Fundamentals of Level Three Leadership

74. Level One Techniques

Concept

Level One Leadership or Influence techniques are any techniques that attempt to affect the way people behave, what they say and do. Level One techniques include rewards and punishments.

Rewards include incentives like gold stars, green jackets, recognition schemes, bonuses, raises, praise, vacation trips, wines, meals, and so on. Rewards are reinforcements in the Skinnerian sense. The premise, to repeat, is that people will respond, that is change their behavior, to rewards.

Punishments include reprimands, demotions, humiliation, threats, intimidation, physical and verbal abuse, fines, beatings, whippings, cutting off hands, seizing assets, and more. The premise is that if you punish behavior you don’t want, it ...