Throughout the selected courses of Immaculata’s Strategic Leadership program, students learned the significance of influence as a practice in various fields and how the positive effects of purposeful communication calibrate an effective leader. This comprehensive research proposal will inquire the ways in which visual semiotics impact leadership dynamics and how power structures infiltrate modern storytelling. Focusing on key visual elements such as design, symbols, and narrative imagery, my thesis seeks to understand how visual cues may influence a player’s perception of power and the applicable sources leaders can leverage from these discourses. Leading is the practice and study of power and influence, which ultimately occurs through the depiction of stories and various pictorials.

By integrating theories from Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s analysis of corporate power structures, Robert B. Cialdini’s principles of persuasion, and Steven Lukes dimensions of power, this proposal investigates the ways contemporary storytelling modalities communicate complex leader/follower relationships and evaluate how these concepts can be used to maximize potential in our organizations. The prospective research paper examines the magnitude of visual storytelling elements that contribute to the portrayal and perception of leadership roles, influence, and power dynamics, along with a content analysis of symbol usage in business proposals.

My research proposal surveys the ideas of various ideologies regarding how influence comes into fruition in visual contexts and interfaces. The three pieces of literature I will be analyzing are Men and Women of the Corporation by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition, by Robert Cialdini, and Power: A Radical View, Second Edition, by Steven Lukes. This trio of selected texts offer a diverse perspective on the themes throughout this paper. These topics mirror the material and relative theories discussed throughout the Master of Strategic Leadership program at Immaculata University, such as the implications of social power dynamics, the ethical application of influence, and the role that pertinent stories play in organizational communications.

My research proposal imposes interest in understanding how and why individuals are influenced and which connected theories provide contextual evidence for scrutinizing the exercise of power. We live in a connected world full of composite opinions concerning a plethora of topics. The majority of these standpoints come in the form of summarized speculations – books, movies, recipes, TV shows, video games, music, and fashion. These personal interests help others decide whether to make a purchase, accept a proposal, read a paper, or incorporate particular research into their work (Siburt, Steffy, n.d). The theory of semiotics in visual leading cultivates a diverse interface of influence for many agencies, groups, and cultures.

After a thorough assessment of rhetorical practices and how power and influence are fostered, I am intrigued by the concept of connecting the research to modern media, specifically within action/adventure video games. My criteria would revolve around how influence is curated in multifaceted ways, and subsequently following with case studies displaying how these different types of influences are represented in visual contexts, such as video games and business proposals. Considering the leader/follower structure explored throughout the Master of Strategic Leadership program courses, the character/player dynamic supplements similar ideologies. By researching the indexicalities of these relationship models, we will be able to further deduce how humans perceive information and facilitate change within our cultures.

 Researching causations for the manifestation of power ties into several fields such as psychology, and the second primary component of the paper connects to theories of cultural studies, semiotics, and hermeneutics. Semiotics is the study of signs, and hermeneutics relates to the branch of knowledge pertaining to interpretation, typically within literary texts. The psychology of compliance is complex, yet essential to understanding how to run an organization ethically and successfully. If an officer’s job is to effectively lead a business and the people within an organization, potential contingencies can propagate and cause a company’s culture to become quite convoluted. Hence the reason I made the confident choice to select “The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini. The three selected books lay the groundwork for my research proposal by.

I currently work for a construction management firm as a Marketing Coordinator. Equivalently to many occupations, almost all responsibilities related to this position require an understanding and skill set of influence strategies. One of the main portions of my job is to maintain a polished reputation of our company to current and potential business partners. Creating and designing proposals is a large fraction of why our business partners select us as their general contractor – such documents communicate our credibility as construction managers.

Effectively leading a team means understanding the role you play in a follower/leader structure. Learning the structures of semiotics and hermeneutics has permitted me further comprehension of the value of signs and the significance humans place on imagery. Designing proposals under the influence of RFP requirements correlates to our firm’s bottom-line goal: winning a specific project bid. Successfully winning a bid is no easy task and involves connecting numerous branches of information throughout departments.

My position as a marketing professional entails obtaining the proper knowledge to identify our differentiators, what the client is looking for, and the capacity our company can provide to instill trust in our firm as AEC leaders. In order to dispel a company’s concerns, the use of language and visual material must be meticulously tailored to the client. While nothing is legally incumbent during this phase of preconstruction, our job as leaders in our area of expertise is to influence the potential client by strategically visualizing our qualifications.

Exploring this research topic has shaped me as a scholar and practitioner of strategic leadership by holistically analyzing various sectors of leadership. Leadership is a practice, job title, and skill. The term itself will be construed in different ways. Prior to joining the MSL program, I would have defined leadership as a manager or CEO. However, through my participation in my master’s coursework, I’ve discovered that leadership is beyond a job title or position. On the first day of class, leadership was described as “The strategic mitigation of conflict.”

The practice of proposal development, specifically pertaining to the study of interpretation, correlates to the field of leadership by dissecting several sectors of cultural resources and studies. I want to research how people are influenced, how the art of persuasion is propagated by cultural locations, and touch on semiotics as a tool for directing a message. Hermeneutics and semiotics were topics that particularly caught my attention throughout the duration of the MSL program because of the unique influential structure embedded in the process. Along with independent studies and surveys, including my own research by analyzing the success of our proposals through tracking specific KPIs.

The Master of Strategic Leadership program provided me with practical and technical skills to apply within the professional environment. Each course was tailored to a specific sector of leadership that was able to be immediately replicated in my organization. In class, I could learn a strategy to properly assess a conflict at work and bring that skillset to my team the next day. Working in my first leadership role while starting the program put me in an interesting position. While progressing through each course, it became inevitable that the collaborative and academic environment resulted in my leadership skills blossoming.

 Anyone can learn managerial skills with relevant job experience, but participating in these classes with professors and students who lead in various fields brought unique perspectives for me to navigate my leadership journey. These classes were not exclusively designed to help a person become exceptional in a role within a company, but rather how to understand what makes a great leader, internally and externally towards their organization. I slowly began to see the concepts and behaviors towards negotiation, consensus building, and the mitigation of conflict around me.

The signage and marketing materials at the bridal shop I worked at during the start of my program were fabricated in a way that benefits the customer, but additionally mitigates potential conflicts of misunderstood information. Selected fonts, colors, and imagery were utilized to communicate a sense of understanding within the customers interests. One can take this a step back and dissect the process of creating the graphics. It is a rare occasion for a project to be polished in one attempt. Supervisors and managers must approve the image to ensure the influential message is delivered to the reader properly. With designing comes research, multiple series of feedback, and finishing touches, in addition to being a messenger.

This process facilitates a multimodal ecosystem of influence. A relationship is built from the moment a required visual element is in need of manufacturing. These schemes influence and reflect an organization’s mission by sharing these values through symbols affiliated within the company culture. The research I am proposing aims to further the comprehension of how influence is a consistent cycle of signs being communicated in pursuit of advancing both an organizations and consumer’s goals.

Letters are symbols we’ve affiliated with various sounds to convey meaning. Text is not exclusively a line of words releasing a particular meaning, it is a multi-dimensional and arbitrary space (Siburt, n.d). Although these are effective when organized in ways to express qualifications for a business pitch, storytelling is conclusively one of the highest credible methods. Similarly to an organization containing fans of a story-driven game, the practice of storytelling allows the potential influenced group to amalgamate their own values and culture within written and oral communication.

The lectures and coursework defined the complexities of the leader/follower dynamic across multifarious cultures and organizational structures, while including instructions on how to build upon diversity as a means of cultivating strategies to improve work organizations. As we change occupations, the cultures, values, and missions change as well. The courses prepared students to navigate possible scenarios that come with being a leader and how to not only mitigate those discrepancies, but positively influence those around us by recognizing their team members skills and potential. Negotiating and building consensus are necessary life-long skills that acquire interpersonal skills and mindful intelligence.

 Each course in the program depicted examples of real-life scenarios of power, both dangerously availed power and types that positively affect others. The lectures and information from the MSL curriculum required thinking deeper about influence. “What is influence, what is power at its core?” I thought to myself frequently. After properly understanding the term, I questioned, what does it mean to be influenced, and what are the requirements for us to become influenced?

The practice of semiotics would be the specific lens in which the pursuit of my questions would be analyzed. More specifically, how do visual symbols and the cultural values we place within them ultimately influence others? Ethical influence and agency are the substance of what this program warrants. Power is a complex and symbolic system of communication prevalent in all relationships, and my research proposal desires to explore the importance of understanding how influence plays a significant part in mitigating conflict.

In addition to researching strategies of practical intuition in regard to influence, diving into the concept of intentional versus unintentional influence would foster a well-rounded approach. Influence is synonymous with leadership; one cannot be a leader without followers. To be a follower, an individual must obtain the skills to influence those around them. My interest lies within the gray area in between this specific relationship. How do we influence those in our organizations, intentional or unintentional, and how do we measure the successes and cascading failures of influence through cultural imagery?

What makes my research different and continue the conversations within this area of study is recognizing and understanding the leader/follower relationship in deeper contextual forms of communication and the programmed cultural values humans learn throughout time. We use story as a means of understanding others and topics around us. A strong listener and eloquent storyteller insinuate an effective leader. How one communicates a story is culturally important, and this can be applied to organizational memory. Stories are also a means of connecting with another party, which can reduce conflict as a result of particulars and universals in alignment. It is a dynamic energy; memories are preserved by the practice of storytelling.

 By conceding several representations of leader/follower relationships within carefully selected forms of media, context to similar scenarios in real-life organizations and agencies can be studied. Research in the art of persuasion and the mechanisms of different leadership styles helps professionals understand the makeup of an effective leader. Working in marketing means understanding how graphics and words can influence a particular group, but my research proposal strives to further the acknowledgement of why these symbols matter and the study of their designated interpretation towards a goal.

In our courses, students discussed the importance of “totems” in an organization. Dissecting the interpretation of company logos and how the image is utilized to influence a classification of individuals is a perfect example of what this research proposal aims to question. The material expressed in our courses displayed an inquisitiveness towards how society perceives a symbol. A logo builds consensus and general understanding of a company’s mission; yet this message is not necessarily implicit. The “Apple” logo is globally recognized as a company who produces technological devices in pursuit of digital progression.

For example, when a person glances at Apple’s branding, they instantaneously recognize the agency as a leader in the world of consumerism and not as a literal piece of fruit. The apple is a symbol of knowledge, and the bite represents indulgence. Additionally, we can dissect the symbolism even further and look at the apple as a representation of Adam and Eve. In a digitally driven society, individuals are becoming more and more tempted by technological devices. There is no inherent meaning in the symbol itself, but as culture propagates meaning, a powerful recognition links collective knowledge. The syllabus for our courses is an additional example of media that influences behavior. Craving the incentive of a passing grade, a student’s behavior is driven by the organization of symbols to convey a message. Words of instruction are symbols we’ve been culturally instructed to affiliate with specific meanings, dually faceted.

Examples of other approaches to this specific area of study include the 2024 approach of an “aesthetic investigation: of visual language in the short film Ismail, which scrutinizes the representation of social semiotics from a historical narrative of Arab Arts. Communication is a creative medium of symbols in itself, and the various writers dissect the value of multiculturality and multimodality within mediums such as cinema, painting, performance arts, and photography. The writers focus on the crosshatches correlating the concept of multimodality and multiculturality, which offers a unique critique of symbols and visual language as a communication template (Al-Abbas, M. B. M., Al-Atoum, M. S., Alsaggar, M. A., & Abu-Hammad, R. M. (2024).

Another example of this is Li Yuping’s analysis of “Text-Image Theory.” They dive into scholar Zhao Xianzhang’s idea of semiotic studies on Chinese traditional literature and arts. His book expands on the theory from a vantage point on innovative research in literary semiotics. Text-Image theory suggests that literature is a type of “image-thinking” language that is logically connected with humans’ visual interpretation of their individual world (Yuping, 2022). Two key features of Zhao’s theory are interculturality and interdisciplinarity.

“Literature, as the art of language, is the visualization of language, which is in turn the main representation of aestheticization of language. Zhao states, “it means that literature is associated with the world necessarily via ‘verbal icon’ rather than ‘concept’ ” (Zhao, 2019). The scholar also connects “verbal icons” as a key node connecting narratives and the world around us (Zhao, 2019). Although the term sounds irrelevant at first in comparison to the focus of visual modalities, the author suggests the modeling of texts, poetic paintings, comic strips, and image adaptations of literary texts are constituted as externally driven verbal icons (Yuping, 2022). By exploring verbal icons, interdisciplinary research sectors such as linguistics and cognitive psychology are also able to be understood further.

During the Research Methods class, I completed a research project on the fluctuations of successes and failures throughout Kodak’s business model from when the company was first established to today’s market. The thesis consisted of nostalgia being leveraged in the business world and how “retro marketing” ultimately led to both the downfall and rebirth of the establishment. Although my topic has veered a bit since it was originally conceived, my interest now lies in the concept of how influence is successfully ratified and remains relevant. Throughout my research paper in the course, I discovered that Kodak’s business model and acumen had very little to do with the ebbs and flow of the business. 

For years, Kodak was a leader in the film and camera markets. The rise of digital cameras, an alternative to the previous paradigm of film as a method of photography, ultimately led to the downfall of the organization. “We create the products, and then the products create us” was a quote I distinctly recall hearing frequently throughout the courses in the MSL program. My interests and research proposal thesis fall into the category of why we are influenced by the culture we are immersed into. What causes that moment for someone to make a decision under the guidance of another influencer? Can all people be influenced? The topic of hypnosis is an interesting concept to ponder. I deem this as a proper model of the area of study my research proposal delves into. Are there qualities that make an individual more susceptive to being influenced? We see this in the various abilities in individual ability to be hypnotized, which is power at its core. In the particular instance of “retro” marketing, nostalgia has the ability to influence an individual to miss a period of time they did not exist in.

But why does this subject matter? Working in the business field opened the interest of leading and management. I’d frequently observe the speakers in my classes and the leaders at my work location, which led me to ask the question: “What qualities do they possess that draw others in and listen?” Growing up, I was a rather quiet student because whenever I had ideas or opinions, they were not capable of influencing those around me, hence the retaliation of breaking silence.

What did the student leaders have that didn’t align with me? Towards the end of my internship with Disney recently after graduating with my undergraduate degree, newer participants frequently confided in me for guidance and advice. This behavior made me feel a sense of purpose when I could help them, and they infiltrated trust within me. They viewed me as someone with more experience than them in the program, which is the same type of respect I offered those when I first joined. Cialdini’s book expands on the reasons for this phenomenon, as humans have a tendency to see those with more experience than us as compliance-worthy.

Culture enforces experience equates to respect. We see this frequently in age gaps and are taught this at a young age with the significance of listening to our parents and teachers. Those figures lead us because we look up to them as a source of trust. In my research proposal, I’d like to incorporate studies comparing the leader/follower relationship with both a child and parent(s), as well as a child with a teacher. However, I’m not fully sold on the idea that my status of being at the end of my internship in itself caused newer employees to automatically see me in that capacity; they may not even been aware of this at face value because employees were consistently flowing in and out. As my confidence and experience increased, so did my potential for influence. If we can deduce the qualities in people that suggest they sway towards another opinion or to influence a specific behavior, we can thereby understand how to make effective imagery choices in our organizations and become strong, effective leaders.

What I’ve learned through this program is that leadership and influence are not always synonymous.  Throughout our lives, we will be members of various groups, organizations, and cultures. The levels of connection, interest, and ability to influence will differ from each one of them. By selecting this research topic proposal, I will exercise my position as a scholar and practitioner of strategic leadership by providing a strong understanding of how people utilize influence to facilitate change in organizations, which empowers me to be the best leader possible, both in and out of the workplace.

One of the most difficult components of the Methods of Research class I encountered was condensing the original topic down to a specific question. The branches of ideas generated were far too broad, and furthermore, that is where the significance of the research truly lies. Creating a niche excerpt of information furthers the uniqueness of an area of study and contributes to the progression of acknowledged information. While the pursuit of academic knowledge is concurrent in both undergrad and master’s programs, there is an evident line between the expectations of research. Versatility of academic knowledge is crucial to understanding any field of study. However, advanced degrees mandate the need to build off the framework of knowledge previously acquired from attaining a bachelor’s degree.

 Adequately understanding the purpose of research and the pursuit of knowledge is quintessential to being a practitioner of any study. Research is about gathering resources and transforming the information into a distinguishing, tangible piece of text that advances both the field and effectiveness where a person employs apprehension in daily practices. Dissecting the variants of study and being able to tie everything back together is what curates expertise in a field, and I deem my research proposal of studying how influence is declared in culture and organizations propagates this ideology.

The Master of Strategic Leadership program required students to analyze multiple sectors of social sciences and human behavior. Leadership and influence are a practice in nature. During my first class, “Foundations of Leadership,” the term itself was defined as “The strategic mitigation of conflict.” This definition quite literally describes the heart of leadership, but the practice entails much more than any singular sentence is capable of transcribing. When we think of mentors, managers, and other leadership positions, we know their primary role is to maintain operational flow and ensure procedures are running smoothly. As children we are culturally introduced to the idea of respecting those above us. If we look at the structure of the classroom, the rooms and furniture are designed to bring attention to where the instructor stands. Raising hands is a sign of asking permission to speak from the leader in control, and not complying with the social structure is viewed as deviant behavior.

My research proposal thesis asks the question, why do we obey these structures, and what causes our opinion to be negotiated? What qualities do certain people possess that drive us to adhere to others and be led? Leaders cannot be leaders without followers. How are followers obtained and how are they kept? Although my three selected texts explore different approaches to answering this question, looking at social media metrics is a convenient layout of how the leader/follower dynamic works.

 Asking these questions is not enough to understand the significance. If we understand how individuals are influenced, we can navigate the mitigation of conflict more effectively. When you understand patterns, it is easier to dissect the problem, analysis, and solution. Acknowledging how power and influence come into fruition help us understand ourselves and others better and steer us in ethical routes of organizational efforts. Dismantling the influence visual components play in storytelling will be able to help businesses further understand the effectiveness of utilized imagery shared between stakeholders and the needs of an RFQ document.

Storytelling is a practice that invites leaders to showcase their values and intended meaning, not only merely stating what they themselves believe in. This can be an effective tool in curating organizational culture and connecting deeply to those affiliated within groups. For example, stories of perseverance, achieving goals, and ethical choice making have the ability to inspire employees and further the mission of an agency. While each person has unique qualities and experiences that shape how they interpret stories, employees naturally internalize these narratives and can mirror such behaviors, which fosters collective purpose and sense of community value.

The background of my research in visual semiotics and leadership dynamics is founded by the pivotal role that storytelling plays. A story is created for a reason, and the values within the creators are always, in some capacity, displayed throughout the characters and verbiage. I selected video games as the media of choice for my research because of the innate structure of player/character dynamics. While literature would offer a similar study of the narrative, the composition of how the message is interpreted varies significantly. Writers and producers have to produce a story similarly to how UX designers are required to project themselves as a player. A symphony of power mechanisms is at play in this regard: production company/player, player/character, and message/player.

Action/adventure games paint an immersive narrative environment to explore and understand the concepts of influence. By studying the semiotic and power layers within these narratives, I propose that we can then gain insights into how various leadership approaches originated, how those in our organizations perceive them, and what makes these propositions beneficial or ineffective.

Correspondingly to business professions, the practice of storytelling in video games entails the strategic use of signs, such as symbols, imagery, and narration, to influence and engage an intended audience. This dichotomy emphasizes the potential knowledge we could pursue if several studies were crafted within this specific lens. If we can further understand how we are captivated by our interactions in storytelling structures, I hypothesize those influential behaviors can help us learn how to successfully captivate stakeholders and our audiences through meaningful narratives in business and marketing contexts.

Gathering academic materials, including texts and articles, would be a primary source to support my research proposal. Conducting social experiments and surveys could additionally provide additional context and offer more context to work with. In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Talking to Strangers,” the author discusses a study done on college students that tested their ability to influence one another on whether or not it was an acceptable decision to cheat on a survey for a cash prize. The incentive is what is truly maneuvering the student’s choice and interests, but it is a stagnant control. Gladwell’s inclusion of this survey exemplifies a similar approach to the studies I would want to conduct for my research.

Preliminary Research Outline:

1. Identifying resources

            To properly ensure each selected resource would adequately calibrate the research paper, retrieving data from various methods would be necessary. The Power and Influence course advised students to actively seek the provenance and etymologies of texts. Research teaches us the art of trial and error. Conventional resources require multiple series of tribulations, and the type of research I’m aiming to formulate devises the need for materials that build off relative studies. Analyzing the critical precis will help recognize useful sources for my research, as well as provide me with other relevant texts used to verify the authors information.

1. Preparation of Surveys and Data Collection

Aside from relevant texts and media analysis’, I yearn to organize my own series of texts and experiments that aim to understand the power of different visual modalities. We live in a society that is rapidly fluctuating, it can seem as if every day there is a new technological invitation that shapes the culture around us. While including studies from years 1990-2010s are absolutely something that would be included in the research, it’s important to me that there were recent experiments added as well. First, I’d like to gather individuals of different age groups, occupations, and genders. Occupation types would particularly be an interesting component to analyze and see if any correlations arise that explain how easily influenced (or not easily swayed) a particular audience was. For an example survey, I would like an instructor to hand a proposal document to both internal and external parties and question whether or not specific design components such as vector/raster graphics and low/high resolution images affected the individual’s perception on a business’s qualifications. Other ideas would include how each party perceived information and formed opinions on the firm’s proposal based on either digital or paper formats.

Humans are inclined to follow and default to truth; therefore I’d like to create two separate studies, one with individuals, and the second with groups. Creating another group experiment would provide interesting results and I’d be interested to see the psychology behind this. The two groups would be business professionals and those who work in other fields. We like to belong, to feel a part of something, which is a prominent reason why organizations, clubs, culture, etc. are inaugurated. This behavior is frequently represented in experiments with more than one person; the more people, the higher possibility of influence from another is probable.

Case Study I – Media Storytelling Research

• How do visual elements in action/adventure video games represent leadership and power dynamics?
• In what ways do these visual representations influence players’ perceptions of leadership and authority?
• How do character design, symbols, and narrative imagery in video games align with or diverge from established theories of power and influence?
• What are the implications of these visual influences for understanding leadership in both virtual and real-world contexts?

Case Study II: Workforce Application

• How can we take this research on modern media storytelling and apply the preliminary studies to enhance our organizations, specifically with understanding how visual elements in RFP proposals represent leadership and power dynamics through the lens of semiotics?
• How do design elements, symbols, and imagery in RFP proposals align with or diverge from established theories of power and influence, considering semiotic and hermeneutic frameworks?
• What are the implications of these visual influences, informed by semiotics and hermeneutics, for understanding leadership in the context of securing business contracts?

1. Analysis of results

Fortunately in the digital age, several softwares are available to easily organize data. For quantitative data, Microsoft Excel could track metrics of specific responses to the surveys. For example, if half of participants were influenced by the behavior of a specific visual component, a spreadsheet could keep track of this information to eventually create a conclusion. For the qualitative responses, keeping a collaborative journal with those leading the surveys could guarantee organized materials. In addition to inserting the results digitally, hosting in-person meetings would allow multiple perspectives whilst gathering conclusions.

1. Conclusions

All three of my selected texts display primarily qualitative-based research, which aligns with the goals of my research. As proposals are case by case and each require specific qualifications, it would be more suitable to have a series of uniquely tailored written materials to expand on my topic of choice. However, Kanter and Lukes texts provide quantitative data analysis of various studies in relationship to influence frameworks.

II

Book on Field of Observation: Women and Men in the Workforce by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

An American Economist and professor at Harvard University, Kanter dives into the complexities of the corporate structure to dissect cultural and structural hurdles that perpetuate gender inequalities in Women and Men in the Workforce (1977.) Kanther’s original motivation in her book was to utilize her experiences as a woman in the workforce to comprehend the “fate” of women in organizations. Her comprehensive research, practiced in a large corporate setting, provides the reader with a detailed assessment of how power is distributed and approached differently between men and women. While focusing on her theories of Change Management and “Tokenism,” Kanter provides astute observations of organizational mechanisms from a sociological and cultural perspective.

By using a punctual research methodology, Kanter conducts various in-depth case studies of a large corporation. She coordinates qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys of staff and leadership, which incorporates a mixed-method approach. Kanter captures a holistic view of organizational dynamics at play within American companies by utilizing this methodological triangulation. She combines and refers to different data sources throughout her frameworks and provides feasible evidence for her claims on tokenism and the structural nature of gender equality in corporate workplace settings.

It’s crucial to consider the time in which this was written in order to understand Kanter’s perspective and where her theories are derived from. Kanter’s book was originally released in 1977, but the new edition was published in 1993. In the 70s, fewer women were working than today’s statistics (State.gov, 2009). In the seventies a singular salary could provide security for a family, but throughout time, the need for two incomes arose to maintain stability. With the increase of women in the workplace, social and gender discrepancies became apparent, as did unfair opportunity structures.

 During the year the text was published, about half of women in the United States were working as either part or full time positions and the lion’s share of roles women worked in pertained to service, professional, and goods-production fields (State.gov, 2009). Kanter successfully covers multifarious sectors of the historical disadvantages women have faced in management fields throughout the years, suggesting opportunity, power, and relative numbers coalesce in a way that can potentially explain the contributors of “discrete individual responses to organizations” (Kanter, 1993, p. 5150).

Kanter then defines opportunity as referring to future prospects and a structure of mobility and growth, but also that power is the capacity to mobilize resources. (Kanter, 1993, p. 5185) This is an interesting and eccentric interpretation of influence. Power and influence are synonymous, hence it is crucial for leaders to healthily navigate the utilization of the resources in front of them.

Kanter extensively writes about change management, which illustrates a framework for endorsing positive change within an organization. To back Kanter’s theory, it is viewed through the field of observation that proposes conflict between discrepancies of women and men in organizations. Kanter’s theory suggests employees render various behaviors depending on whether specific structural supports exist, as well as that a company’s leadership tactics impact staff members attitudes and behaviors significantly. As a scholar of leadership for over 50 years, she encourages organizations to abide by these six principles:

1. Show up

Rather than working behind closed doors, Kanter counsels that in order to create positive change in an organization, leaders and managers must be proactive and present. She furthers this statement by propounding the level of an organizations management system’s involvement and visibility instills a level of trust within members of the specific agency. This can be particularly difficult in large organizations, but further displays the importance of making yourself known as a leader – it demonstrates a level of dedication to the mission and appreciation for employees.

1. Speak Up

The writer’s positive change theory enforces the necessity for communication to be dispersed from the top-down to confirm each individual’s business goals and needs. Humans have the desire to be heard and feel important in the workplace, and Kanter recognizes the effects of leadership directly sharing information with employees, rather than through an email or a co-worker in the coffee room. Given the book’s publication date and year of when email was first invented (both 1993), it’s important to recognize there has been a large cultural change within what is culturally acceptable form of communication (Spevack, n.d.).

 Nonetheless, Kanter’s point of employees appreciating face-to-face disclosure has continuously remained throughout the course of time. It indirectly communicates to the employee that they are recognized and respected as a person and not exclusively as an email handle. While they are both sectors of the symbols in the English language, there is a common conception that unequivocal dispersion of messages depicts a stronger sense of recognition.

1. Look Up

To tie in the realistic daily frustrations in the workforce, Kanter recognizes it is not an easy task for the leaders of an organization to attain certain quotas and metrics. All the chaos (even with smaller companies) can make certain goals seem impossible to acquire while also maintaining a strong company culture. To face these issues proactively, Kanter offers a solid argument that suggests management needs to take a step down from their title in order to understand the viewpoint of employees. After looking up from those that are in positions other than management, the ability to understand what is required to allow receptiveness of restructuring can begin.

One of the primary discrepancies that causes conflict within organizations is the sense of not being understood by decision-makers. The author continues her argument by mentioning leaders of a company must have a concise vision of what their team is capable of achieving, and conversing with staff communicates that management values the corporation’s mission. This key in particular depicts Kanter’s strong recognition of why company culture matters, and the positive changes camaraderie can foster.

1. Team Up

The concept that humans acquire power from the alliances they create with various levels of influence, dually superiors and subordinates, is well demonstrated in Kanter’s change management theory. If a company is abundant with non-enthusiastic employees who are disinterested with the mission at hand or not given proper collaborative opportunities, quotas can be difficult to attain. Kanter responds to this issue by pragmatically suggesting collaborating more with those you lead can foster effective employee-manager relationships.

With this idea, a company’s course of action has the potential to be strengthened, but does not recontextualize a company’s accomplishments and take into account that collaborations in large companies may be far out of reach. A degree of gray area is prevalent in this particular key. While Kanter doesn’t specify specific factors on how effective collaboration is attainable when stakes are exceptionally high between counterparts, the idea of establishing a company culture where ideas are welcomed allows opportunity to be seized. This additionally means fostering relationships outside of work. Kanter brings up an important point that team-building activities improve employee engagement, as the coupling of good human relations is correlated with higher organizational morale (Kanter, 1993, p. 3550).

• Never Give Up

Kanter’s belief that individuals in an agency should stray away from retaliation contributes to this particular field of study by inspiring others to view challenge as an opportunity for growth, rather than a concrete definition of the business’s potential. As a specialist in leadership and innovation, she frequently stresses the importance of resilience in the face of affliction throughout the text. Not only does she acknowledge the statement itself, but also cognizes how facile it can be for leaders to encourage healthy staff communication when operations are running smoothly. Her expertise on conflict mitigation is embodied in her credence that strong leaders maintain a perspective of buoyancy when faced with difficult circumstances.

The concept of effective structural changes inhibiting an undefinable amount of time to accept between staff ecosystems is understood by her approach to change management. Flexibility is crucial in order to prevent as much turnaround as possible when facilitating organizational change. By specifying that structures experiencing various levels of flux is inevitable (Kanter, 1993, p. 5253), she pushes business owners and leaders to track how the nature of company culture aids in absorbing how influence is sought. Taking qualitative and quantitative metrics of where each employee stands helps the leaders of an organization understand what is working and what needs to be improved upon. Meanwhile, employees in return feel valued by allowing their input to be taken into account.

• Lift Others Up

Kanter includes these six keys of facilitating a strong organizational culture not necessarily as a tutorial, but to provide a concrete guideline of what adequate starting grounds for healthy staff relationships entail, which follow with more valuable work. She considers both sides of her audience whilst describing these keys: leaders and followers. Managers and decision-makers of an organization are capable of finding new strategies to ensure those who follow their orders are heard and made to feel important. This belief was instilled to support Kanter’s idea that conflict arises between employees with various levels of influence, specifically when credibility is sought, as it was deduced in her study that managers deemed the known ability to achieve results was the number one factor of effective leadership (Kanter, 1993, p. 3566).

To prevent wishy-washy camaraderie ideas, Kanter recognizes these topics may sound obvious to enrich an organization’s culture. Hence, she counters this by expressing when positive employee relationship stories become a structural norm, a deeper understanding of others manifests, and collective goals organically arise. Having more engaging contributions from the consensus stories provided by staff members exemplifies the heart of Kanter’s change management theory; a network of internal and external efforts must suffice the interests of all parties.

 She adds suggestions of sharing success stories, both in and out of the office, suffice necessary conduits for connection and defining company culture. Stories are a fundamental human practice and permits the potential for connection. Therefore, Kanter’s statement regarding the importance of organizational storytelling strengthens this thesis, which suggests humanistic tradition can be facilitated to increase positive influence in business proposals.

Chapter seven is dedicated exclusively to the topic of power, to which organizational politics, alliances, and accountability are explored. “Power” and “Powerlessness” are frequently studied as a dichotomy through Kanter’s lens of organizational structures.

Kanter cultivates unique approaches on organizational behavior in Chapter 9 of the text (Understanding and Action) based on the lens of individual opportunity. The author refers to opportunity as a structure of mobility and growth availability within the context of promotions, challenge and professional development paths, and relative prospects based on organizational seniority (Kanter, 1993, p. 5161). She uses examples throughout the text that argue such structures, which are culturally learned, are pivotal factors in determining a person’s career trajectory, often disadvantage women by limiting access to critical career-enhancing opportunities.

By identifying “low in opportunity” and “high in opportunity” derivatives from expectations and future prospects, Kanter argues power in itself has the potential to explain behavioral responses to organizations. Additionally, she adds there is a probable link between the overall agency’s context and overarching strategy and the palpable actions and statements of individuals (Kanter, 1993, p. 5146). Low opportunity individuals have a tendency to limit their aspirations, look for fulfillment in leisurely activities unrelated to the workplace, frequently compare themselves to peers, are critical of management and fail to identify with the values of those in higher positions, typically have low levels of self-esteem, and are concerned with the basic incentives of a job (such as financial payoff) (Kanter, 1993, p. 5160).

Kanter discusses an intriguing position on the emphasis of peer solidarity and how this contributes to levels of opportunity within institutions. She raises the question if radicals frequently correspond less privileged groups with moral paradigms. Although a goal of an agency is to promote performance in order to increase morale and quotas, largely hierarchical structures typically affiliate occupational mobility as a reward. The author sees the fine lines in this practice and comments that if leaders implement this strategy as a means of gaining company momentum, employees can become too focused on the movement and not the actual opportunities that could arise from high individual performance (Kanter, 1993, p. 3445).

 A well-rounded analysis of the effects of each type of opportunity modalities is written by the author, both from the perspective of an organization’s leaders and those who follow. She states those low in organizational power can frequently attempt to restrict opportunities for subordinates, lead with “authoritarian” practices, be coercive rather than negotiable, and are generally less liked upon employees (Kanter, 1993, p. 5199).

 On the contrary, Kanter defines people with high opportunity to have qualities of confidence in their workplace responsibilities, discern work as a centralized life interest, are likely committed to the organization, are inspired by employees in leadership positions, and create change-driven influence when dissatisfied with a specific aspect of the company (Kanter, 1977, p. 5180). Individuals with high organizational power normally foster positive group morale, offer opportunities for subordinates to grow within the company, have behavior deduced as helpful rather than hindering, and are more liked by staff (Kanter, 1993, p. 5199).

A palatable comment references higher-status positions and how they typically require a longer timeframe to obtain the proper qualifications. Yet, Kanter brings up an interesting point that rarely do people remain employed with a company enough to possibly earn high-opportunity titles (Kanter, 1993, p. 3454). This dilemma is particularly tricky to disentangle within structures of hierarchical bureaucracies. Mobility within a company can be strenuous, especially because the number of employees constitutes competition. The higher quantity of individuals in a department decreases the percentage of opportunity logistically, which can result in conflict.

Kanter responds to this issue with an almost contradictory sounding answer – increasing the number of job opportunities only exacerbates this strain (Kanter, 1993, p. 3474). Pragmatically speaking, adding new titles and opportunities sounds like a reasonable solution. Kanter’s comment is written to challenge “easy” fixes. Notoriety could arise at a higher rate if this approach is taken by leadership in an attempt to reduce hostility. Instead, the author’s answer expresses that a new form of organizational structure must be designed to increase cultural stability (Kanter, 1993, p. 3475).

A notable factor that Kanter investigates is whether opportunity equates to higher percentages of job satisfaction. Surprisingly enough, there is a convoluted response to surveys pertaining to this metric. Page 3406 states a number of surveys display a low percentage of those in the workforce professing job satisfaction (Kanter, 1993, p. 3406). However, there is a strikingly high percentage reporting that if given the opportunity to seek other occupations, the chance would be seized (Harold L. Wilensky, 1964, p. 125).

 Kanter uses this response to show that there is a large amount of gray area across the board for different career fields. To interpret this seemingly contradictory analysis, the author elucidates a plausible explanation that expectations shape satisfaction (Kanter, 1993, p. 3439). Although this is only discussed within the contexts of large, hierarchical institutions, a clear argument is exerted through the author stating that under specific circumstances, commitment has the capability to override dissatisfaction. Examples of this would include internships or entry level positions where an individual was aware of the potential opportunities that could arise, even if the labor feels mundane.

When agency isn’t prevalent among those following leadership, employees can feel disenfranchised. A significant portion of Kanter’s analysis of measuring high and low opportunity levels in an organization is a compelling phenomenon referred to as “tokenism.” In predominantly male environments, women and minorities often become “tokens,” visible symbols of their group. Kanter argues that tokenism places disproportionate pressure on these individuals, leading to heightened performance scrutiny, social isolation, and role encapsulation. This phenomenon creates a vicious cycle where the few women in leadership positions face significant barriers, reinforcing the gender disparity within the corporate hierarchy.

Kanter introduces her tokenism methodology to elaborate on the struggles women face in workplaces that are run in locations where mostly men hold leadership titles. Tokenism is a symbolic effort, where in predominantly male environments, women frequently become “tokens”, or representatives of their gender, instead of being perceived as individuals with goals. Tokenism as a cultural phenomenon often exerts intense pressure on women, especially when promotions are desired. This pressure can lead to heightened visibility, work performance insecurity, and isolation from others. Kanter’s inspection of tokenism in corporate environments reveals a nuanced and complicated occurrence of psychological burdens women experience in the workplace.

 Ultimately, this pressure, more often than not, hinders the potential of professional growth opportunity and reinforces gender polarity. Unfortunately, along with cultural factors, there is a biological influence on how various genders are perceived. Kanter uses tokenism to explain that due to what we are culturally exposed to, those in turn can affect the ways men and women distinguish one another can lead to inadequate opportunity. This is not the case for every individual of course, but this notion is unequivocally apparent in the U.S presidential history and fields that are responsible for influential decision making.

The dynamics of tokenism infer that the pressure of uncertainty has a propensity to create “socially homogeneous management groups” (Kanter, 1993, p. 5536). This theory suggests that men interpret a woman’s potential in a work environment to reflect the behaviors they commonly see within women in their personal lives. To build upon this, she expands the topic by mentioning feminists and men with “dead-end” jobs share the same stake of seeing decentralized power in their workplaces (Kanter, 1993, p. 5536). This proposition adds a whole other dimension of employee satisfaction and low/high opportunity. How do men with seemingly low-mobility positions retain the same status as women? A bit of nuance lies within these questions, but concisely reinforces the bigger picture of economically systematic disadvantages.

To properly comprehend Kanter’s theories, understanding her definition of power aids allows us to formally analyze the observations in her organization at the time. Kanter refers to power as “the capacity to mobilize resources” and suggests the structure of power pertains to formal job characteristics and informal alliances (Kanter, 1993, p. 5180). Although finding consensus with an organization is not always a unanimous concept, the author’s viewpoints of power and opportunity levels offer a helpful starting point to both avoid and mitigate conflict.

Relationships, in any field of expertise, enable trust and lead to opportunities from both parties. Whether the business model of an organization is customer or company oriented, influence has the ability to be distributed from foundational structures of trust. As Kanter references Kurt Lewin’s research on group dynamics focused on the University of Michigan, an interesting declaration is made concerning how specific relationship strands impact employee behavior. Staff involvement was taken into account with this study, and certain leads were inferred after noticing how varying degrees of “membership” led to palpable visualizations of workers’ satisfaction (Kanter, 1993, p. 5131).

Although some modalities of agreement are expressed by Kanter within these given approaches, she expands the conversation on schematic work redesign with a “big picture” viewpoint – whole workplace ecosystems must be taken into consideration. She relates the issue at hand to not necessarily related with a direct supervisory context, but rather the opportunity structure within the company. The notion of organizational culture as its own facet and predisposed institutional memory is evinced through visible company colloquialisms. Consequently, this corresponds to how opportunity is disclosed within the organization. By elaborating that each portion of an agency must be evaluated for colloquial understanding, Kanter supports the notion that leadership is the ethical and respectful application of power within a specific cultural context.

She furthers this idea of structural opportunity by positing her belief that opportunities for advancement within a corporation are not equally distributed, but rather heavily influenced by cultural and structural factors in comparison to singularly individual merit. Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory displays a modality of comprehending a company’s culture based on learned values. One of these dimensions is the sector of individualism and collectivism. America is a tactile example of an individualist country, where achievements are measured on a solitary level. On the contrary, collectivist countries calculate triumph on a group’s performance.

On page 5551 of the text, Kanter states “Attempting to keep another group out, while ferociously improving oneself in hopes that more advantage will follow, is a characteristically American approach to the problems stemming from inequality, an approach rooted in individual models. But the structural approach used here can turn the attention away from inter-group competition and toward the real problem: the ways systems themselves can be modified to provide more opportunity, more power, and a better balance of numbers, for all the kinds of people whose work lives are spent there” (Kanter, 1993, p. 5551).

This connotation displays a notable case for Kanter’s high and low opportunity theories by expanding upon Hofstede’s idea of individualistic cultures. Hofstede implemented these dimensions to have a better cognizance of how each country navigates power through a cultural level, such as through levels of uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and whether or not a country has a short or long-distance orientation. While Men and Women of The Corporation is based on companies located in the U.S, Hofstede’s dimensions further support Kanter’s theories by explaining how cultural differences (even between company sectors) infiltrate communication.

In chapter nine, Kanter addresses that the more leaders wholly understand the structural conditions within their organizations, a higher success rate is probable in creating more suitable work policies that promote work/life balance and equal employment opportunity (Kanter, 1993, p. 5553). By endorsing the concept that understanding directs action, the author writes an important position supporting the idea that taking action on women’s work issues may be critically paramount for the future of society in the United States (Kanter, 1993, p. 5560). She leverages her experiences studying large organizations to continue progression of equality for all groups of people, which displays her comprehension of how equality equates to mitigation of conflict.

Men statistically worked more than women during this time, even though the quantities were rising rapidly through generations (State.gov, 2009). Leadership roles were led by men and ideas were often overlooked. We can examine Shirley Polykoff, who changed the course of cultural view towards hair dye in 1956 with her advertising campaign, “Does she… or doesn’t she?” The idea wasn’t an immediate success for Polykoff, however; when she pitched the slogan to her male higher-ups, they thought that the campaign was too provocative and sexually suggestive.

Shirley conducted her own spot of focus groups with women and learned that few found the idea suggestive as the men did. In the end, Polykoff won her pitch and a 13-page spread for Miss Clairol ran in the fall 1956 issue of Life Magazine” (Rutnik, 2021). Not only did she defy tokenism, but she also revolutionized society’s perception of dying hair. Tokenism was visibly active in this corporate scenario as shown in the lack of receptiveness to the only female staff member. By default, male employees noticed a difference and were not acclimated yet to ideas that were seen from the feminine perspective, despite the copywriting company marketing towards that particular audience. It’s not that the ideas women brought to the table were any more or less valuable than the male employees, but the change in organizational culture was uncomfortable at first.

While planning changes for an organization, it is crucial for leaders to consider the potential reactions that could arise because of a shift in structure. The Theory of Planned behavior measures the predictability of human behavior in an organizational context through three components: “(a) attitude toward behavior is the extent to which a person has a positive or negative appraisal of the given behavior, (b) subjective norms are a person’s social expectations or perceived pressure to perform the behavior in question, and (c) perceived behavioral control is a person’s perceived competence in performing the behavior based on past experience or anticipated impediments” (Yang, Y., Choi, J. N., & Lee, K., 2018).

Humans find charismatic people alluring and idyllic. Some of the most well-known leaders in history, such as Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi, are recognized for their persuasive, yet empathetic, personalities. What makes these leaders withstand the test of time? There is a “sticky” component that parasitizes us. “The Art of Seduction” by Robert Greene represents this idea quite well. Throughout the novel, Greene touches on how charismatic humans are inherently exciting because they come across as self-sufficient and self-driven.

Charismatic individuals represent the kind of personality that most people want to see themselves as. They might be great orators, public figures, visionaries or leaders” (Greene, 2001). Not everyone wants to be outwardly displaying the features attributed with charismatic individuals, but there is a science as to why we are influenced by those characteristics. They seem like people we can trust and have our best interests. However, that can additionally be extremely dangerous. Sometimes leaders with this type of charisma first leverage it as a means of drawing people in. Once they successfully attain their interest, people can be molded to think in a specific way. This practice is unfortunately often seen in cult organizations and occurrences of grooming.

An additional beneficent component of Kanter’s research is her outlook on “Activities as a route to power.” First, she mentions five classifications of power defined by John R. P. French and Bertram Raven: reward power, which involves controlling resources that could potentially be incentivized, coercive power (controlling resources to punish), expert power (controlling crucial knowledge), legitimate power (authoritative privilege within a title or role that others accept), and reference power, utilizing charisma or being liked by others as a means of developing a type of relationship (Kanter, 1993, p. 3680).

Denoting these classifications helps us curate an understanding of how corporate culture and statistics have reached their current status. By the 1990’s, Kanter implies a horde of women in “pink collar” pushed for the recent company mindset shift to control their own work (Kanter, 1993, p. 6596). While occupational barriers had begun to progress during this time and women were holding titles in almost every department, most have remained in the clerical work range (Kanter, 1993, 6596). The author explains why a little over half female-dominated occupations such as nursing and retail positions retain their statistic – the number of service oriented jobs is substantially greater than direct-production titles, and men did not fill in a large portion of the so-called “women’s” positions when occupational barriers started to dissipate (Kanter, 1993, p. 6610).

This “service army” as Kanter states causes, and still causes, draining “dead-end” jobs because of the emphasis on customer perspectives, rather than division organizational strategies leaders implement (Kanter, 1993, p. 6611). The author sarcastically mocks the typical suggestions given to motivate men and women in service jobs, which shows her awareness of how difficult and demanding the service industry can be. Leaders can strategize many creative ways to improve ROI, but it is ultimately up to the customers to drive the business. Inspiring employees to see the value in services they provide while being treated poorly by customers makes them feel powerless and only established destructive cycles stemming from low opportunity (Kanter, 1993, p. 6644).

A problem commonly seen in the workforce today is the limited mobility and opportunities within younger generations, with and without degrees. A recent study by Georgetown University states 72% of jobs in the U.S. will require more than a high school diploma by 2031 (Gallegos, 2023). Given this metric, numbers of those “low in opportunity” will most likely only increase because of inability or disinterest in earning a college degree. However, Kanter offers a useful solution to tackling the dreariness of many service jobs. She suggests “empowerment” is the answer to raising opportunities and job satisfaction within employees. Giving more flexibility to respond to circumstances as they arise would provide a stronger sense of agency to employees and offering higher command over resources, such as giving customers amenities or refund options, are additional suggestions Kanter offers towards tackling this common issue seen in customer service jobs (Kanter, 1993, p. 6646).

While these solutions, along with “elevated title statuses,” sound like effective responses, Kanter recognizes the drawback of distrust certain managers place within their staff. The idea that comfort originates from those who share similar backgrounds as us interferes with instantaneous acceptance within diversity (Kanter, 1993, p. 6694). Discrepancies can arise quickly if members of an organization feel as if they are seen subordinately by leadership, especially on qualities that are unable to be changed.

Proactively searching for consensus and being culturally aware of both historical and current disadvantages people face is a sufficient starting step in mitigating conflict by viewing everyone with the same capacity for trust. Kanter offers an interesting insight into this concept – “the comfort factor” is prevalently seen in higher risk occupations. Throughout various examples in her text, she displays women are more commonly distrusted in the workplace, therefore causing the formation of idiosyncratic leisure pursuits (such as women’s marketing groups). The author persists that the greater the number of dimensional differences between leadership and staff, the larger the problem of establishing points of commonality becomes (Kanter, 1993, 6695).

Leadership positions are embedded in uncertainty, which makes Kanter’s viewpoint completely valid. We want our firms to grow exponentially and reduce any potential conflict, but Kanter suggests because of culturally created biases, women and minorities persistently find themselves lacking opportunities because of high financial stakes. Studies are displayed suggesting that the “best” jobs for women and minorities are those that emphasize team building (Kanter, 1993, p. 6738) because paying attention to staff as individuals rather than members of social categories has shown to make credibility accessible. While this is an interesting note, it condenses people into boxes and enforces the idea that specific jobs are only suitable for certain individuals.

Men and Women of The Corporation is primarily written and interpreted within the context of a large organization, but Kanter lightly elaborates on the exercise of influence within small/large institutions in chapter seven. Organizational politics corresponding through French and Raven’s ideology are best when tested through smaller, face-to-face exchanges because it would be particularly cumbersome to analyze five types of power within copious department numbers. However, Kanter brings up these five dimensions of influence to explain the complexities of large-scale organizational systems.

Alongside the global celebrations of Kanter’s work, the book has also encountered various critiques. Some scholars argue that her focus on structural methodologies may underestimate the role of individual agency in organizational environments. Additionally, critics have suggested that personal drive and resilience also play large roles in overcoming corporate disparities. Kanter’s analysis could benefit from an intersectional approach with higher quantities of perspectives from all different types of races, classes, and social identities. Each individual will experience the corporate world differently; therefore her work could be further supported with diverse contexts.

The discrepancies associated with tokenism also account for various critiques of Kanter’s text. She provides excellent solutions for reducing conflict between management and employees but lacks practical solutions for women navigating the challenge of tokenism in the workplace. Subsequent research has expanded on her work, exploring strategies for tokens to build resilience and maximize potential for their unique positions to effect change within companies (Childress C, Nayyar J, Gibson I., 2023).

Men and Women of the Corporation has had a persisting impact on the fields of organizational studies, gender studies, and leadership theory. Despite the first version being released in the 1970’s, scholars and leadership practitioners continuously expand Kanter’s insights into structural opportunities and tokenism to this day. The workplace has been progressively transforming into places of celebrating individuality, and Kanter’s methodology provides key concepts in understanding the underlying process of why structural change exists. The text’s emphasis on structural and cultural change on collective levels sway the focus of diversity and inclusion efforts towards actual systematic solutions.

Kanter’s theories have also influenced the development of leadership training and corporate policies. Companies looking to address gender disparities have adopted practices that aim to dismantle the structural barriers identified in her research. This includes creating more equitable opportunities for advancement, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and addressing the specific challenges faced by tokens in the workplace.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s “Men and Women of the Corporation” testifies structural opportunities, power dynamics, and unique approaches to phenomena that occur in organizational contexts. Her work provides informative information to the study of social behavior through the lens of gender dynamics and aids in properly understanding how cultural biases affect a variety of dimensions throughout agencies. Kanter’s meticulous analysis of tokenism and opportunity levels provide pioneering insights into the systemic barriers that can hinder women’s professional advancement. She is a true practitioner of leadership by not just simply recognizing the need for adequate inclusion to create successful workplace environments, but additionally calling scholars and corporate decision makers to seek comprehensive solutions to gender disparities.

III

 Research Framework/Methodology Based Text: “Influence – The Psychology of Persuasion” By Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D.

“Influence – The Psychology of Persuasion” By Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. offers pragmatic insight on the mechanics of social influence. Cialdini has dedicated his life to studying the psychology of compliance. His research was conducted in a series of experiments performed in his laboratory with college aged participants. Cialdini earned his doctoral degree at University of North Carolina and is a professor at Arizona State University, where he teaches business, marketing, and sales (Cialdini, n.d). In addition to these qualifications, Cialdini is the CEO of “INFLUENCE AT WORK” and consults globally recognized establishments such as Google and Microsoft (Cialdini, n.d). The writer is a critically acclaimed American Psychologist known for his contributions to the social sciences. An engaging storyteller, Cialdini has translated his methodologies of influence into valuable, practical applications throughout various texts.

After starting his research, Cialdini soon deduced throughout his studies that they simply would not permit him to thoroughly understand this branch of compliance. Kanter’s theories complement Cialdini research quite nicely, as she looks at influence in a corporate setting, while studying the differences between women and men within these affiliations. However, this author’s research aligns more with the stream of influence within business-related professional fields.

Cialdini’s methodology is both empirical and anecdotal, combining experimental psychology with real-world observations. By offering a series of both qualitative and quantitative data within controlled experiments, he repeatedly incorporates his findings across diverse settings throughout the text to establish their credibility. Additionally, Cialdini incorporates case studies and personal experiences to illustrate how these principles manifest in everyday life and professional environments. This blend of rigorous scientific research and practical examples make his work accessible to a wide audience, enhancing its impact and relevance to professionals globally.

Marketing professionals have deemed his book as seminal within the industry. As mentioned throughout many relevant social science texts, humans are biologically dispositioned to connect with others and are social creatures. We crave a sense of belonging and consensus. Cialdini offers the theoretical explanation of the ways we connect with others is correlated with properly comprehending persuasion (Cialdini, 2021 pg. 5). Studying the practices of how influence blossoms into fruition is crucial for leaders of organizations to understand.

 In order to be a leader, you have to have followers. To gain followers, a transaction of agency and influence must come into effect. Each person interprets information differently, and Cialdini’s belief that understanding persuasion raises some convoluted points. By suggesting (the theoretical) explanation that humans uniquely connect with others in comparison to other animals by interpreting rhetoric in a specific way, he leaves a bit of a gray area as the text continues.

First, the term “properly” can be perceived as rather arbitrary. Not every person understands they are being influenced by a particular individual or message. We see this exercised daily in advertising and in unassuming conversations between humans. Cialdini does an excellent job with explaining how the heart of business-oriented jobs is to connect and influence others to grow financially.

Like Kanter’s six keys to obtaining proper organizational structure, Cialdini theorizes seven principles of persuasion. The entirety of his book is intentionally organized around these principles and include the following: reciprocation, liking, social proof (consensus), authority, scarcity, commitment, and consistency (Cialdini, 2021, p. 16). These keys are tools that allow leaders in business professions to ethically navigate those under their influence and foster a healthy organizational culture. All sectors of business organizations are correlated to the desire of economic growth and require a knowledgeable background of ethical practice.

Robert B. Cialdini’s “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” is an influential work that expands society’s understanding of influence and persuasion as a psychology. The framework of the six principles offers a comprehensive approach to scrutinizing the ways people are influenced in a variety of contexts, organizationally and in our personal lives. By integrating his applied research within the field of leadership, Cialdini’s work bridges the gap alongside leader/follower frameworks and the actual application of the process.

Cialdini places great significance on ethical persuasion in order to direct practitioners and their followers in leveraging these principles responsibly, ensuring that influence is wielded with integrity and respect. This text offers professionals in business related fields and leadership-oriented positions valuable information corresponding to guiding those affiliated with their organizations, which has immeasurable positive impacts between manager/employee relationships.

The author inaugurates his text with a story explaining the odd framework of maternal turkeys. An interesting hook, he explains how unlike many other animals that rely on mothers, turkeys do not particularly help their offspring unless the babies “chirp.” If they do not call out, the mother may ignore her babies altogether, sometimes resulting in their deaths. (Cialdini, 2021, p. 3). While Cialdini recognizes the seemingly nonsensical nature of turkey behavior, he includes this rather strange fact to illustrate the principle of reciprocity, which insinuates humans intrinsically feel a sense of obligation to return favors.

 The behavior of the turkey sounds absurd at face value, and because of the way we as humans place value on nurturing our children, the idea of an animal abandoning their offspring simply because a sound was not vocalized sounds rather ridiculous. After discussing that ethologists probe this type of maternal behavior branches out significantly more than turkeys themselves (Cialdini, 2021, p. 3), the author chose to include this example of fixed-action patterns, which “involve intricate sequences of behavior, such as courtship or mating rituals” (Cialdini, 2021, p. 4).

A main trait of these patterns consists of the behavior being repeated in the exact same practice and order consistently. Actions of this caliber can be interpreted as seemingly genetically predispositioned qualities, similarly to humans. Even so, repetitive behavior is a learned practice. Humans act in the way we do as a result of observing another analogously-looking being influencing us – a majority of our patterns are not intrinsically “installed.” Cialdini delineated this concept by comparing the basic framework of courtship. He takes an interesting approach by collating situational courtship through the “Click, run” process.

When a courtship program is run (in this circumstance, the situation between a mother needing to care for her offspring), the process begins. The “click” is the potential activation of a fixed-action pattern and the “run” is the actual sequence of behaviors (Cialdini, 2021, p. 5). Further, the author provides another example of this framework by specifying how a rival isn’t necessarily the trigger of conflict, but rather the “trigger feature.” In the case of a certain species of birds, a specific color of a pile of red birds feathers can trigger a defense attack, while simultaneously ignoring a replica of an actual unrelated bird nearby.

Cialdini uses this example to expand on the commonality of fixed-action behavior being a stagnant behavior within animals. He mentions that it “takes a trickster” to influence another human to believe the turkey’s response seems absurd (Cialdini, 2021, p. 5). Cialdini purposely concludes after declaring this concept that only healthy turkey chicks make a chirping call, thereby it is completely plausible that this one stimulus is an indicator of a bird’s judgment.

The writer wields examples of animal behavior to provide an easy visual for the reader to understand the nature of territorial defense. Humans mirror this behavior as well, but the choice to unravel this framework in the context of animals’ nature adds an interesting dichotomy to Cialdini’s point. By bringing in social psychologist Ellen Langer’s experiment demonstrating the concept of parallel forms in humans’ automatically, we are able to make the conclusion that the chance of successful response to a favor request is increased when a reason is established (Cialdini, 2021, p. 6).

 Langer’s experiment was located in a familiar environment, the line of a library’s copy room. Cialdini supports this claim by stating that 94 percent of people permitted a woman to skip the line after mentioning she was in a rush and requests if she can use the Xerox machine first because of time sensitivity. On the contrary, only 60 percent of those in line complied when presented with the question, “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”

We can use this information to understand the unequivocal, yet uncommonly processed need to defend what is ours: Family, friends, and property, which allocate a sense of belonging. This same context applies to our organizations and those affiliated within them. Employees can decide to support or not to participate in the mission, just as agency was exercised in the library experiment. Cialdini connects these ideas by suggesting the word “because” in the first woman’s request triggered an automatic compliance response within the line of individuals waiting before her arrival.

Considering the click and run process, similar frameworks can be applied to the workforce. The act of purchasing necessary (or superfluous) items includes some facet of learned demeanor and labor to be completed. Technological evolution is primarily seen in human behavior, we want to make tasks of life easier and more convenient. If we did not have money, gathering the necessary resources to survive would not be impossible, but rather cumbersome. Cialdini recognizes the incredibly complex world we reside in and delivers a practical explanation for these behaviors. In order to handle the chaos of life’s fast paced structure and unpredictability, streamlining shortcuts are necessary to observe all the details of a situation (Cialdini, 2021, p. 9).

He applies this idea in a fantastic example of how humans are programmed with certain stereotypes. If we see an incredibly lucrative item, an automated response tells our thought process that the reason the cost is high must be because of the quality. The same stereotype applies to a “cheap” product, a consumer is likely to share the same framework by deeming the item is less effective or “bad.” While the reader is incapable of understanding the principle of reciprocity from a bird’s perspective, Cialdini adds these cases modeled in everyday interactions to easily see the application of fixed-action behavior. Preceding with the humanistic exemplifications of this framework after the bird model allows the reader to make the connections in a more simplified context.

To the reader, we naturally separate ourselves from attempting to relate to such an occurrence because of the inability to connect. Although amusing, our first thoughts are to find the differentiators between us and the bird’s approach to motherhood. We would never think of approaching maternity the way Cialdini first narrated the turkey conundrum. Using this information to hook the reader probes them to yearn for the understanding of influence. No human is exempt from influence in this theory, but rather culturally programmed from learned behaviors.

Dissecting the complexities of trigger features permits the reader to properly comprehend how all forms of life take effective courses of action without intricate analysis. Cialdini’s “click, run” concept is comparable to Malcolm Gladwell’s examples of “thin slicing” in his novel, Blink. Both ideas propose that humans have evolved to have mind-reading like instinctualities. Gladwell incorporates events such as speed dating and testing the validity of an ancient statue as conduits of quick interpretation (Gladwell, 2005). Both authors follow the phenomena in which humans have adapted in ways that allow effective assumptions when required to act quickly and time sensitivity is an agent.

Humans’ propensity to see two models and overestimate the level of differences between them is briefly defined as “Perceptual Contrast” (Cialdini, 2021, p. 23). Most importantly, perceptual contrast is exerted to present a lever of influence. Cialdini implores how this lever of persuasion is commonly used by realtors by divulging two “unattractive” houses preliminary to a more costly house. By showing a pattern of less desirable properties, the potential buyers are unaware they are thereby being influenced to select the expensive property because it is more “scarce” in comparison to the first houses shown. This type of influence typically goes unnoticed and actively plays a juxtaposition in corporations’ efforts to increase revenue (Cialdini, 2021, p. 25).

Chapter five explores the humanistic propensity to accept shared information and directions from those who appear knowledgeable or as an authority figure. “Judgemental Heuristics” is a term Cialdini uses to describe the shortcuts used by individuals to make quick assumptions about something. “If an expert said so, it must be true” follows the same framework as “expensive equates to good” in this context, and the costly mistakes of this influence frequently display themselves throughout the digital world today. The Appeal to Authority fallacy collocates with the principle of authority by feeding on the proclivities of human assumption that seemingly informed individuals are correct. This is the heart of Cialdini’s message in Influence: New and Expanded. As a profound storyteller, he uses this method to subliminally explain the “Six Principles” framework.

“Compliance Professionals” is a term used by Cialdini throughout the book. Marketers, salespeople, fundraisers, and recruiters are those he specifies among this category. His strategy to further the study of persuasion within this sector was to internally observe the common and effective techniques compliance practitioners facilitate. Most of his research was completed in the form of participant observation, which is when “The investigator becomes a spy at sorts… With Disguised identity and intent, the researcher infiltrates the setting of interest and becomes a full-fledged participant in the group to be studied” (Cialdini, 2021, p. 6).

Cultivating a positive relationship is the key goal of Compliance Professionals, Cialdini States. Reciprocity holds great significance in the art of persuasion. Chapter one of the text looks into why humans feel a sense of obligation in response to gifts, friendly actions, and other actions that leave us wanting to give in. Cialdini’s principle of reciprocity invites the reader to understand how this tactic can persuade others.

Cialdini’s scarcity principle asserts the idea that people assign higher levels of value to experiences and products that are not readily available. Psychologically speaking, he mentions this idea is embedded in the notion that the more limited an item is, humans are more likely to perceive them as more desirable. Take advertising phrases such as “Limited Addition” or “Selling Out Soon” for example. A sense of fear arises and instills a feeling of missing out on opportunity. “FOMO,” or the fear of missing out” is a call-to-action tactic to steer consumers to act quickly because of the apparent sense of urgency. Similarly to the principle of reciprocity, these messages that are the “because” factor lead us to believing that what is temporarily available is inherently more valuable than products that are (Cialdini, 2021, p. 263).

“Limited Number” is the first example the author proposes to support his scarcity principle. We often see this method used throughout all retailers, especially on digital forms of commerce because of the easy accessibility. Corporations highlight items low in stock, which thereby inform potential customers with a call to action. Prospective buyers seem to find the item more appealing because of time sensitivity, it makes the individual feel as if they need to take action immediately. Consumers have a higher likelihood of purchasing the “limited number” items out of fear the opportunity might slip away.

It is important to take note that the ways in which humans react to the “scarcity” of an essential item was not mentioned throughout the chapter. However, we can apply this principle to the potential lack of a necessary product. Take the response to the original Covid-19 outbreak when toilet paper became scarce. The value in these products increased as a result of an increase in fear that a daily product may not be available for a longer time than usual. An item is worth however much a person is willing to pay for it, as we see on sites like Ebay.

The “Deadline” tactic is another example Cialdini includes to further the discussion of the principle of scarcity. Similar to the ‘limited number” method, this is a designated time limit put in place on the customers opportunity to receive what the compliance professional is selling (Cialdini, 2021, p. 254). Merchandisers fluff this type of agency by generating interest where none may have existed previously (Cialdini, 2021, p. 255). Thrift and consignment stores would have been an interesting addition to this section of the book due to the uncommon origins of an item.

Prospective automobile buyers being told that an offered deal is “one time only” and deducted after leaving, photography companies urging customers to buy as many prints as possible because the others “are burned due to stocking limitations,” and magazine solicitors specifying they are only in town for the day are all examples of the deadline tactic at play (Cialdini, 2021, p. 256). Cialdini doesn’t hone people for falling for these strategies, he implies we are psychologically dispositioned to believe information that feels exclusive or restricted from others. He also heavily advises against manipulative use of scarcity and advocates for responsible usage of scarcity to maintain a reputation of trust, which can pay off in the long run.

            Authority is the third principle Cialdini allots the correlation between credibility and expertise. This principle suggests that those who are perceived as knowledgeable have a higher likelihood of influencing others. Although this may seem like common sense, Cialdini successfully decodes the reasons why we trust others who are discerned as experienced in a specific domain. Authority does not always translate to persuasion. Influence radiates around potential the assumption respect must be given to an individual or group.

Cialdini offers various insights to inform the reader how to ethically and effectively establish authority. For example, the author mentions how a doctor’s recommendation is more likely to carry more weight than an online response from a non-medical professional when seeking relative advice. Even as children who are unable to understand the amount of academic effort that is needed to practice medicine, a sense of trust is established by the select tone and verbiage used by doctors.

            Authority is established in multifarious strategies. Leaders and managers may not have the means of understanding the cultural circumstances they were raised under, therefore are required to communicate with their audience to maximize their potential. In addition to showing an evident interest in the differing mechanisms followers are influenced by, Cialdini suggests throughout his book that displaying expertise in the organization’s field can influence an audience’s perception of the leader’s authority. Hence, the more visible a leader’s reputation and successful track is, there is a higher chance of the followers being receptive to their ideas or rules. On the contrary, Cialdini suggests a leader’s target audience is unpredictable and in order to have others willing to comply with their personal ideology, the influencer must adapt to their followers’ preferences.

            The fourth principle of influence Cialdini brings light to is consistency, which augments the idea that people are likely to be persuaded when a shared value is in effect. We see this principle exercised in a plethora of topics, such as politics and advertising. Many marketers and politicians’ jobs are rooted in the understanding of their audience in order to ameliorate a demographic interest.  Richard Bandler and John Rander coined the term “neuro-linguistic programming” which is a psychological approach to communication; it is frequently used as a tool in therapy and business fields.

NLP suggests the simple belief that if an individual can understand the process of a specific mindset, that same application can be copied and communicated so that they may repeat the task (Grimley, 2015). One of the key skills in being a successful marketer is understanding the concepts of the NLP process – a repeated learned behavior must be acted out by an individual to understand an action. Although these logical levels are leveraged to process how the body and mind influence one another, Cialdini’s principles of influence correlate to neuro-linguistic programming in similar vessels. If marketers and other business-related workers understand how to genuinely put themselves in their followers’ shoes, a new perspective will be learned. When leaders understand the problems and necessities of the people they desire to influence, that type of consistency creates a level of appreciation between management and employees and business to businesses.

“Unity” considers the principle that social influence provides reason to a force. From ages young as toddlers, we intrinsically divide people to whom and who does not apply (Cialdini, 2021, p. 364). Individuals who are within the boundaries of “we” are offered more agreement, liking, emotional support, and overall trust. This ties into the in/out group dynamics in the fundamentals of sociology. Cialdini suggests that “we” relationships are what effective social influence is grounded in (Cialdini, 2021, p. 365). The author tediously analyzes the concept of how humans have a likelihood to believe those that look or think like them, just as we believe information shared on the biased news channels.

            The role of charismatic influence and creating rapport in persuasion is explored in the principle of “Liking.” Genial traits come to no surprise when deciphering what qualities are embedded in influential people. Cialdini’s “Liking for Profit” sector ties into the exploitative results that may arise from unethical use of leveraging followers. A “classic compliance setting,” a Tupperware party, is inquired to understand how perplexing commercialism can be. The mechanisms of a Tupperware party are used by the author to tie in all six principles of persuasion and elaborate on the dangers of magnetism. Despite all principles being recognizable within this demonstration, the liking rule is specifically weaved into chapter three.

            Cialdini probes, “Despite the entertaining and persuasive selling skills of the Tupperware demonstrator, the true request to purchase does not come from this stranger; it comes from a friend to every person in the room” (Cialdini, 2021, p. 77). While a Tupperware salesperson might ask a potential buyer for an order request, Cialdini pushes that what differentiates a psychologically compelling salesperson from push for a sale is within the psychologically compelling nature of the one who is off to the side, chatting with guests and serving refreshments (Cialdini, 2021, p. 78). By expanding on the power of soft skills, the author successfully expands on explaining how the most influential person in the room is not always the most direct and clamorous individual. Sometimes a poised approach to building camaraderie is less intimidating than forthright intentions.

            The unexpected turn of events in this scenario is that while the women directly ask attendees for Tupperware orders, the accomplished salesperson making conversation with others is usually a representative for the company. This is not exclusive to Tupperware parties, but any multi-level marketing (MLM) organization such as Tastefully Simple or Mary Kay Cosmetics. A rather controversial persuasion strategy for business, this involves a salesforce being incentivized by recruiting others and making commissions off of usually unlicensed businesses. Liking as a principle is more important than ever now to discuss because of social media marketing. Influencers make up a large portion of largely followed individuals online. Selling an idea or product online is the contemporary version of MLM, it is not a particularly new concept or strategy.

            Cialdini presents the indexicalities of this type of marketing by touching on the role warmth, attraction, and sense of obligation play in bearing sales. Internal contacts are or (were) the heart of growing a company. Almost all of Tupperware parties were coordinated by recruited individuals who know the value home-party approaches can offer a business. According to Cialdini, consumer researchers who have analyzed social ties within these types of gatherings have affirmed the strength of social bonds are twice as likely to prompt sales in comparison to interest in the product (Cialdini, 2021, p.77).

We look for trust when anticipating a sale, and the Tupperware party is a fantastic assessment exerting how higher probabilities of influence occur when assurance is prevailed. Humans have a propensity to look for ourselves in other people and don’t want to be perceived as credulous when spending money. Cialdini mentions a common occurrence where people feel obliged to purchase items once a connection is made; it almost can feel as if we are rejecting a friend at times. While plenty of sales associates truly care about the quality of the products they endorse, there is still the bigger picture at play and comprehending the structures in which it works allows participants to know their role in the equation.

Continuing the ways all six principles are present throughout the “Liking for Profit” chapter, Cialdini reiterates the application of these practices within a feasible situation:

• Reciprocation: Games are used as icebreakers and are incentivized in prizes; those who do not win are allowed to select one in order to have everyone on the same page before the pivotal moments of the party start (Cialdini, 2021, p. 76).
• Authority: Salespeople who lead the parties “verify” the credibility of the Tupperware by sharing the quality and safety features (Cialdini, 2021, p. 76).
• Social Proof: When the actual buying begins, each singular purchase constructs value. This suggests to other attendees that because multiple people are buying something, the products must be good (similarly to the white elephant game) (Cialdini, 2021, p. 77).
• Scarcity: Special features and time-sensitive factors are enunciated to persuade a potential customer into believing this may be their only chance to get a great bargain or that the product is unable to be found in popular shopping locations (Cialdini, 2021, p. 78).
• Commitment and Consistency: Like many other multi-marketing companies, working participants fulfill their commitments to the brand or service they are representing (Cialdini, 2021, p. 78). By vocalizing truthful or false stories with their personal experiences through the item, guests feel a personal connection and can begin to visualize themselves with the promoted products.
• Unity: As participants purchase the Tupperware, a sense of community is welcomed. (Cialdini, 2021, p. 79).  Humanistic behavior craves the feeling of belonging and consensus. Undergoing an experience that provides association, and also is created by agency, makes people feel a part of something. In early childhood adolescents are exposed to the cultural colloquialisms living beings share. Familiar structures communicate the need to be a part of a community to identify a sense of self.

            What we can take from the Tupperware example is the visible power of the human need to belong to a type of group or organization. People enjoy feeling a part of something and being able to relate to one another. “Unity” as a principle speaks volumes, humans as a species need to be socialized in order to have proper skills, we don’t learn on our own like certain animals. We seek this out to be a member of the “in” group and mitigate loneliness.

An important note that Cialdini advises against is the manipulated usage of scarcity. Instead, he advocates for leaders to be authentic and transparent to those under their influence to maintain trustworthiness. Although scarcity can be used inappropriately, especially in C2C business-oriented firms, it can be properly utilized as a powerful tool to underscore the significance of semiotic persuasion. Alphabetical structures are used and organized in a way to influence a specific audience in calls to action, but the scarcity tactic can easily become unethical when copywriters and advertisers find loopholes that are misleading.

Cialdini’s text, Influence: New and Expanded, remains a foundational text within the social sciences and business fields. His comprehensive framework provides the reader with distinguishable pillars of influence at practice in everyday life. By expanding on the ways in which humans are persuaded to act in specific ways and influenced by people, we are able to improve our interpersonal skills in the office and in day-to-day activities. Even to non-business and leadership practitioners, Cialdini’s empirical analysis is still prevalent and useful. Influence is a social practice exercised in everyday life, not just in organizational environments. From feeling a sense of obligation to purchase an item in a store after a connection is made to believing the credibility of an online specialist simply because of stated titles, the principles of persuasion are essential for navigating life as mindful individuals.

Cialdini is an expert in ethical business strategies and thereby offers inspiring, real-life examples of moral practices. Organizations do not have to act unfairly to “get ahead,” and the tone throughout the book probes that the foundation of good business starts with a healthy organizational culture. Obtaining a mutual company culture is no easy task, but by understanding how influence is produced is a worthwhile first step.

By Cialdini’s exploration of the principles of influence and persuasion, he offers compliance practitioners with a foundational understanding of the instruments that shape human behavior and sway decision making within our organizations. These six principles, reciprocity, commitment and consistency, scarcity, social proof, authority, and liking, provide a comprehensive framework that brings transparency to how influence works as a leadership practice. What makes Cialdini’s work incredibly useful is the various apparatus that are elucidated through real-life examples, and not exclusively those in the workplace. The six principles of influence can be displayed in everyday activities and personal relationships.

The author finalizes Influence: New and Expanded by summarizing the need for the various editions of his text. Cialdini recognizes how contemporary life as of now is considerably different from other centuries because of the digital shift. Recognizing this change in ways we make decisions is a vital component of influencing personnel in organizations. People of all walks of life enter our workplaces, each coming in with a set of values and mindsets. According to Cialdini, leaders and compliance professionals who infuse their ideas with other influential individuals maintain a much larger chance at successfully implementing change (Cialdini, 2021, p. 447).

Leaders of organizations can benefit from Cialdini’s work and framework principles, which underscore the need for ethical considerations. Properly using influence is a paramount part of maintaining trust and integrity company wide. This text invites influencers to bear their gift of responsibility and ability to persuade others with caution, ensuring each strategy fosters positive outcomes. Those working under the guidance of leadership pick up on ungenuine tactics, therefore clear and concise communication, along with compelling visions, reduce the need to mitigate conflict.

Cialdini’s book provides limitless insights for leaders and their organizations by inspiring them to enhance the effectiveness of influential strategy. While each business and firm will seek different goals and obtain opposing structures, the application of Cialdini’s principles remains an attainable practice for any corporation. Decision-makers are able to craft compelling visions to implement throughout those they supervise, foster stronger and more meaningful connections with their teams, and obtain organizational success (culturally and financially).

Given the elements of social proof, authority, and emotional appeal, we can reflect on Cialdini’s principles as providing the reader with a deeper appreciation for the role stories play in leadership. Storytelling is an influential tool for channeling visions, values, and company goals. Communicating stories enable leaders to connect with their team on a deeper level. As storytelling is a practice exclusive to humans, the act in itself can evoke empathy and humanize leaders that may simply be perceived otherwise. The concessions between influence and narrative reiterate the significance of strategic communication in leadership fields. Stories can drive meaningful change and through this discourse, meaningful, lasting change can be invited to our workplaces.

Influence: New and Expanded remains a foundational text for all leaders, compliance practitioners, and those working in business-oriented fields. The application of Cialdini’s principles extend beyond theoretical frameworks but dissertate the effects of thoughtful communication. No leader is handed a manual on how to manage an organization perfectly, but this text offers the underlying principles on how influence is exercised between humans on a variety of levels.

IV

Theory-Based Text: “Power: A Radical View” By Steven Lukes

A professor of sociology at New York University, Steven Lukes focuses on social theory and moral philosophy (New York University, N.D.) His most popularly recognized theory is demonstrated in his “radical” viewpoint of power. Lukes’ academic theory is presented in this book and expressed in three dimensions: The commonly publicized overt power (decision-making), covert power (non-decision making), and the power to mold desires and beliefs (ideological). As a social scientist, professor, and author, he is more than a qualified contender for academic resources to support a research proposal pertaining to visual influence. These three dimensions are explored to encourage leaders to be aware of subtle ways that influential titles can affect culture, society, and companies.

 Lukes’ raises an interesting approach to power, comparing the practice itself to currency. Rather than a linear structure, he suggests influence is foreseeable in regular, everyday use, but additionally is deployed by experts and observers. “Folk” is a term he utilizes to differentiate experts and non-practitioners of power structures. Similarly to wealth, he mentions both “Folk” and experts alike share an immense similarity of not comprehending the same understanding. Nonetheless, “compliance experts” (individuals who study the field of leadership/negotiation) comprehend how power mirrors the way we view the world, culturally and socially, and how we ourselves immerse ourselves within it.

Power operates observed in addition to typical and he argues influence is most effective when not extravagantly observable to agents and observers, as well as when power doesn’t necessarily need to be exercised. The conception of power is a means of our way of navigating life and grants us the capability to judge when power is exhibited. Although the author suggests each individual obtains a unique viewpoint on power amusingly contrasts with the idea that humans additionally have divergent standpoints on what constitutes power (both “good” and “bad”).

Decision-based power is described as the “most public” dimension of power in Lukes’ theory. In the first dimension of power, he exclaims overt power is usually revealed where conflict is present in choice-making situations, specifically where winning is the incentive and influence is used to dominate against others (Lukes, 2021, p. 3). Lukes reinforces his decision-based power theory through the lens of slavery and discusses how dominating power is enforced. He explores this type of influence by the relationship of “dependence on the will and pleasure of others” (Lukes, 2021, p. 3). By using this analogy, he yearns to explain how the complexities of power go far beyond the “Denomination Debate,” a recent debate of the inherent essence of domination by political theorists and philosophers. In chapter five, Lukes’ continues the conversation by magnifying the idea of three-dimensional power with holistic, real-world examples.

Chapter four describes the nature of domination, and asks the fundamental question of what his book yearns to answer: what constitutes leaders to successfully gain compliance of the followers they dominate, shape beliefs and desires, and impose internal constraints in the facilitation of change (Lukes, 2021, p. 157)? The writer begins to introduce the immensely nuanced topic by dissecting this question into two parts: the measure of consent and manifestation of domination. He argues consent as a binary contrast, is a misleading concept and is both internally and externally shaped. Defining the purpose of this structure is to express the optics in which Lukes’ approaches the beacon of influence entails. When objecting other scholars’ opinions on these topics, such as James Scott’s distinction between thick and thin, he respectfully brings up points he agrees with, but counters with a logical statement and does not patronize other discernments.

The author suggests the power to dominate others does not necessarily have to be willingly exercised, but rather whether or not the influence is capable of being “benevolently” predicted (Lukes, 2021, p. 159). Rhetoric as a discourse requires a messenger to strategize the delivery in pursuit of influence. Hence, Lukes’ offers a plausible and creative perspective to consider while observing communication: influence can occur whether intentional or not, but the skill in which the particulars and universals of the counterparts can be predicted can play a large part in the success or failure of said message.

While discussing the domination debate, he highlights three features of power within this specific context. One being the evident attention of perceiving power is exercised by agents (both individual and collective,) denominational power is dispositional, and the tangible, asymmetric dynamic where the powerful influence others (Lukes, 2021, p. 162). Considering this nature, the author deems the relationship of balance and imbalance between multiple groups as too restrictive. Additionally, Lukes exemplifies the paradigm domination structure through slavery, the horrific ultimatum of systemic power.

Being a leader is organic and a law of nature. To commence the theory of power dimensions, Lukes’ critiques research completed by political scientist Robert Dahl. The first dimension of power highlights observable behaviors and frameworks of conspicuous choice making procedures, under the umbrella of influence. He discerns power in this dimension to be correctly measured by how a person or group can act on choices that affect outcomes in palpable conflicts. This is a crucial component of understanding power from the bottom-up, but the author also argues that this dimension alone is deficient in offering a thorough comprehension of influence.

Lukes describes leaders who are able to influence others to comply with an ideology of interest as “the ruling elite.” A notable point is brought up suggesting that understanding any type of political rule in America requires an idea of the role pluralism, a belief that the concentration of power in the United States shouldn’t be considered to extreme amounts as a result of unbalanced cogency (Lukes, 2021, p. 6). As demonstrated throughout the three dimensions of influence, metrics of perceived power from country to country will always be deemed differently due to cultural boundaries. Obedience from citizens becomes habitual when the pattern of coercion becomes fixed (Lukes, 2021, p. 6).

This ideology is a believable stance on the question of how collective influence is assembled. However, this framework becomes dangerous when the tactics used to receive compliance are through violence. Now, how exactly does this occur? Dahl’s hypothesis regarding proving the existence of a “ruling elite” is measured in three questions:

1. If the hypothetical ruling elite is a well-defined group (Dahl, 1958, n.d).
2. Is there a fair sample of cases consisting of moving political choices in which their interests counter with those of any similar group (Dahl, 1958, n.d).
3. Do the preferences of the ruling elite regularly prevail (Dahl, 1958, p. 66).

            Forging influence, especially through violence, is not an event that occurs overnight. Henceforth, the author responds to this question by looking inward and observing the credibility of authority. This ties into Cialdini’s take on how individuals have a penchant to associate experienced people as authoritative figures who are worthy of compliance. When a sense of urgency or fear is established, influence is more likely to occur with those who cannot recognize the patterns.

Lukes provides the reader with visible political examples to describe power in the first dimension. Throughout the course of the book, the complexities of power chronologically become more depleted in visibility. The first dimension invests within the external points of power, from where most people without influence in an organization can see. For example, staff members who are not in management see legislation and the implementation of policies well into the process. Choices made by leaders with the ability to influence are not decided on a whim, but both parties view the process very differently. In leading to the second dimension of power, Lukes describes how the underlying factors that shape executive decisions are cultivated.

Covert power is the second dimension Lukes expands upon in his ideology, which discusses how decisions come into existence and the facilitation of consensus. However, what makes the second-dimension intriguing is that it focuses more upon the deflection of preexisting injustices, not just in organizational locations. Multiple terms are used by the author to describe each dimension, which can cause the reader to be discombobulated at times. Nonetheless, Lukes additionally refers to the act of controlling a belief system as the “mobilization of bias.”

Peter Bachrach and Mortain Baratz are two professors whose thoughts are summarized to build upon the one-dimensional outlook of power. We see this exercised in political organizations and through actions of campaigning. The author provides an excellent example of the role bias plays in favor of conflict exploitation. For leaders, it is imperative to acknowledge how their own personal values intersect within target audiences, including external groups. Gramsci’s viewpoint of contemporary western social formations were formed by “the mode of class rule secured by consent” (Gramsci, 1981).

Lukes uses his thoughts on “ideological apparatuses” to reroute the Marxist approach to the territory of ideals, values, and beliefs (Lukes, 2021, p. 13). While he adds that this redirection did not contain a large amount of scientific evidence, it did add an acceptable new interpretation of consent. Not only were new layers unclouded, but Lukes’ asserts that Gramsci’s approach refers to consent as a psychological state that makes acceptance of the current socio-political order a part of the influence process (Lukes, 2021, p. 14). Because humans subconsciously process socially learned orders from a young age, Gramsci’s framework for comparing and contrasting how consent provides effective insights towards how influence occurs.

Lukes elaborates on the second dimension by selecting examples of how influential “actors” have the ability to shape an audience’s agenda to please their image. Organizational interests fluctuate throughout time as companies grow, and these are crucial to regularly discuss because these actions could influence business partners to exclude labor concerns from those particular agendas. This can be an issue for many reasons, one being that a leader’s dominance prevents challenges to authority. When gatherings and discussions can be adequately planned and monitored, the powerful actors are able to successfully maneuver the context in which executive decisions are made and how effective or detrimental they will be.

A gray area that Lukes does not include is how positive and negative power are measured. The strikingly provoking concept that we can conceive of power narrowly allows us to explore the metrics of potential. How is power and influence quantifiable? He defines power as affluent potential, alongside the capacity to secure compliance. In addition to the term, Lukes finds preponderance in what he calls “three-dimensional power,” the ability to secure willing consent by molding and influencing beliefs, a sector of power whose mechanisms are reachable by third-party observers. Being the third edition of the text, the writer elaborates on these two dimensions. “Domination debate” is an idea created by the author which expresses the relationship between the will and pleasure of another individual on others. This ideology is looked through the lens of slavery, one of the most historically dehumanizing and vile forms of power. He uses this example to force the reader to be in an uncomfortable position and exemplify how long historically driven power can exist.

The third tract is the most radical and guileful dimension of power in Lukes’ theory and encompasses the action of shaping desires. Lukes offers an interesting analysis suggesting that the art of influence operates through forming other’s preferences and perceptions in a way that makes them tolerate their place in the way of a present circumstance. By challenging the notion that power is simply a means of observing visible conflict, he offers examples exerting how influence works behind closed doors through controlling agendas before conflict manifests. While the second dimension looks into agenda-setting and why specific rules were not established, contrasting to the rationale for the decisions that were already made within a staff setting, the third shows the complex layers that correspond to intended influential outcomes with an audience.

Lukes challenges the typical definition that comes to mind when people think of power, such as the idea that the action is directly related to force or domination. The political and organizational examples the author includes throughout the book support his belief that influence is at play in covert ways, while simultaneously suggesting the most effective decisions are made in this facet. Managers and supervisors have the capability to influence in multifaceted ways, not only by sealing deals and making executive choices. Lukes demonstrates that power is seen in various dimensions to shape public opinion and prevent discrepancies to a status quo.

Although Power: A Radical View primarily focuses on three sectors of influence and challenges the idea of power exclusively relates to coercion, he concludes the novel by inviting a fourth dimension. Power in this level “postulates that subjectivity or individuality are understood as social constructions, whose formation can be historically described” (Lukes, 2021, p. 167). At first the viewer may be confused as Lukes heavily insinuates his theory as being structured by three divisions. Disputatious discussions have arisen between various authors who study power and suggest that three dimensions are not enough to explain the depth of influence (Lukes, 2021, p. 167). This fourth dimension defines power as “formation.” The author introduces the question of whether a fourth dimension is necessary for recognizing how power dynamics affect organizations and social structures.

A rather ambiguous question, Lukes offers a neutral stance and remains content leaving the inquiry undecided. The goal within the text was to represent a series of sequences that depict how each dimension exists within our society. “Dimensions” as a term is reiterated as a form of understanding aspects and the mechanisms in which social facts of power are constituted (Lukes, 2021, pg. 168). While not completely partisan to a fourth dimension, he is not convinced that adding a fourth dimension necessarily advocates for an answer that the other three are unable to.

Furthering the discussion of the third (and most ambiguous) dimension, Lukes is able to objectively show how this idea is at work, even though there is usually a consensus between the powerful and powerless. The third dimension holds the power to influence individual or group desires and thought processes, such as pushing them to see potential benefits from interests that would only actually benefit the leaders. Foucalt’s ideology of individuals as subjects, that are defaulted into subjection of coercion and dependance, as well as holding the ability to hold an identity by knowledge (Foucalt, 1982, p. 208). Similar to three dimensions of power, Lukes interprets Foucalt’s subjectivity theory into a trio of expressions – social constructions of subjectivity, shaping dispositions, and the facilitation of autonomy (Lukes, 2021, p. 169).

The creation of social ontology is connected to human agency within these specifications. By writing about how “normalizations” are formed, the composition of how hegemony comes into fruition can be navigated further. When a domain can be multifaceted, such structures also have the capability to be vanquished. Haugard, a believer of a fourth power dimension, is referenced by Lukes to display how human agency has the ability to be systematically crushed by domination within radical state of affairs such as concentration camps, slavery, and solitary confinement (Hauguard, 2020). Within this idea, Lukes broadens Haugard’s explanations by suggesting the way social behaviors and colloquialisms are presented to us throughout early adolescence shape how individuals respond to discipline.

Differences between sexes are briefly scrutinized within the chapter inquiring a fourth dimension. Lukes uses examples from Bourdieu, a French sociologist, to dilate the interfaces men and women are typically socially predisposed to, such as the undermining symbology Kanter suggests in “tokenism.” This perspective correlates to Lukes’ thought-provoking discussions about ideology, hegemony, and the role popular media and academics play in forming social consciousness. Influence proliferates depending on the particular audiences receiving a message.

The term “habitus” is continually used throughout the text, another word describing the normalization of negotiation culturally. Bourdieu states that women exercise discipline on and against their bodies as a natural response to patriarchy, and follows with an example of women’s habitus in a traditional Kabyle society (Bourdieu, 1979). In this borough of Algerian culture, during interactions with men (of any relation,) turn their eyes away to display modesty, whereas men are expected to hold their heads high.

To many cultures, this behavior may seem infuriating and inappropriate, but each person is programmed to behave in a specific way for a specific reason. As children, we learn to repeat behaviors from our parents and are influenced by those who have authority over us. Following this, Lukes ponders Foucalt’s idea of “docile bodies,” the act of normalizing disciplinary practices. This theory suggests that characteristics are embedded in people’s demeanors that are shaped to fit their social roles that simultaneously enable and constrain them (Lukes, 2021, p. 170). In market-oriented societies, both writers stress that more likely than not, those socialized within such cultures are predisposed for life within them.

An example of this structure in practice is Amish culture; many Americans view the lifestyle as degrading and sexist due to similar values of purity and modesty. Yet, their culture views most American values to be indulgent and not ideal as well. Neither is inherently wrong with any culture, but supported by the idea that power is at work within systematic ways and proposed in these three dimensions. Comparing the two, one reflects on insistence as a dichotomy of repression and production. The mutual entanglement of both constraint and agency demonstrates the internalization of social norms, and it is capable of being affiliated with liberation.

The relationship between the terms “subjection” and “view of self” are viewed as socially constructed factors. Lukes tables the concept that both meanings are produced and attached by items spamming the whole alphabet. As part of Focauldian themes and the tie between power and knowledge, social ontology is a researchable method of cultural studies and opens the door for influential conditions (especially within topics corresponding to denaturalizing both race and gender) (Lukes, 2021, p. 171).

Chapter five, “Compliance without Consent,” invites readers to consider systematic non-three-dimensional power. “The Power of the Powerless,” a foundational essay written by Vaclav Havel, in 1978, exemplifies the nature and mechanisms of power in post-totalitarian Czechoslovakia. Haven was the president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 2003 and wrote this classic piece of literature to provide an acute analysis of the mechanisms in the “post-totalitarian system” where socialist governmental practices used to be practiced (Lukes, 2021, p. 171).

Game theory and tightly controlled tactics resulted in heavy punishments for deviance and laws were a crucial element of propaganda pushing the arbitrary exercise of power. Key nodes were lacking in production cycles, which resulted in managers having little influence towards customers. A slogan, “Workers of the world, unite!” were routinely placed in windows by business owners, compelling other citizens to accept the established rules of the strict “game.”

By providing these examples of ideological control in Czechoslovakia, Lukes exemplifies how citizens’ beliefs are shaped to be linear within their interests. Ultimately, this minimizes the possibility of disputes between leadership and the city’s occupants. The author describes how the  slogans placed in shop windows (by those who were rebelling against the established system) to influence the viewers gave them “inner coherence”, and the people are the ones who are the binding principle who mobilize the message (Lukes, 2021, p. 173).

 Because the inhabitants were coerced into the mindset of living within a lie, they naturally accepted life the way it is within these beliefs. The slogans themselves allude compliance to the reasons why such pictorials were required in the first place. A sign requires an intended reader, and in this case, it was put in place to prevent potential informers from approaching the managers who were resisting the strict law at the time and hide others’ low obedience.

If the shop owners were to remove their signs from the storefront windows, the probability of them being accused as disloyal was almost inevitable. By participating in such behavior and stating the authentic beliefs towards the current system, the whole system could have crumbled (Lukes, 2021, p.174). An important note is stated by Lukes which raises the point that Czechoslovakian citizens living in a ritual of appearances is not a concrete example of successful indoctrination, but rather an unsuccessful ideological apparatus (Lukes, 2021, p. 173).

While the writer admires this essay, he implies the approach as patronizing and was historically inaccurate. Lukes responds to “The Power of The Powerless” as condescending as a result of the enigmatic insinuation that blames vulnerable groups, in addition to correcting the reasons state socialism actually collapsed: when activism won over conformists (Lukes, 2021, p. 174). By segmenting the past comprehension of “rules” a community once were required to comply with, he takes a further step into studying the digital translation of this seen in online sites such as Facebook.

A discussion follows this idea, mentioning how cultural and social norms can perpetuate power dynamics by shaping individuals’ perceptions of what is normal or acceptable. In conclusion, the third dimension of power is not exclusively about leadership making decisions or operating an organization’s agenda, but rather influencing how the members of the group perceive one another and interests of the mission. Now, while it seems obvious that humans instinctively learn how to be influenced by the social circumstances dealt with Lukes questions how far these can be generalized and more importantly, where, when, and how does this embodied knowledge set limits to self-transformation (Lukes, 2021, p. 147)?

Despite this general understanding of “alchemy” of power instilled within our bodies, finding the reasons as to why social and biological components intertwine these effects has been a difficult transmission. The author questions the inscriptions of social power embedded within humans as a metaphor and if said metaphor furthers any explanation of embodied behavior (Lukes, 2021, p. 149).

Body language, perpetuating social class, and expressing gender are all deemed responses to cultural influences. From this historical practice from early socialization to the digital age of mass media, Lukes states the ability to secure compliance has shaped the desire to dominate (Lukes, 2021, p. 149). There have been various editions of this text, and this example is a clear example of the significant ways power remains intact despite historical changes, but coevally imposes vastly different internal constraints (Lukes, 2021, p. 150).

The internet and social media applications have provided a higher quantity of platforms to shift power dynamics. Multi-level marketing on internet applications shares the same interests and interfaces as those affiliated with the Tupperware organizations. The strategies are practically identical, both interfaces build call to actions by similar interests and consensus. Online platforms, however, now have a wider audience to influence and can discover those who desire unity through data tracking and advertising. Lukes’ concept of power structures historically retaining stagnant, yet simultaneously requiring to adapt to online trends, explains how this cycle of power infiltrates the tests of time.

“Real Interests” and “False Consciousness” are two approaches Lukes uses to help explain his idea of enculturating domination. The capacity to secure compliance is birthed through the shaping of beliefs and desires (Lukes, 2021, p. 150), but he asks the question of how this constitutes as depicting domination? Lukes responds by stating Marxists haven’t been able to confront this question in great detail because they perceive the third dimension of power as self-evident (Lukes, 2021, p. 150). The counter argument used to defend this proposition is that the root of power is class power, which does not leave space for doubt, as ideological domination is deflected by the pursuit of personal interests in hegemonic thoughts (Lukes, 2021, p. 151).

In attempt to identify the problem at hand while interpreting interests and false consciousness, he questions if it’s the Marxist approach to indicate exclusionary magnification of social class, or rather the self-assurance many secretaries attribute them to. Lukes adds a third option, which observes the concept that by scrutinizing power mechanisms may provide an external consequence of subjecting influence (Lukes, 2021, p. 152). He believes these possibilities contain legitimate connections between both familiar and justified criticism; an external standpoint is necessary to develop a defense for the third dimension, as well as invoking constraint upon interests (Lukes, 2021, p. 152). This approach ties in the foundation as to why influence is even required to occur in the first place. Impediments between opposing interests and obstructions in particulars and universals are in congruence with conflict.

While Power: A Radical View primarily discusses the indexicalities of power within three dimensions, he concludes the text by portraying the idea that each dimension operates within various social and political spaces, which can then be classified as closed, invited, or claimed. Additionally, he describes the “Powercube,” (an ironic outtake on the electrical extension) which also furthers the dimension conversation by implying there are also layers of “forms” and “levels” embedded in this theory.

Opening a can of worms towards the end of the texts can perplex the reader, but the Powercube shares a similar quality as the Rubik’s Cube – attaining perfection as a goal is elusive (Lukes, 2021, p. 190). Why would the author finalize his thoughts by introducing such a nuanced topic? Well, that may be an answer in itself. The goal of both cubes is to achieve alignment between all three components.

 In the context of levels, forms, and spaces, power is unattainable with alignment in this theory. According to Gaventa, the Powercube has been analyzed by several compliance scholars and activists such as social movements, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations (Lukes, 2021, p. 190). While these social groups originally reinvented this structure to be used within policy issues, there are studies depicting the high versatility such as digital inclusion (especially prevalent in social media today), environmental conflict, mental health, and peacebuilding (Gaventa, 2021, p. 14).

The Powercube portrays a groundbreaking empirical application of how transformative influence occurs and summarizes the three dimensions in similar ways, but is analyzed in more meticulous lenses. From specific interactions between social groups and ideas the Powercube presents, Lukes comes to the conclusion that when strong examples of successful dominating power occur, an amount of space mobilizes that influences people to go unchallenged for an extensive time. By discussing the questions the Powercube raises, he rightfully closes out the text by stating the research of his theory needs to focus on linkages between “effective intermediary actors and institutions and processes” (Lukes, 2021, p. 193).

Lukes makes a case for viewing power within three dimensions whilst simultaneously sharing his own moral and political ideologies to exemplify the inherent nature of influence. In pursuit of understanding these three dimensions, his claim yearns to further the study of influence – “A claim that demands argument and the best possible evidence,” which is one that imposes a rather convoluted challenge to a delving social scientist. To answer the questions of how we define and investigate power, the pluralists’ deemed unambitious view of democracy depicts a so-called “narrowly drawn” example of influence being exercised. Political influence has always been prevalent and visual, as we’ve seen in published cartoons and more presently, social media content. The mediums have changed as culture has progressed as we’ve seen in the transition from paper to digital materials. However, the yearning to influence remains stagnant.

            Lukes’ book is used as an innovative reference point throughout the social sciences, politics, and business fields. The text proves innovative solutions to furthering the understanding of how power is exhibited throughout a series of locations, both within our organizations and in leisure.  His radical view offers effective implications towards those in leadership fields and pushes leaders to acknowledge the discreet ways that power operates. Ethical implications will perpetually be found in organizational structures. As long as there is culture, disagreements between particulars and universals will live. Hence, as will conflict. However, Lukes’ text inspires leaders to tackle these issues by critically examining their own use of power and the ethical implications of them.

            From sociologists, political scientists, managers, and policymakers, Lukes’ unique three-dimensional frameworks can be leveraged in the practices of influence and aid in understanding the complexities of power dynamics. Even for readers in non-managerial positions, the text remains to be an essential read for the pursuit of knowledge pertaining to human connection and power. No business operates independently, there must be a target audience receiving a particular message. Humans are social beings and share the special ability to influence one another in immeasurable ways. Any reader can gain insights into the hidden, persuasive ways that power can mold cultural, organizational, and societal systems.

V

The impetus of this research proposal is driven in the aspiration to explore how dissecting leadership storytelling permits the pursuit of organizational and business strategy. Selecting video games as a medium for these interpretations provides a unique and contemporary context to decipher the messages behind visual element choices. Important questions pertaining to digital formats would be considered in the research, including how do we interpret signs and symbols differently digitally versus tangibly, what the etymology of these stories’ foundations are derived from, and what strategies can we learn from the successes and failures of leaders in these narratives?

Using a semiotic analysis of graphics and symbols used in proposals would provide potential insights into how visual narratives can inform and enhance the way businesses utilize imagery in relevant documents. This interdisciplinary proposition not only builds upon the foundational theories studied throughout the coursework in Immaculata’s Strategic Leadership Program, but also addresses a tangible need within my professional field as a creative. I strive to bridge the gap between theoretical insights and practical application, using the dynamic and immersive world of video games to better understand and influence business communication strategies, particularly within the context of proposal creation and B2B marketing.

Influence of each course to my research thesis:

• GEN 502 – Methods of Research provided the foundation and structures for how academic research is adequately accomplished. Our textbook provided the foundation of how to start a research project from start to finish. Students learned how to complete research ethically and properly.
• LDR 600 – Foundations of Leadership – The course offered the impetus of what the Master of Strategic Leadership entailed and defined the importance of using historical and recent experiences to guide future leaders to leverage their potential. Rather than explaining what it means to be a manager or supervisor, the class learned the context behind that title and the historical connotations of important leaders. We analyzed positive and toxic exemplifications of influence throughout centuries.
• LDR 603 – Organizational Ethics

Organizational Ethics embedded the foundation of many topics discussed in my three selected texts; it was the most directly correlated course to what the MSL program entails. One assignment was to create a presentation on a specific topic pertaining to what are objectively suitable structures and regulations in an organization. My topic was “Responsibility and Agency,” which I found to be a rather tricky topic because of its nuanced nature. Understanding what the term “agency” meant in correspondence to organizational efforts was difficult. Tying the ethics of both topics concurrently increased my frustration.

 However, the essence and goals of my assigned topic genuinely helped me understand the application of leadership skills in the workplace. Being a good leader in an organization means acquiring the knowledge to mitigate conflict, and change is a commonality in the workplace that causes this to arise.

• LDR 604 – Theories of Change

The purpose of this required course was to provide students with a furthered understanding of how to ethically navigate organizational change. Companies and organizations lack functionality when concerned with remaining stagnant. The whole point of joining a group is to build upon the foundation in which it was conceived. However, change is an uncomfortable occurrence. Some employees are content with the way their organization is currently being run and others may be holding out in hopes of a complete structural change.

• LDR 605 – Politics of Leading

Learning the fundamental components of negotiation and rhetoric correlate directly to influence. To negotiate is to influence, and rhetoric is the art of that impact. How do we sway others? The hegemony and ascendancy of titles have the ability to affect thoughts and behaviors of people. One of the selected textbooks was based on the idea of “Getting to Yes” – facilitating negotiation strategies that reduce conflict.

An insightful component from our readings Politics of Leading week included readings regarding the humanistic idea of individuals acting with behaviors that benefit their own interest. This coincides itself within both personal life and the workplace. One case study we chatted about in class discussed the tactic of give and take; sometimes a business proposal seems fair at face value, but once in effect, can lead to undesirable legal consequences and bitter feelings.

People are more than their work, but I believe that one’s true qualities can be indicated based on an individual’s choice to work there, most likely acknowledging that they will be perceived with said agency’s values and stereotypes. Chapter 8 of our book mentions, “Actions speak louder than words – Your personal characteristics: ability, preferences, intentions, constitute the most important information that you have and others lack” (Dixit, A.K & Nalebuff, B. Pg. 239).

• LDR 610 – Environmental Leadership

Creating proposals is negotiation and influence, using rhetoric to gain rapport for a certain project and owner. As my current occupation in marketing for a commercial construction company, a large portion of responsibility relates to the generation of proposals and RFX materials. It is crucial to know marketing strategies, to influence the audience in pursuit of winning a project bid. Marketing is an influence in nature. It is my job to strategically use written communication to sway the business owners’ attention to your firm and show them why we are the best selection.

A specific complication I did not recognize previously to the course was the harmful effects of “Geotagging,” which essentially shares the location of a specific site or tourist location. As a result of this, poachers or other dangerous impacts to infrastructure can be a target because of the facile location discovery. The website exclaims, “When it comes to the location of wildlife, the not-geotagging suggestion becomes a must. Even in national parks, where obviously hunting is prohibited, there have been many reports of people doing so because they found the specific location of an animal through social media. Sherwin Banda, the president of Africa Travel Inc, said in an interview that “poachers are now using unsuspecting tourists to hunt their prey… While on safari, tourists post photos of animals to social media sites, not realizing that embedded within the post or the photo is a geo-tag containing the GPS location of the photo” (Banda, 2021).

Social media platforms are abundant in symbols to make information easily understandable, and geotagging as an example is a prime reason why glyphs hold an immense amount of power, sometimes detrimental to our environment. Visual literacy is a large portion of how we process information, and researching further into the reasons why this occurs could bring seminal knowledge to corporations.

• LDR 615 – Leading Digital Citizens

It is necessary in our digital age to master the art of strategic communication. Leading Digital Citizens questioned the validity of physical and digital spaces. All of our organizations include some facet of digital communication, and the theories discussed in this class expanded my opinions on how leaders should transfer information to their teams.

• LDR 621 – Strategic and Critical Problem Solving

As a person who is competitive with themselves, this course challenged me to think outside the box. Not only were the weekly puzzles satisfying to decipher, but the most important lesson throughout the class material was finding appeasement in the process. I began to recognize that the purpose of this required class was to focus on the learning component of the assignment rather than placing emphasis on getting it correct. This mindset is crucial for leaders to effectively and healthily lead. Humans are not perfect, and every solution we create will not always work. However, learning from these mistakes and how our mind solves problems can aid in the executive decision-making process.

• LDR 630 – Leading Across Cultures

This course expanded heavily on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, one including individualist and collectivist societies. Similarly to certain countries holding a preferred way of measuring success, the location of organizations plays an important part in tackling a conflict. Each country obtains characteristics that are learned throughout the circumstances we are faced with from a young age. The coursework material relates to my research by providing the framework to understand the accepted language syntax globally. Many video games are not created in the United States, and business etiquette varies from country to country. By applying the knowledge learned in this course, I will be able to interpret the visual and linguistic elements from my research materials within the context of Hofstede’s dimensions.

• LDR 640 – Power and Influence

            To connect my research to media and cultural products, I’d incorporate the analysis of three video games into each reflection of the selected texts to support my theories. Discussions of contemporary and historic tales and how circumstances in those plots emulate leadership practice in everyday life would provide support as case studies for defending my research. Selecting three games to analyze and conduct research through would be a suitable quantity.

The reason I’d select The Last of Us as one of the case studies for my research is because the story itself exemplifies the cultural practice of the human desire to belong to a designated group and look for structured security, whether that is as a leader or a follower. A recent study was conducted to deduce the effects of removing agency from the character/player dynamic, particularly in conjunction with The Last of Us Part II.

 Halfway through the long-awaited sequel, a player is impelled to play as Abby, a generally disliked character as a result of taking Joel’s life. The research elaborates on the willingness of a player to change their image of a playable character will be dependent on the level a player projects their own ideologies within the game and how much they are reciprocal to proactively generating interpretations of the various characters. (Erb, V., Lee, S., & Doh, Y. Y., 2021).

From this, we can conclude that fans of the original game are only able to build a neutral or positive opinion towards Abby by imposing their own ideologies and experiences as they play as her character. Preconceived notions are evident through a player of the sequel as attachments are naturally made towards the original characters, Joel and Ellie. Naughty Dog intentionally orchestrated the trajectory of the game to construct resentment towards Abby’s character by the time we play as her.

The creators minimizing agency from the player influences the individual to see both sides of the conflict and come to the realization that they are fighting over the same cause. Throughout the Power and Influence course, the class considered how the audience of a story becomes connected to characters who acquire qualities we share or yearn to be. The developers of the sequel invite the player to be influenced by engaging with Abby and The WLF to understand their practices.

The most interesting component in the storyline is how the leaders influence one another. While my research is primarily focusing on these types of behaviors, I believe this story perfectly complements the goal of understanding how persuasion works within different types of individuals. There are several groups that could be analyzed within The Last of Us. However, I’d want to focus on Fedra (The Federal Epidemic / Disaster Response Agency) and The Fireflies and follow how these groups influenced future organizations.

For my final paper in the Power and Influence, I decided to take the first steps into researching this topic. Alongside dissecting portions of the characters’ interactions with one another, I investigated a study that took a deeper dive into how the players themselves shift branches of agency from the influence of the characters. The previously mentioned study included examples of players who have and have not obtained knowledge from the first game. The “change agent” corresponds to this very component. The players who participated in experiencing the sequel of the game had drastically opposing reactions to the events than those who had not. With that being said, the survey results suggest that in order for the predisposed players to require the ability to themselves in the traits of Abby to be receptive to her intended influence.

Focusing on Fedra, an agency tasked with managing the federal response to the outbreak, would further investigate the manifestation of influence in holistic power structures. In the name of survival, they seized power over the entire government’s resources. Over the entire military, they declared martial law, suspended the constitution, laws, and agencies. The quarantine zones are heavily militarized, determining what work you do, where survivors live, when you eat, and the spaces you are permitted to exit.

The semiotics and hermeneutics of this branch of government are rather interesting, and I think studying interpretations are worth confabulating and would help deduce why Machiavellian power structures exist. Fedra doesn’t particularly crave power, but concurrently refuses to oppress people out of spite. The noble goal protects thousands of survivors, but because of the lack of historical context, their goals and particulars are not concretely decipherable. Fedra soldiers are simply following protocols.

The change of atmosphere and visuals between leaving Boston to Joel & Ellies cross country adventure is a perfect example of the signs I’d want to study. The vibrant colors, a scene of wild Giraffes, the greenery. Those images influence the player to deem Fedra as an irrelevant group. Additionally, the player can interact with hundreds of documents, journal entries, and audio logs that are scattered throughout the game’s settings to foster a sense of understanding between the relationships of other groups.

As players, we intrinsically view Fedra as the antagonist. However, the creators have embellished many forms of media, such as photographs, to see the soldiers during happier times. This humanizes Fedra as an agency, and the producer’s decision to allow a player to be influenced by this imagery suggests different possible approaches to The Last of Us’ message. Similarly to the various leadership groups influencing one another, the producers attempt to sway a player’s own viewpoint.

The Fireflies are a resistance group, they are outnumbered, yet still fight. This group is designed to remind us of groups such as the rebel alliance in the Star Wars Franchise. There are relations to the legend of robin hood, we are naturally created to sympathize with this group. Fedra is violent for necessary reasons and condones power over every citizen. The Fireflies are fighting over something that the players cannot explicitly see. They dismiss who Ellie is a person, the cure is mythical at face value. Writers want the players to feel lost and confused, in addition to the environment as a world of warfare.

The main characters are ambivalent towards the first scene where the fireflies attack. The writers intentionally try to strip fireflies of that relevance, they’re a bit “uglier” than other heroic groups. Cities have fallen apart as the fireflies have lost in their ongoing war with Fedra, and the writers want you to question their failures as an organization. We are unintentionally influenced by the producer’s choice when we react to the Jackson section – showing how Tommy (an ex-firefly) has created a location with the most “normality” of any other portion of the game.

An area of study that piqued my interest was the concept of particulars and universals. Measuring these factors can aid in understanding how capable one is of mitigating conflict with a particular culture. Particulars and universals are concretely evident in the narrative’s setting. In class, we discussed how finding congruence between particulars and universals mitigates conflict. Universals internationally recognized through culture are religion, shelter, food, language, family units, and warfare (Lowe, 2015). In The Last of Us, there has been a loss of culture within most social groups as people are more prioritized on security and safety rather than celebrating tradition. Each faction group has a series of particulars that measure success.

            Power can be translated through numerous styles of media and mimics behavior from real world behaviors. Storytelling is a practice exclusive to humans, and we create narratives derived from ideas or events expressed to us or that have been experienced by the individual themselves. The Last of Us is a story that contains many branches of discussion, but delineates practices of power, war, and conflict represented in historical events. All people participate in social groups and cultures, some are fabricated by choice and others we are born into. The Last of Us exemplifies the cultural practice of the human desire to belong to a designated group and look for structured security, whether that is as a leader or a follower.

            Another text I considered for my critical précis was “Power and Influence in Organizations” by Roderick M Kramer and Margaret A. Neale. While the text also analyzes emerging trends and perspectives on influential structures in organizations, I felt as if the topic was too broad for the sector of semiotics and deeper outlooks into frameworks within groups. The book’s description states the text material does include links between counter and accountability and effects of gender on power and influence. However, Kanter’s tokenism framework and practical solutions seemed more fitting for my research proposal.

Potential challenges that could come across my research are the lack of a specific goal and preconceived bias towards a hypothesis. Concrete types of visual influence would need to be defined to truly understand the application of power in both this relationship. As demonstrated throughout Lukes text, a crucial component of creating useful research towards visual influence, we have to look through the third dimension of power and see the origin of not only the environments the survey participants grew up in, but also the purpose of the media being analyzed as well.

Kanter’s text provides excellent background information for studying how different branches of fields work and are navigated based on statistics. For example, construction is a male-dominated career path, but understanding how women engineers and other paths in A/E/C fields are increasing displays growth and expansion opportunities.

We live in a culture of visual elements and the ideologies embedded throughout our morals affect how we perceive this information. Although the formats have changed, such as the transition from magazines to social media posts, the intention has remained stagnant. Every piece of media is shared for a particular reason and shares a story. My proposed research wants to expand on the psychological and cultural frameworks that shape belief from processing pictures and symbols because they are designed to tell a story.

Analyzing how people from various cultures and backgrounds interpret stories would permit me to further the study of influence by deepening my boundaries for understanding contexts. Story is used to facilitate change and can hold immense power over a group of people. Tying hermeneutics into this, we can see this accounted in religion and various sacred texts. These stories are interpreted in countless different ways, yet hold power in the way they navigate the world and interact with others.

At storytelling’s core, it is a variation of communication that transcends more than just words, but weaves together emotions, values, and cultural norms, creating a shared experience that can resonate with diverse groups in our organizations. This shared experience is crucial in leadership because it fosters a sense of connection and camaraderie between leaders and their teams. By furthering the understanding of power storytelling in modern media, leaders can convey complex ideas and visions in a manner that is both relatable and memorable. A well-told story has the ability to humanize a leader, making them more approachable and their messages towards the mission more impactful.

Analyzing power dynamics in the media can easily identify conflicts, a crucial skill for leaders to have under their belt. Stories that tackle challenges and showcase the resolution of conflicts provide a roadmap for followers, demonstrating practical applications of leadership theories and strategies. This not only educates but also empowers followers/employees to handle similar situations in both their professional and personal lives.

Additionally, storytelling aids in the preservation and transmission of organizational memory. Sharing stories of past company successes and lessons learned by leaders ensures that valuable knowledge is passed down to those in non-management positions, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and resilience. This continuity is vital in maintaining a stable and adaptive organization, capable of navigating the ever-changing business landscape. Storytelling is not just a tool for effective communication; it is a practice shown throughout various mediums (books, video games, movies) that share the essence of leadership. It is through storytelling that leaders hold power to inspire, guide, and influence others in their firms, creating a legacy that extends beyond their tenure.

In conclusion, the analysis of visual semiotics in modern storytelling and its correlation with leadership dynamics and power structures provides valuable insights into the complexities of influence and perception in both media and business contexts. By examining how video games utilize visual elements to depict leader/follower relationships, this research elucidates the mechanisms through which visual cues shape our understanding of authority and influence. Integrating theories from Kanter, Cialdini, and Lukes offers a robust framework to dissect these dynamics, demonstrating that the principles governing effective leadership in action/adventure video games can be applied to enhance leadership strategies in the business world.

This study underscores the significance of visual storytelling as a potent tool for conveying leadership qualities and power dynamics. Understanding how players interpret visual symbols in games can inform the creation of compelling business proposals, marketing strategies, and organizational communications. Just as video game narratives engage players and elicit specific responses through carefully crafted visual cues, businesses can harness similar techniques to influence client perceptions, build trust, and drive decision-making processes.

By bridging the gap between media studies and business leadership, this research highlights the value of interdisciplinary approaches in comprehending the multifaceted nature of influence. The insights gained from analyzing video game storylines and their portrayal of leadership can be directly applied to the development of more effective leadership practices in organizations. As we continue to navigate a visually driven world, the ability to interpret and leverage visual semiotics will be crucial in shaping the future of strategic leadership and enhancing the efficacy of influence within various cultural and organizational contexts.

            The overall work in the Master of Strategic Leadership program at Immaculata University has shaped me as a scholar and practitioner of strategic leadership by providing me with the necessary credentials to become the most effective leader in my organizations. By having a collaborative, peer-network, I was able to share my own experiences throughout various occupations while concurrently learning from other students’ involvements in their organizations. To be a good leader, it is quintessential to comprehend the alchemy of how culture, language, story, and experiences play in the momentum of influence.

An important fact I learned throughout occupational roles and coursework during the MSL program is that managerial titles do not automatically constitute an effective leader. Through the dissection of historical leaders, interpretation of narratives, and the implications of social dynamics, I gained a clearer understanding of how powerful the leader/follower structure is and how to leverage my personal impact in and out of the office.

            Coincidentally, I began working in my first leadership position at the beginning of my master’s program. Being a fresh slate allowed me to clearly measure my progression from starting until completing the degree. Although no human obtains the ability to be a “perfect” leader and I will spend the rest of my life in pursuit of becoming the most effective leader possible, my growth as a leader was undoubtedly visible upon finishing. Learning the various schemes that impact an organization’s mission offered me easier navigation while understanding my leadership approach than exclusively the work experience. During class, students could learn a useful conflict mitigation strategy which was directly applicable to encounters at work the following day.

            As demonstrated throughout Cialdini’s discussion pertaining to how expertise promotes influence, my confidence increased as I became more knowledgeable about the social mechanisms at play in organizations. Patterns became easily identifiable, and my conflict analysis skills strengthened through each class. Influence occurs as a result of us finding the statements or beliefs communicated from them as plausible.

 Besides the collective coursework and class meetings, the several meetings with my advisor taught me valuable lessons that pushed me to analyze myself to understand personal influence on others. Growing up, I was timid and reserved. The desire to lead and positively influence those in the schools and companies I was involved in was persistent, but the fear of being perceived as pushy or bossy controlled any facet of effort. Studying the origins of behavior allowed me to pinpoint how the values constructed in my childhood environment were the culprit of the apprehensiveness.

During the first meeting with my advisor to discuss the endeavors of this comprehensive research proposal, it came up in conversation that I never considered myself a “natural born leader,” a term commonly delineated to copious amounts of influential people. The response to this precipitous thought is something I will never forget, and provided me with an attitude that will follow me throughout the rest of my life. My professor advised me to refrain from such a limiting mindset and reinforced the entire purpose of this program with one sentence: “each individual on this earth is provided the ability to lead and influence, no matter the circumstance or cards dealt to them.” The loudest and tallest person in the room does not automatically determine an influential being, nor their credibility as a leader, but rather the ability to connect with others and understand communications on a holistic level.

I hope to carry out this research through a doctoral program one day and further the study of artistry and pictorials in relevant business materials. Stories have been a fundamental part of my life since childhood, and they have affected the way I interpret the world and interact with people around me. Characters and fictional settings are extensions of the physical realm we live in, and digging into the mechanisms of why messages are communicated through media. Interpreting stories and the power they impose on viewers is an important practice to me because of the change tales can facilitate.

Immaculata’s Strategic Leadership program has offered copious new ideas to my pursuit of a doctoral dissertation, as well as insights to who I am as a person and the role I play in my organizations. With the collaborative efforts of my professors and fellow classmates, I have gained a whole new perspective on social behavior and the infinite counterparts leadership holds. Earning a master’s degree in strategic leadership has made me a confident and informed decision maker, but also has taught me leading is a lifelong skill that is practiced through continuous experiences.

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