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Influence Processes a Leadership Analysis Essays

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William Scott
Influence Processes: A Leadership Analysis
Leadership & Ethics for Managers
June 1, 2008 Abstract
A leader’s ability to influence and motivate followers is a crucial skill that effective leaders must possess. This is why organizations allow leaders to control many of the operational functions of the organization. By controlling several key operational components, the leader is able to direct and institute change throughout the organization. The purpose of this paper is to analyze leader influence models and present the practical implications of their use. Influence Processes: A Leadership Analysis
Introduction
In order to be an effective leader, a leader must be able to influence followers to comply and …show more content…

By having control over the organizations reward system, the leader can mold the organization into one that conforms and promotes their organizational vision. Used correctly, this form of leadership influence can effectively change an organization over time by rewarding those who buy into and promote the leaders style of leadership.
Promoting and Selecting Leaders: In addition to the above influence factors, leaders also are empowered to select and promote the leadership within the organization (Nahavandi, 2006). This provides them with a powerful tool to influence and effectively create an organizational following of their values and vision. By selecting leaders who mirror their values and leadership style, the leader is able to create a loyal and like minded leadership staff. While this may be an effective influence tool, the leader risks alienating key personnel and breeding doubts about their ability to lead if they utilize this form of influence in an unethical manner.
Modeling Behaviors:
Finally, leaders can also use their influence to model the behavior of their subordinates (Nahavandi, 2006). They achieve this by providing guidance and advise to their followers and by inviting others to participate in organizational team building activities. When leaders actively promote and encourage their followers to follow their examples they are effectively molding the future behaviors of their

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