Influence Tactics Used for Different Objectives with Subordinates, Peers, and Superiors

Only a few studies have examined the relationship between influence tactics and objectives, and the results were inconsistent. The present study employed two different research methods to determine how often people use nine influence tactics to attain five influence objectives with subordinates, peers, and superiors. One method was a survey on which managers reported their use of each tactic for each type of objective. The other method was a content analysis of incidents in which influence attempts in a variety of organizations were described from the perspective of the agent or target. The results showed that managers seek different things from subordinates, peers, and superiors. A different pattern of influence tactics was used for each type of influence objective, and the pattern varied by direction. Implications for managers were discussed.

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