The most common tactics I use when dealing with my boss are consultation and rational persuasion. In my opinion, their use when communicating with superiors is understandable. Consulting allows me to learn new things and perform tasks in a way that meets the manager’s expectations. Rational persuasion helps in situations where our points of view differ. I try to work without emotion and use logical arguments in these cases. This allows me to find a common language with my boss and come to common solutions to tasks and problems.
When dealing with coworkers, I also use these two influence tactics the most. In these cases, rational persuasion allows me to gain an ally in a colleague. This way, we come to a common vision of the task we are working on, and we can complete it more efficiently. In terms of consultation, I lack competence in some matters. That way, my team members can always help me fill in the knowledge gaps. I use the same tactics most often when communicating with people who report to me. This allows me to learn more about the tasks that I delegate to them and direct their work in the right way.
My least used tactic is ingratiating myself with all types of people in the workplace. This is understandable: in my opinion, it puts me in a disadvantageous position. People understand that I flatter them and try to seem better than I really am. First, it causes distrust, and second, it allows them to use me for their purposes, which may not correlate with mine (Luthans et al., 2015). For this reason, I try to avoid any form of ingratiating. I also rarely use the exchange as a tactic of influence. Undoubtedly, it can be useful at times, but I believe that work tasks should be completed regardless of non-traditional types of remuneration. The most crucial factor is the level of wages, and the exchange of other services or something else is not always right.
Rational persuasion, in my opinion, is one of the most effective influence tactics. In the workplace, people try to avoid deep emotions, so strong arguments are essential. Using them competently, I can achieve almost any goal and move up the career ladder. Consultation is a way to exchange useful information and gain the necessary knowledge. This is also necessary for any work, as it allows people to show their professionalism and their importance to others.
I think it would be useful for me to work on coalition tactics. This is one of the helpful and effective ways to bring people together. This influence allows the creation of groups united by a common goal. Thus, they begin to cooperate more closely with each other and strive for a particular achievement. This makes working tasks implementation faster and more productive. Therefore, as a manager, I need to have the skill of building such coalitions and working with groups. At the same time, I should work on personal appeals. According to Sauter et al. (1999), “differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping style are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress” (p. 7). Thus, a unique approach to each employee is as important as bringing them together. This allows people to feel important and better understand their strengths.
References
Luthans, F., Luthans, B. C., & Luthans, K. W. (2015). Organizational behavior: An evidencebased approach, 13th ed. IAP.
Sauter, S., et al. (1999). Stress… at work. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.