If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.
– Benjamin Franklin
The capacity to persuade is the power of influence, not the power of position.
The Transformational Leader leads by influence, not by power. The musical conductor steps on the podium and reigns as king. Nevertheless, the musicians respond to influence in a more profound way than to the authority of a dictator.
In today’s culture, individuals seek personal satisfaction in their work and are motivated by different factors than in eras past. The factory worker driven by fear, and the laborer driven by need for work, did what was required by an authoritative boss to keep their jobs and performed up to minimum requirements to retain their income.
The Charismatic Leader rules by autocratic authority when followers give up their power to the leader. There’s no reason to think, make meaningful decisions, or to be creative in problem solving when everything to be done is articulated by the leader. It’s ultimately a bottleneck in the system when there is a dependence on authority in a low-functioning culture, similar to group think in which individuals are not thinking for themselves and follow the party line.
Both types of leaders are persuasive. The ultimate results vary widely.
Leadership is influence, good or bad, marginal or optimal, oppressive or liberating.
Being a person of influence is the ultimate definition of leadership.
The choice to persuade is a leadership choice. It’s a choice of integrity. It’s a choice that ultimately impacts the bottom line.
How do you measure effectiveness in the enterprise you lead? How will you use persuasiveness for a higher purpose?
Making good choices is the leader’s duty and delight.
Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist TM
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