BOUGHT IN by Brett Bartholomew: Influence Tactics Play-Call Sheet
com
INFLUENCE TACTIC WHAT IT IS
Exchange Offering a reward or benefit if
someone does what you ask
Inspirational appeal Appealing to an athlete’s or
team’s values, aspirations and
ideals
Ingratiation Getting someone into a good
mood before asking them to do
something or comply
Personal appeal Promoting a feeling of
friendship or loyalty
Rational persuasion Use of logical arguments and
factual evidence in order to
influence someone
These tactics can be used alone or in combination and should be tailored to what you believe will work best in a specific situation, person or group. There is no one size-fits-all approach.
WHEN IT’S USED
When someone is unwilling to
comply with a request without an
incentive
To influence team dynamics, behavior
or culture.
When giving critical feedback
When asking someone to comply with
a request or support a proposal, eg.:
A. To convince a sports coach who’s
given up on an athlete to give
them another chance
B. To convince an athlete who’s
about to quit to see things
through and trust your leadership
In scenarios where the relevance of
the facts is clear-cut, eg.:
A. To show an athlete that lifting
weights won’t make them too
stiff, slow or “bulky”
B. To show a head coach the
evidence of a team’s progress by
referencing the data
HOW IT’S USED
Choose a reward or benefit that’s relevant to
the person and the situation, eg.:
A. Provide alternative exercises in
training that the athlete can choose
from
B. Tell athletes that if they complete a
certain number of reps within a certain
time, you’ll shave off a rep at the end.
In team speeches, and mission and vision
statements
Use compliments to make people more
receptive to criticism by helping them feel
better about the situation, eg.:
A. In the sandwich technique, you give
a compliment, followed by criticism,
and then another compliment
Make a personal appeal for the other
person to see the big picture, to trust you,
and/or to trust the process
Use a logical argument or facts to
persuade the athlete that doing what you
ask will help them attain their goal
ArtOfCoaching.
RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES
Giving a little autonomy can be a big reward
and motivator.
Most effective when you and the team share
the same values, or you’re affirming their goals
or aspirations.
Ingratiation is best used as part of a long-term
strategy to build cooperation, rather than for
immediate influence.
Be careful not to overuse the sandwich
technique, which loses its impact.
Before you invoke a personal appeal, be sure
you have established a relationship prior.
Leading off with this tactic does not work well.
Rational persuasion can have a high impact on
some people.
But in many cases, emotion trumps logic.
 BOUGHT IN by Brett Bartholomew: Influence Tactics Play-Call Sheet
INFLUENCE TACTIC WHAT IT IS WHEN IT’S USED
Consultation Seeking participation or input in In situations where gaining someone’s
planning an activity input can be important to their long-
term success, eg.:
A. Get team captains involved in
decision-making
B. Work with an athlete to create a
sustainable nutrition plan
C. Ask staff for input
Collaboration Working within another Whenever it would be more beneficial
person’s parameters even if to collaborate than to blatantly point
you don’t agree with them out that someone is wrong, eg.:
A. A head sports coach wants you
to discipline athletes with a
harsh training session even
though it will set back their
performance
B. A client wants to do a workout
they read about that you know
has no efficacy
Legitimating Use of rules, policies or In order to set standards such as
procedures to get the behavior a dress code for staff or rules for
you want athletes – eg., no earrings, shoes must
be tied, no cell phones in the gym
Coalition Getting help from an athlete’s To influence the behavior of a rookie or
peers, teammates, family, or new team members
role models to influence their
behavior
Pressure Use of demands, threats or It’s questionable whether pressure
persistent reminders tactics are ever advisable. One study
concluded that they negatively impact
task-oriented and relationship-
oriented outcomes (Cheong, Han,
Kim, “How do I get my way?”, The
Leadership Quarterly, November
2016)
These tactics can be used alone or in combination and should be tailored to what you believe will work best in a specific situation, person or group. There is no one size-fits-all approach.
HOW IT’S USED
Rather than appearing as though you know
all the answers, when appropriate ask for
advice or input from athletes, team leaders,
and staff.
Acknowledge their desires and needs,
while still doing what’s best, eg.:
A. Set tasks that are challenging
enough to discipline the players but
are self-limiting, to minimize negative
impacts
B. Choose one of the safer, more logical
exercises from the workout and fit it
into your training program
Set clear-cut directives that leave no room
for interpretation about what you expect
Ask someone with relevant experience
or influence to speak to the athlete or
team – eg., have a veteran team or a
respected athlete come in to speak about
accountability, responsibility and how
they overcame obstacles
Examples include a head sport coach
demanding all previous weight room
records be beaten, or threatening an
athlete that if they fail to get on board
they’ll be forced out of the team
ArtOfCoaching.com
RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES
Consultation can create a sense of unity, which
leads to more acceptance, co-operation, liking,
and trust.
Athletes and staff don’t want to be with a
dictator.
If you empower people, and acknowledge their
desires and needs, you will likely get a greater
effort from them in the long term.
There can be strong resistance when
legitimating tactics are used too often, too
strictly or too rigidly.
Usually won’t work if this is your sole tool for
influencing detached or disinterested athletes.
Best used alongside a host of other tactics.
Think twice before using pressure tactics.
They may produce military-style adherence
initially, but athletes are likely to crumble in the
chaos of competition.