse: Understand your
motivations for doing something, rely on data rather
than others actions
4. Liking a. We prefer to say yes to the requests of people we
know and like; we tend to like
those who are physically attractive, similar to us, compliment
us, and are associated with positive things
Gillian Ku & Daniel Effron 2
b. Examples/Use: Give complements, highlight even trivial
similarities c. Defuse: Make sure youd say yes if the request were
made by someone else
5. Authority
a. We tend to defer to (obey) authorities in a mindless fashion,
even when those individuals only have the trappings of authority
(e.g., uniforms, big titles)
b. Examples/Use: Milgrams shock experiments, dress and behave
professionally c. Defuse: Make sure youd say yes if the request
were made by someone else, do
not be intimidated by the appearance of authority
6. Scarcity a. We tend to assign more value to opportunities
when they are less available,
particularly when they are newly unavailable and regardless of
whether the scarcity is driven by low quantity or a short
duration
b. Examples/Use: Playing hard to get, limited time/quantity
offers, auction fever c. Defuse: Understand your motivations for
wanting something, beware an
adrenaline rush
Procedural Influence Tactics The way in which a decision is made
can have a big impact on the outcome. By changing the procedures by
which groups operate and decisions are made, you can greatly
influence individuals and decisions, often without their awareness.
In particular, consider: 1. What is on the agenda? 2. Who is at the
meeting? 3. Pre-meeting discussion 4. Who sits where? 5. Who speaks
when? 6. Timing of vote 7. Voting format 8. Decision rule 9.
Tracking information 10. Timing of breaks
Other Influence Tactics 1. Consider how decision-making biases
(framing, availability, anchoring and insufficient
adjustment, and representativeness) can be used to influence
others. 2. Consider how to make your message more sticky (Simple,
Unexpected, Concrete,
Credible, Emotional, and (part of a coherent) Story).
Interesting Readings on the Topic Cialdini, R. B. (2008).
Influence: Science and Practice (5th ed.). Needham Heights, MA:
Allyn & Bacon. Pratkins, A. & Aronson, E. (2001). Age of
Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of
Persuasion. New York, NY: Holt Paperbacks.
