I wouldn't try anything.

The minute you begin controlling people, you become responsible for their behavior. People spend enough time already blaming their problems on someone else. Controlling them allows them to blame you for their problems.

It wasn't their fault, after all, that they behaved the way they did; it's yours. Sound familiar?

The fundamental principle of self-actualization is that we get to make our own choices, not someone else. Choosing for others is not freedom, it is bondage.

The "right" way to do it is to be a shining example for others to follow. By shining your inner light brightly, asking yourself moment by moment "Is this what I really want to do?" you will attract like-minded people into your life who can help you achieve your goals, and automatically turn away those who have nothing to learn from your message.

we as human beings are not enlightened enough to compassionatley control others,
and if by chance we were so we would most likely choose not to.
each of us has our hands full with our our evolution,
and would not be where we are without free will,
so why imagine making others be without free choice

It is a big enough responsibility to be in control of myself. I do not want the responsibility of controlling others. Also, I try to live by the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated; also, don't do to others what you would not want done to you. So if I don't want other people mind controlling me, I would not do it to them. Instead, love them and be a light.

i would make everyone become enlightened. then they would see the error they do each day. and they could work on becoming better. experience and enjoy.

When one has a position of leadership (business ,military, politics, parent) one often needs to have things done by others and may need to overcome resistance of these others to have these things accomplished

• .First: you need to know it is something that you would do yourself.
  
• Second: You need to empower the others with the knowledge that you are grateful and appreciate that they doing the task that you have asked.
  

• Thirdly:Believe in your decisions.

  There is the third eye method that The Traveler mentioned here in a comment once. That I have used to to help people believe in themselves.
  Otherwise live and let live.
  To quote the Temple doctrine of The temple of the Jedi order

Jedi use the Force only when it is necessary. We do not apply our abilities or powers to boast or be prideful. We use the Force for knowledge, and exercise wisdom and humility in doing so, for humility is a trait all Jedi must embody.

A good guide line when exercising your will upon others too
peace

This question implies disruption of harmony...as for myself, i would apply the law of attraction to my own life knowing full well that any beneficial changes that manifest in my life will automatically influence for the better those people in my direct environment .

Maybe I misread the question. The question asks about influencing people in your DIRECT environment? Im at work right now - so I imagined I allowed my co-workers to see who when and how they've ever offended anyone in the company, and I placed on them a strong urge to ask forgivesness from and amends with anyone they may have offended. I made them understand things they misunderstood and know things they didn't know that was causing them to misunderstand. I turned my job into a little heaven on earth. As I did this I found that ultimately what I was doing was visualizing my life as I'd like it to be. Isn't that really all this question is asking you to do? Visualize/see things as you'd like them to be, not as they are.

I think this could be a wonderful thing to bring people the peace they crave. Think of when you see a child about to step into traffic, how you save that child from being killed unnecessarily. Sure you could say "I don't want to interfere in that child's free will!" Then watch in horror as that child gets ran over, but you know you have the power to stop that and you know that child doesn't want to be killed. Would you deny that child this act of love and courtesy and compassionate action?

I believe if we could help bring people peace they seek though showing them in an inspiration (that I believe God does all the time) it reveals there is a better path than they are on. We may reveal what it is like to experience what they are about to do to someone else and what that would lead to for them that they do not want.

Think of showing the person about to beat his wife the consequences and then showing the consequences of compassion. This is just revealing what will bring peace and happiness. The one that is about to beat his wife feels that is the only way he will have peace. If I revealed to him the consequences of what he was going to do, then he will see that this will not lead to peace but far more suffering and pain than he is presently experiencing. But now the results of compassion and how that leads to peace then he is in position to see there is a fork and he has a choice: does he want what will lead to real peace?

Ultimately everyone wants happiness and peace. If we had the power to reveal to people the mistakes they are about to take, then we could be peace makes for the world. All of this does not interfere with their free will to act or not act on what was given them it just shows a clear way to what would bring them the most peace.

If I had the power to make people do whatever I wanted them to I would be grateful and at the same time extremly cautius. Never ever would I use this power without consulting the person conserned and teling tham that I could help them if that is what they wished. Lets say for instance I know of someone that abused drugs. I could help them if they so wished it and would explain how and make sure they understood what I was trying to convey to them. If they want that help good and if not its also good for it would be their free choice.

In circumstances where the person is unconscious or too young like babies and small children and they can't give permission I would use my own discretion and help for after all if I had such a power it must have been given to me for a reason and those others wouldn't have come into my life if it wasn't for me to help them in some way.

And if by any chance I helped someone I shouldn't have but out of compasion for my fellow human beings I couldnt help mysef than so be it for I would take on full responsibility for my actions like any good human should.

This is very interesting. Who would not try to get others to see their point and do things their way. I believe all you wonderful people would use the power and abuse it while your at it. Many people would be tempted to use their powers. Truthfully I believe we all have that power. So, It wouldn't be useful for long because everyone would see what was happening right away. Then they would be influencing you. Which is just about how the world works now. What ever we wanted others to do would done differently then we instructed so we would be hand holding all the time. What, an energy drain. It might be better use of our time to gather our power and direct our selves into our own dreams and passions. So the whole thing is just to hypothetical.

I am having a lot of trouble with the "power to make people in your direct environment do whatever you wanted them to". In our househood of 4 people I tend to see things that needs immediate attention. So, what I do is jump right on it and get it taking care of, because I want to show an examplary way of living: the question is if you continue to do those things and nobody is ready to help when the same situation crop? Do you tell them or you continue expecting one day they might see what you are trying to show them.

I believe that I have the energy, strength to continue whatever needs to be taking care of; but I won't turn-down a helping-hand. There is a reason why I am placed there at that moment: whether to save a child from being hurt, rescue someone from a burning building; doing choas your kids were suppose to do. Instead of shooting or controlling them I just do it. Hopefully, they see it which I know they do: and practice it.