How to Influence Without Authority in the Workplace
It is often joked among managers that “with great responsibility…comes no power”.
Although managers are accountable for the success of their team, they often have limited control over the various stakeholders and decisions involved in the broader organization.
Evidently, a manager’s role heavily relies on being an expert at influencing without formal authority.
This skill set is not exclusive to managers and has relevance across various roles. The ability to exert influence regardless of your position can be more effective than merely having people comply with your orders as it often inspires individuals to go above and beyond.
In this article, we’ll be discussing:
What Does Influence Without Authority Mean?
Influence without authority refers to a person’s ability to affect decisions, actions, or opinions without having formal power or control over a situation or individuals.
In the context of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, there are real challenges to motivate an organization, especially when people don't hold direct managerial authority over certain aspects.
The concept of influence without authority underlines the importance of persuasive communication, leadership, and expertise in driving change and promoting diversity and inclusion.
Here is an example of being able to lead without having direct control:
Sarah is a team lead in the organization and is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion, but she lacks a formal directive by her workplace.
Driven by her desire to affect change, Sarah organizes informal discussions and webinars, inviting colleagues to explore the benefits of diversity and inclusion, sharing data and real-world examples. She leads by example, practicing inclusivity in meetings and advocating for fair hiring.
Sarah builds relationships, networks with senior leaders, and engages them in conversations about the advantages of increased diversity at the company. She collects data highlighting its positive impact on employee satisfaction and retention, presenting it to decision-makers.
She collaborates to establish Employee Resource Groups, creating safe spaces for DEI discussions. Sarah's persistent efforts influence the organization's approach to diversity and inclusion, driving positive change in HR practices.
Why Influencing Without Authority is Important
Occurs daily in the modern workplace
Today’s work environment is characterized by remote work, hybrid teams, and collaboration across global time zones and cultures.
Employees frequently encounter situations where they must influence crucial stakeholders to achieve objectives, even when they lack the seniority to do so. This challenge is particularly true in startups, where staffing is limited, and there is an absence of traditional hierarchies.
Demonstrates leadership development
Acquiring the ability to impact others regardless of their formal positions empowers individuals to develop essential leadership skills, including communication, persuasion, empathy, and conflict resolution.
These competencies are valuable for advancing one's career and preparing for future leadership roles.
Increases productivity
Leaders who are able to inspire and positively impact others generally achieve higher productivity than those who dictate and control.
When people believe that their opinions and contributions are respected and taken into account regardless of official positions, they are more inclined to collaborate with peers and put forth their best efforts.
Builds better conflict resolution
Effective influencers without authority are skilled at active listening and understanding the perspectives and emotions of all parties involved in a conflict.
This empathy helps them address the root causes of the conflict. Instead of escalating problems, employees can engage in dialogue, negotiate, and find mutually beneficial solutions, creating a synergistic work environment.
How Do You Increase Your Authority?
Understanding the sources of power in your workplace allows you to tailor your influence tactics, build productive relationships, and increase your chances of successfully affecting outcomes even when you lack formal authority.
Here are the 3 main ways to increase your impact in the workplace:
Grow Your Expertise
Becoming an expert in your industry or specific field enhances your credibility and qualifies you as a subject matter expert.
It allows you to speak to your recommendations with a strong level of confidence, making others more likely to buy into your ideas.
Further possessing unique skills sets you apart from others, making your insights increasingly valuable to the team.
To become an expert, adopt the mindset of a lifelong learner. Sign up for certifications or online courses that enable you to develop the necessary skills.
In a world with rapidly changing trends, it’s important to keep up with new developments and update your skills accordingly.
2. Build Relationships
The foundation for impacting others, regardless of your formal title, rests in building relationships with colleagues based on trust and mutual respect. People are far more inclined to listen to you if they have a favorable impression of you.
To develop strong interpersonal connections, emotional intelligence (EQ) is key. Emotional intelligence is your ability to understand and regulate not only your emotions but also those of others.
Emotional Intelligence can be improved by developing the following skills:
Self-awareness
Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and behaviors better equips you to identify the feelings of others and navigate complex emotions. Research from the Harvard Business Review found that individuals lacking self-awareness tend to make poorer decisions and are less effective in managing conflicts.
Self-awareness can be achieved through practices such as journaling to reflect on your workday and identify patterns in your behavior.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to effectively manage your thoughts, emotions and behaviors. It is closely linked to self-awareness, as those who can identify their emotions can take necessary steps to regulate them.
To improve your self-regulation, resist impulsive actions by pausing and clearing your mind. Engaging in activities like breathing exercises or brief walks can help slow down and allow you to contemplate how your actions may impact others.
Active listening
With all the information we’re overloaded with every day, being an effective listener isn’t easy. Poor listening habits affect more than 70% of employees, leading to misunderstandings, errors, and damaged relationships.
To be an active listener, engage in the conversation through non-verbal cues such as nodding and asking follow-up questions that push the conversation forward.
Appreciation
Great leaders acknowledge the contributions of those around them. Having gratitude for your efforts and those of your colleagues helps maintain a positive workplace attitude and motivation.
Showing appreciation will also strengthen your relationships as it demonstrates that you value the behind-the-scenes efforts.
3. Understand Your Organization
Having a deep understanding of your organization's inner workings and processes positions you as a reliable resource for accomplishing tasks, irrespective of your formal job title or position.
Understanding proper procedures such as how resource allocation works or how to streamline the approval process are all ways to increase project success. With this knowledge, people are more likely to collaborate and support your efforts when they perceive you as someone who can effectively navigate these organizational intricacies.
Gaining a comprehensive understanding of your organization takes time. To do so, it is crucial to develop cross-functional relationships with individuals outside of your department, find a mentor, and participate in corporate events to widen your network.
5 Steps to Exert Influence, Even Without Authority
These are 5 steps for effective influence, drawing inspiration from the Cohen-Bradford model, which centers on influencing without formal power through the principle of reciprocity, where each party can provide something valuable to help the other.
Step1: Adopt an open mindset
Be open to the idea that unexpected individuals can become your most valuable allies. Assume that anyone has the potential to provide assistance.
Step 2: Get to know those around you
Recognize that everyone has unique career motivations and perspectives. Understand your colleagues by seeking answers to the following questions:
What does success look like in their eyes?
What is going to make them successful?
What can they gain from collaborating with you?
What are their working and socializing styles?
What aspects of their perspectives are unclear to you?
What are their non-negotiables?
What core values do they hold?
For some, finding meaning in their work may be paramount, while others prioritize strong relationships or gaining recognition and reputation. In order to influence effectively, understanding precedes all else.
You can initiate this process through one-on-one conversations over coffee or lunch, or by participating in team social events. With this knowledge, you can establish stronger working relationships and identify the wants and needs of others, making it easier to win them over as allies.
Step 3: Be persuasive
With the insights you’ve acquired, tailor your objectives differently based on your audience to mobilize their support. Utilize storytelling techniques to present your case persuasively and ignite passion in your audience.
Here are some tips to become a better storyteller:
Understand your audience
This allows you to frame your story depending on the general motivations and backgrounds of the crowd. This ensures that your narrative resonates more effectively with your listeners.
Clarify your story’s purpose
Determine the primary goal of your story. Are you seeking assistance, aiming to mobilize key stakeholders in their network, or trying to inspire your team members to improve their performance? Define the key takeaway you want your audience to leave with.
Choose an appropriate time and place
Recognize that storytelling can vary depending on the context. Conversations held over coffee may necessitate a different storytelling approach compared to formal team meetings. If your audience has limited time, don’t bother diving into a long-winded motivational story. Focus on delivering concise and essential information to efficiently capture their attention.
Share personal experiences
Real-life stories are impactful and help create a deeper connection with your audience. Share personal anecdotes related to the project you're working on or experiences that reflect how you've overcome challenges similar to those faced by your team.
Pay attention to your body language
Maintain eye contact to engage your audience, use hand gestures strategically to emphasize key points, and ensure that your facial expressions align with the tone of your speech. Effective body language enhances the overall impact of your storytelling.
Step 4: Don’t micromanage
Rather than dictating specific tasks, convey the desired outcomes you're aiming for. This approach empowers individuals by giving them the independence to address the issue and meet expectations.
For example, instead of making every artistic decision for your designer, give them the creative guidelines and desired end product. This approach allows the designer to exercise their creative freedom, delivering an innovative piece that aligns with the client's expectations.
Step 5: Deliver consistent results
Establishing a track record of successful performance is a strong point of persuasion for others to follow your lead. Consistently delivering results builds trust in your ability to get things done and allows others to rely on your expertise.
Remember that, as skilled as you may be, it's equally important to ensure the visibility of your competence for others to recognize your skillset.
The Relevance of Influence in the Workplace
Throughout their careers, most individuals will encounter moments, if not numerous that require them to exert influence without formal power.
How they handle these situations is indicative of their leadership potential and the project’s success.
By providing your employees with resources such as inclusive leadership training, education support through reimbursements, and the implementation of DEI programs, you are not only investing in the personal and professional growth of your workforce but also nurturing the development of your organization.
