LEAD BY PERSUASION

We tend to think that power used to achieve business success is a
negative, sort of a Machiavellian concept. We avoid talking about it.

Actually power can be used to either good or bad effect. The sources
of power have not changed, only how we use it. They fall into two
basic categories--positional and personal.

Positional power is derived from factors such as formal authority, as
defined by your position, and the relevance of your position to the
organization's objectives. Is your position control in the key
networks? Are you the first or last to hear about a problem? Is your
position autonomous or do you have to check with others before making
a decision? How visible is your position? The more often you are
formally consulted, the more likely your position is visible.

Personal power is derived from factors such as your technical and
managerial expertise, your accomplishments (especially the most
recent), the effort you have expended, and your interpersonal skills.

Traditional leaders used command and control techniques undergirded by
their positional power. They asserted these techniques to urge workers
to accept and work towards the organization's goals. "It's my way or
the highway," was all too common. A command and control approach not
only slows down reaction time, it does not use valuable inputs from
workers, and it increases costs without adding value.

The new era. Competition is forcing firms to respond faster with lower
costs and higher quality and as a result, change the way they use
power. In addition, employees no longer respond readily to the old
command and control approach. Better educated and more highly skilled
employees, often in scarce supply, frequently prefer the role of
professional free agent rather than that of a cog in a large machine.

Leadership is shifting dramatically. Personal power leadership models
are replacing the tradition of positional power. These new personal
power models emphasize interpersonal skills, particularly the ability
to persuade language persuasively.

Four reasons contribute to this shift. First, cross-functional teams
generating information and decisions. They are fast, effective and
operate as a group of peers. No single person has all the answers; to
be effective in this setting, the outcome must be determined through a
process of persuasions and not by edict.

Secondly, with each succeeding generation, the notion of obedience is
being replaced by an urge for independent thinking, which is the
antithesis of command and control. Independent thinking is central to
the process of persuasion.

Third, the percentage of college graduates has more than doubled since
1960. These people respond better to persuasion than to edict. Fourth,
the computer revolution has erorred the old command and control
system. Computers give knowledge workers necessary information when
they need it, so that data no longer travels up through the
organization's traditional hierarchy before it is used.

Effective leadership can only be accomplished through persuasion, not
through formal orders and edicts. People no longer ask, "What should I
do?" Now they ask, "Why should I do it?" Answering this question
effectively requires persuasion skills.

According to one CEO, "you have to give workers a reason to help
you...Only then will they knock down doors."

Ask the Manager

Q Would you discuss the role of persuader in a little more detail?

A Most importantly, we must realize that persuasion is neither a form
of manipulation, devious or something to avoid.

Persuasion can be a very effective learning and decision-making
process through which the persuader leads others to a shared solution.
The persuader assures that a particular idea, or decision, is explored
from every reasonable perspective, while simultaneously achieving
buy-in and support for the decision among all those with appropriate
knowledge. A persuader needs good presentation and listening skills,
as well as expertise and the ability to engender mutual trust.

It is crucial for the persuader to understand what the participants
expect to discuss, as well as their concerns and their feelings about
the issue at hand. Persuaders must never initially assume that the
participants understand the advantage, necessity, or the urgency of
any given proposal.

Persuasion often requires that people, including the persuader, change
their position or perspective after full use of the organization's
knowledge.

In the new network organization where everyone is an associate and
team player, different players will assume the role of persuader.
Depending on the situation, the persuader may be a functional or a
project manager. In fact, anyone who has an idea that he/she believes
would help the firm meet its goals or solve a problem can be a
persuader.

Q How do data information, knowledge, and wisdom relate?

A In most contexts, data includes the basic facts (e.g., measurements
and statistics). Information is developed through analysis and
consideration of the data. Knowledge is developed through the use and
application of information, and the process of learning.

~~~~~~~~

By Ted Gautschi, Consultant, Wellesley Hills, MA
_________________

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Source: Design News, 10/4/99, Vol. 54 Issue 19, p218, 1p.
Item Number: 2409721

Title: Lead by persuasion.
Subject(s): POWER (Philosophy); LEADERSHIP
Source: Design News, 10/4/99, Vol. 54 Issue 19, p218, 1p
Author(s): Gautschi, Ted
Abstract: Discusses the use of power in achieving business success.
Basic categories of power; Emphasis of personal power models on
interpersonal skills; Causes of leadership shift. INSET: Ask the
Manager.
AN: 2409721
ISSN: 0011-9407
Full Text Word Count: 816
Database: Academic Search Premier

Section: managing design

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