Three Levels of Support and How to Recognize Them

In the workplace, as leaders or individual contributors, we often have the need to influence others to gain their commitment and cooperation. (This skill is also quite useful at home!) There are three levels of buy-in we can get from others: commitment, compliance, or opposition. Although you may have to settle for compliance from time to time, your effectiveness may depend on your ability to get commitment from the key people you work with, both within your area and in other functions and departments across the organization. It’s important to examine your approach and its effect on others, to avoid being blindsided by another’s lack of commitment. Let’s look at the three levels in a bit more detail.

Commitment is your goal. You are most successful if the other person agrees with the action or decision you are asking her to carry out. A person with commitment is dedicated, puts forth her greatest effort, and shows initiative in finding the best way to do the work. Commitment brings with it self-discipline that does not need monitoring. People who are fully committed are willing to go above and beyond what is required without any outside pressure to do so.

Compliance occurs when the other person carries out the requested action, but is apathetic and makes only a minimal effort. Here you have limited success: you did get the desired action, but not necessarily the optimal outcome. Compliance is unlikely to result in innovative, collaborative solutions to a problem and will probably need more monitoring and oversight on your part. There are some rare cases, however, where compliance is all that is required, such as punching in at the end of a shift. Typically, though, even the simplest tasks can be done to varying degrees, for instance completing an expense report or leaving a room better than you found it (not just as you found it).

Resistance is the final possibility and applies to the person is opposed to your request or plan and tries to avoid carrying it out. It shows up in various ways and may be obvious or subtle. The person may actively work against you by going to upper management or soliciting others to oppose you. Alternatively, he may simply delay acting in the hope that you are not committed to the effort. Some of the most destructive workplace behaviors is when someone in resistance pretends to comply but tries to sabotage the effort.

There are a number of strategies for exerting influence on others. Before we get to those, consider these three levels of support, both that you get from others and that you recognize in yourself. Where are you getting full commitment from your co-workers? Did you do anything in particular to receive their cooperation? Are there situations where your efforts are opposed? How about your own show of support for others? Are you doing all you can to foster a supportive working environment? Supporting the efforts of others is a great way to strengthen relationships, build your own support, and nurture the workplace. Take some time to answer these questions and follow along as we explore ways to be more effective at influencing others.