Influencing is a fundamental part of leadership and it relates to the way individuals affect the purposes, opinions, and behaviors of people around them.
Explained, an army leader is an individual who, by their given position or designated duty, motivates and guides others by providing direction and confidence to others in order to succeed in a particular mission. In the army, leaders influence individuals both inside and outside of their authority, as the main goal is to motivate people around them to take appropriate steps or transform their thinking.
Further explained, regardless of rank, all members of the army can be a party to situations where one needs to guide and inspire others. A positive rapport and an understanding of shared support are more likely to positively influence subordinates, as they are more willing to cooperate with a trusted leader. It includes the necessity to be interested in others’ emotional and physical state, approves of an exceptional job, and comprehend a subordinate’s view on a problem.
Lastly, leaders can also influence others indirectly by serving as a proper example to people around them. This is possible through manifesting sincerity, compassion, experience, expertise, and dedication. Army leaders also apply different direct influence techniques based on their audience, purpose, and circumstances. Some of the methods a leader can use to influence include pressure, cooperation, and appeal to loyalty.
Some examples of the application of influence are when a leader is assigned a duty, a role, or is an unofficial leader within a unit. Moreover, the essence of a mission defines which influence techniques or which combination of approaches is the most suitable. Thus, when the circumstances are critical and higher levels of risk are linked to the mission, evoking members’ compliance through direct means is more beneficial. On the contrary, organizational leaders usually apply techniques that evoke loyalty from their junior leaders.