How to Influence Others at Work: When to Push or Pull

Why Being Right Is Not Always Enough

You have analysed the problem. Your recommendation is supported by data. You have considered the operational implications and prepared a convincing argument. Yet the person you are trying to influence remains unconvinced. Does this mean your argument is weak? Not necessarily.

Consider two situations. A senior leader wants to understand the business implications of a proposal before approving it. A colleague from another function wants to know whether their operational concerns have been considered.

Presenting the same argument to both may not produce the same response.

The challenge is not always what you communicate. Sometimes, it is how you choose to influence.

Learning how to influence others at work therefore requires more than persuasive communication. It requires recognising the needs of different stakeholders and selecting an approach that fits the circumstances.

For managers working across functions, where cooperation often matters more than reporting authority, this distinction is particularly important.

What Does It Mean to Influence Others at Work?

Workplace influence is the ability to shape another person's thinking, decisions or actions without necessarily having formal authority over them. It may involve gaining support for an initiative, encouraging collaboration, securing commitment to a decision or helping stakeholders understand the value of a proposed change.

Unlike negotiation, which involves reaching agreement through discussion and trade-offs, influence is primarily concerned with gaining understanding, support and commitment. In cross-functional organisations, managers regularly depend on people who do not report to them. A merchandising manager may need cooperation from supply chain teams. A store operations leader may need support from Finance. A project leader may need several functions to commit to a common outcome.

The ability to influence these stakeholders depends on more than positional power. Credibility, an understanding of motivations, clear communication, empathy and mutual benefit all contribute to effective influence.

But these foundations still leave managers with an important choice: how should they approach the person whose support they need?

The Five Influencing Approaches

There are five influencing approaches managers can draw upon:

1. Directing: Establishing clear instructions or expectations.
2. Legitimising: Using established authority, policies, rules or precedents.
3. Logical Persuasion: Presenting evidence, facts and rational arguments.
4. Inspirational Appeal: Connecting an idea to shared goals, values or purpose.
5. Consultation and Collaboration: Involving others in shaping decisions and solutions.

These approaches range from more directive, or push, methods to more participative, or pull, methods. The important distinction is that they are not competing approaches from which a manager must select one permanent favourite.

Each has a purpose. A manager who relies heavily on logical persuasion may be comfortable presenting evidence but less effective at encouraging participation. Another who prefers consultation may build strong relationships but hesitate when circumstances require clear direction.

Neither tendency is automatically right or wrong. Effective influence involves knowing when a familiar approach is useful and when the situation calls for something different.

Five Workplace Situations That Require Different Approaches

The following situations demonstrate how the influencing approaches can be combined to address different organisational needs.

1. When Urgency Demands Action: Directing + Logical Persuasion

Imagine an operational disruption that requires immediate coordination between teams. In such situations, lengthy consultation may delay a necessary decision. People need to understand what must happen, who is responsible and why the action matters.

Directing provides clarity. Logical persuasion explains the rationale. For example, an operations manager may establish revised delivery priorities while explaining their implications for store availability and customer commitments.

The lesson is not that urgent situations justify ignoring other perspectives. It is that clarity and timely action become especially important when delays have consequences.

2. When Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Logical Persuasion + Inspirational Appeal

Senior stakeholders often need to evaluate proposals against broader organisational priorities. Presenting detailed information without connecting it to the larger business objective can make an otherwise sound proposal less compelling.

Logical persuasion helps establish credibility through evidence and reasoning. Inspirational appeal connects that reasoning to a shared goal. For example, a proposal to improve a customer-facing process may be supported by operational evidence while highlighting its contribution to the organisation's service aspirations.

The combination answers two different questions: Does this proposal make business sense? And why should it matter to us?

3. When Working Across Functions: Consultation + Logical Persuasion

Cross-functional colleagues frequently work towards overlapping organisational goals while managing different responsibilities. A proposed change that benefits one function may create additional work, costs or risks for another.

Simply explaining why the change is necessary may not be enough. Consultation allows stakeholders to contribute their perspectives. Logical persuasion helps evaluate the available options against business requirements.

Consider a change in launch timelines involving merchandising and supply chain teams.

Rather than presenting a completed plan for acceptance, the manager can invite operational input and use the resulting discussion to assess feasible alternatives.

This approach helps move the conversation from defending functional positions towards finding workable solutions.

4. When Stakeholders Are Resistant: Consultation + Inspirational Appeal

Resistance does not always mean that someone disagrees with the intended outcome. They may be concerned about additional responsibilities, uncertainty, changing priorities or the consequences of implementation.

Responding with greater insistence can reinforce that resistance. Consultation creates space to understand concerns and involve the stakeholder in considering solutions. Inspirational appeal helps reconnect the conversation to a shared purpose.

For instance, when introducing a revised working process, a manager can explore practical concerns while explaining how the change supports a common organisational objective. The aim is not to dismiss resistance, but to understand what sits behind it.

5. When Leading Change: Inspirational Appeal + Consultation

Change initiatives require more than announcing a new direction. People need to understand why the change matters and how they can contribute to making it work. Inspirational appeal establishes the shared purpose. Consultation gives stakeholders opportunities to participate in shaping implementation.

Consider an initiative to improve coordination across business functions. A compelling explanation of the desired outcome may generate initial interest. Involving affected teams in identifying practical changes can help build ownership.

The two approaches serve complementary purposes: one creates a reason to engage, while the other creates opportunities for meaningful participation.

Push vs Pull: Knowing When to Change Your Approach

The distinction between push and pull influencing is useful because it helps managers examine their own habits.

• Push approaches rely on direction, authority, facts or structured arguments. They are particularly useful when clarity, urgency or established requirements matter.
• Pull approaches rely on engaging, involving, listening and appealing to shared purpose. They can be more suitable when commitment, collaboration and long-term change are important.

Neither approach is inherently superior.

A manager who uses consultation for every decision may struggle to provide decisive direction in a crisis. Equally, a manager who always directs others may secure immediate compliance without developing lasting commitment.

The better question is not whether push or pull is best. It is: What does this particular situation require? Combinations can be more effective than relying on one influencing method in isolation. Managers should remain attentive to the way stakeholders respond. If a conversation becomes overly dependent on instructions, more participation may help. If a discussion lacks clarity, stronger direction or evidence may be necessary.

The ability to adjust the approach is part of the skill.

What This Changes for Managers

Influence becomes more effective when managers stop treating communication as a one-way exercise in presenting their case. Before an important influencing conversation, consider three questions:

• What outcome am I trying to achieve?
  Am I seeking immediate action, agreement on a direction, participation in solving a problem or commitment to change?
• What matters most to the other person?
  What goals, pressures, risks or responsibilities might shape their response?
• Which influencing approach fits the situation?
  Would clarity and evidence be most useful? Or would listening, consultation and shared purpose create a better basis for commitment?

These questions encourage managers to examine the needs of the situation rather than default to their preferred communication style. They also shift attention away from simply winning an argument. The goal is to create the conditions in which another person can understand, support and act on an idea.

For organisations developing managers, this is an important capability. Effective stakeholder management requires people to exercise judgement across different relationships, priorities and business situations.

Ultimately, influence is not about having the strongest argument in every conversation. It is about knowing which approach will help move the conversation towards a productive outcome.

FAQs

1. What are the five ways to influence others at work? The five approaches are directing, legitimising, logical persuasion, inspirational appeal, and consultation and collaboration. They use different combinations of direction, authority, evidence, shared purpose and participation. Their effectiveness depends on the stakeholder, the situation and the desired outcome.
2. What is the difference between push and pull influencing styles? Push influencing uses direction, authority or logical arguments to guide decisions and actions. Pull influencing engages people through listening, collaboration and shared purpose. Push can be useful for urgency and clarity, while pull is often valuable for building commitment and cooperation.
3. How can managers influence others without formal authority? Managers can build influence by establishing credibility, understanding stakeholder motivations, communicating clearly, listening with empathy and identifying mutual benefits. The appropriate influencing approach should be selected according to the needs of the situation.
4. Which influencing approach works best with resistant stakeholders? Consultation combined with inspirational appeal can be particularly useful. Consultation helps uncover concerns and involve stakeholders in finding solutions, while inspirational appeal connects the discussion to shared goals. The approach should still reflect the nature and source of the resistance.
5. Is logical persuasion always the most effective influencing technique? No. Facts and reasoning are valuable, particularly in analytical or structured environments. However, evidence alone may not address concerns about implementation, relationships or personal priorities. Consultation or inspirational appeal may be needed alongside logical persuasion.
6. Can managers combine different influencing approaches? Yes. Managers can combine approaches according to the situation. For example, logical persuasion and consultation can support cross-functional collaboration, while directing and logical persuasion can help during urgent operational decisions.