Congratulations—you’ve
been asked to lead a change initiative! But there’s a catch—its success hinges
on the cooperation of several people across your organization over whom you
have no formal authority.
In this age of
heightened business complexity, moreover, change itself has grown increasingly
complicated. A majority of change initiatives now involve multiple functions
within and even between companies, and many such efforts encompass an entire company.
Luckily, there
are steps you can take to improve your leadership skills and become more adept
at influencing those around you, even when you don’t have a job title that
commands respect.
1) Stop wishing
for control: If you think being someone’s manager will make things easier,
think again. Take someone to lunch who manages people and ask them what it’s
like to be able to tell people what to do. When they stop laughing, they’ll
probably tell you it’s even harder in management.
2) Move beyond
compliance: Sure, managers can get compliance, but effective managers bark
orders as a last resort. Think back to the best manager you’ve had…it’s
doubtful they were in your face much. Rather, they probably created an
environment where you wanted to take action. That should be your goal.
3) Care: If all
you know about the other party is what they can do for you, you’re missing the
foundation of influence. We’re all human – and most of us give attention to
those who show interest. Find out something they enjoy unrelated to work and
ask about it. Demonstrate that you care – and mean it.
4) Offer to
help: Almost every good team I know relies on influence over authority. Start
by spending one extra hour a week helping out others with a deadline. Do it for
awhile – and demonstrate that you’re a team player. People will help if you’ve
helped them.
5) Set
expectations: Just because you aren’t the manager doesn’t mean that you can’t
make agreements. Approach people before it’s a crisis. Tell them what you need
and what it will take. Be realistic on commitments (nobody likes a
bait-and-switch). Ask how you can make it easier. Try to make it beneficial for
them too.
6) Thank people
in public: When someone takes time to help, thank them. Maybe mention it at the
next staff meeting – or thank them in an email and copy their manager/team.
Virtually nobody takes the time to do this genuinely, so people notice.
The goal of
leadership without authority is to get others to willingly cooperate and
engage, rather than following directives because you're the boss. This new
style of leadership is a blending of personal and interpersonal skills that
form the basis of a leader's ability to impact, influence, and inspire others.
By
understanding your unique position, it’s possible to identify the key ways in
which you can influence the organization, affect real change, and bring about
your desired outcomes.
No comments:
Post a Comment