BMA eBook - Manual / Resource - Page 93
Feser / When Execution Isn’t Enough / 5
COALITION
Coalition is similar to legitimating; however, its standing doesn’t come from
references to any form of authority. Leaders using this approach enlist other people’s help
and use their support as a way to get the people they lead to do something.9 The use of
coalition tactics often indicates that leaders are getting others to help them extend
influence or reach goals they could not accomplish on their own.
Coalition tactics include creating a network of supporters to extend the leader’s power
base, building consensus, defining a group position, or creating an “us-versus-them”
situation. Leaders who cite the names of their supporters when they make a request are
also using this tactic.
Typical statements by a leader using coalition tactics are:
“Jack and I both think that. . . .”
“Everyone on the finance team says. . . .”
“As a team, we have decided that. . . .”
“Everybody thinks it is a good idea to. . . .”
The Soft Tactics
There are six soft approaches to influencing others: rational persuasion, socializing,
exchanging, personal appeals, consultation, and inspirational appeals. On a rising scale,
they increasingly focus on the people being influenced as the source of energy for
carrying out the actions requested.
RATIONAL PERSUASION
Rational persuasion is a simple tactic. It combines the request of the pressure
approach with logical arguments supporting the request.
With the rational persuasion tactic, leaders use logical arguments and factual evidence
to show that a request is feasible and relevant to reaching important objectives.10 Rational
persuasion uses logic, rationale, or evidence to explain or justify a position, and to show
that the leader’s perspective is the most logical alternative.
