Chapter Summaries

  • Designing relationships involves the mindful application of influence, power, and motivation. These three constructs comprise a reality of leadership activity that requires careful, ethical consideration to ensure just, equitable, sustainable, and ethical application.
  • At a minimum, leaders can capitalize on the natural motivation of followers by defining the goal, clarifying an effective path, removing obstacles, and providing support. Awareness of the appropriate behavioral style is also key.
  • Influence can come in many forms, and there are key differences between influence, authority, and manipulation. There are also many influence tactics leaders can use to design relationships and effectively mobilize others to action.
  • The roles and sources of power can drive influence tactics and often dictate the initial form of a relationship. Effective and ethical leaders should recognize these sources and their appropriate use.
  • Finally, leaders can design a culture that fosters motivation through a number of conditions and behaviors. Some of those characteristics enhance intrinsic motivation, while others rely on extrinsic motivators. This chapter provides many tools of influence, all of which can be employed to design relationships and ultimately influence others toward a common goal.