If you’ve ever managed people or interacted with stakeholders, this will feel familiar.
Like this retriever who stays behind the line like they've been told, some people are inclined to follow rules and directions.
Others, like this border collie, are inclined to challenge the line.
So how do you approach influence?
People who tend to comply can feel easier to influence.
They often have higher baseline trust in authority or systems.
Set the rule, communicate it clearly, and it looks like the job is done.
But compliance isn’t the same as commitment.
Someone can follow a rule simply because it exists, not because they believe it’s the right thing to do.
The risk is you get high adherence, but low engagement.
If you want real buy-in, here’s what you need to do: Give them permission to challenge.
Now consider the challengers.
They can feel harder to influence because they won’t automatically accept the premise.
They want to understand why it’s sensible, necessary, or strategically sound. They’re often skeptical of authority and systems – unless it’s theirs!
The good news is that their resistance isn’t usually about being difficult for the sake of it.
It’s about deciding whether this is something they’re willing to stand behind.
It’s not about permission for them, because that can feel patronising.
Instead, it’s about ownership.
Make them think it’s their rule.
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