Are You Leading With Influence or Manipulation?

There’s no shortage of advice on how to be a persuasive leader, but there’s a fine line between influencing someone and manipulating them. Your goal is to be a leader who influences your team to do their best, not one who manipulates them into doing what you want.

You don’t want obedience, you want engagement.

Manipulation, coercion, and demands are popular tactics because they often work in the short term, but they will never bring out the best in your team in the long run. Ultimately, these methods will undermine your workplace culture and break down any trust you’ve built. Instead, use a respectable, sustainable approach that influences your team to do what’s needed.

The difference between manipulation and influence can be summed up in one word: intent. Are you looking to get something from people, or for them?

Manipulation: Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Losses 
Manipulation involves persuading someone to do something that benefits you, often at the expense of the other person. Eventually, people see through manipulative tactics and stop engaging at work because they no longer trust you to do what’s in their best interest.

Influence: Building Trust and Engagement 
Influence, on the other hand, is about inspiring others to act based on mutual understanding, shared values, and common goals. It focuses on the well-being of everyone involved, which builds trust and loyalty. Influence, unlike manipulation, encourages people to engage with the work and act.

Become an Influential Leader 
Moving beyond manipulation requires a shift in mindset from getting something from people to doing something for them. When you’re an effective leader, you focus on creating an environment where people choose to give their best because they feel valued, trusted, and capable.

Creating positive influence not only drives your own success, but it also becomes the legacy you leave behind. Whatever your industry, title, or goals, you can increase your impact by learning the principles of influence. When applied, they will redefine and strengthen your personal relationships and your reputation.

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How to Lead with Influence, Not Manipulation