Leading by Influencing without Authority

John Maxwell says that "Leadership is influence." If you had to sum it up in a word, that works. Yet the more I work with leaders in corporate America, I'm amazed at how little time they put toward becoming better influencers.

Have you noticed that you increasingly need to influence without authority? You're not alone. Increasingly we are responsible to deliver value with resources we do not have authority over. Could be due to a matrix organizational structure. Could be the work is split across multiple teams... in multiple locations. The best leaders realize they must manage "up" as much as "down". Add "across" to that and we have our hands full. To thrive in this environment, leaders must sharpen their ability to influence without authority.

In a recent group coaching session I facilitated with I.T. leaders, we wrestled with how to become better influencers. After discussing characteristics and behaviors of influencers we have observed, we identified the following steps to help our next influencing situation:

• Prepare ahead of time. It's been said that the average sales person "shows up and throws up", a graphic way of saying they don't prepare. Don't let that be said of you.


• When preparing, think about how the other person sees the world. Are they visual ("I don't see what you're saying"), auditory ("Do you hear what I'm saying?"), or more intuitive ("I don't feel good about this."). Prepare your influencing discussion accordingly.


• Consider their Social Style. Are they opposite, so to speak, from you? Be prepared to meet their style. For example, an Amiable may need to take a double-shot espresso and put a scowl on their face before influencing a Driver. An analytical may need to smile and be more animated when trying to influence an Expressive. An Expressive may need to shut up and listen when trying to influence an Analytical! Easy-to-remember tip: Match the other person's energy.


• How much trust is there in the relationship? If low, realize it will negatively impact your ability to influence. Make a plan for how to build trust, realizing it takes time--and more importantly, requires you to be trustworthy to them. Seeking win-win influencing situations is more than a novel idea--it builds trust for future influencing.

Influencing is one of those core skills that make the difference between a manager and leader. You get better at it the more you intentionally practice it, so take the time to work on the characteristics and behaviors of the influencers in your life.

For further reading: How to Win Allies and Influence Your Peers - Leadership Agenda - CIO Magazine Sep 1,2003

P.S. We can help you improve the influencing skills of your leaders. Give us a call.

posted by Andy at 1:14 PM