There are two basic types of leadership: Positional and Influential. The first is a leadership role where it is in your job description to lead others; the second is leading by influence rather than by any type of formal authority to do so.
What exactly is influence? Merriam-Webster defines it as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.”
Note that the definition of influence is neutral: your influence could be positive or negative. You could influence like Martin Luther King, JR….or like Charles Manson.
To be clear: You can be a positional leader who leads by positive influence…I highly recommend it. This way, you are building trust, motivation, and the loyalty of your team. Yes, they have to do what you tell them to do because you are their boss, but how much better for them to do it because they are loyal to you, the team, and the company?
What’s the definition of leadership? Cambridge Dictionary defines it like this: “The people in control of a group, country, or situation.” Notice how basic this definition is?
MUCH has been written about the qualities and characteristics of a great leader…the types of leaders…etc. But leadership, as defined by Cambridge Dictionary, simply means whoever’s in charge of whatever.
Today, I want to talk about how to influence others when you don’t have the authority to do so. Why is this important? Here are six reasons:
#1 – You’ve been placed into a leadership role for a project where the other members of the team don’t report directly to you. While you will likely be asked to give feedback to each team member’s direct supervisor at some point, you aren’t their boss.
#2 – You want to be considered for your first leadership role. Being able to give examples of when you led by influence will significantly help your candidacy. You’ll also be sharpening your leadership skills along the way.
#3 – You’ve led before and want to do so on a larger scale. As with the previous example, being able to give an example of how you performed as an influential leader will help your chances for getting a positional leadership role.
#4 – You want to become a better version of yourself. Your efforts to inspire and motivate others will strengthen your best personality traits.
#5 – You want to get a better result. If you are part of a team that isn’t performing to its capacity, your ability to lead by influence might very well enhance your project’s outcome.
#6 – To build team cohesion. Building trust, gaining people’s buy in, and feeling like the team has each other’s backs is a great feeling – and a highly valued skill.
What are the characteristics of someone who is successful in leading by influence?
-Confidence. If you project confidence, your team will gain confidence in you. If you are jittery, panicky, and indecisive…your team will not likely have confidence in you and your decisions.
-Expertise. If you have a reputation as a thoughtful, nuanced, and critical thinker, people will hear you out when you propose a new idea.
-Emotional Intelligence. You listen to their needs, understand their point of view, and help them develop solutions to problems they bring up.
Here are nine strategies for leading with influence rather than authority. Some of these speak to actions you can take in your day-to-day work life, whereas others are specific to being on a group project or team where there is an opportunity to lead through influence.
#1 – Use your expertise. You don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, of course, but using your knowledge of your work function or industry can help you make powerful recommendations and requests. We’re not talking about bragging, but rather not being hesitant to mention an accomplishment, an award you recently received, or other skill or competency you possess. Learning how to self-promote without coming across as a know-it-all is a valuable skill.
#2 – Build relationships throughout your organization. Build genuine relationships by practicing active listening, showing empathy, and being approachable. Ideally, some of those relationships should be with others who lead through influence, so you can learn from them.
#3 – Create an open environment. By creating a transparent and open environment with communication flow and collaboration, you will be in a much better position to lead by influence.
#4 - Understand your audience. Get to know your team members, their motivations, backgrounds, and goals. Frame your interactions with them accordingly.
#5 – Expect resistance. No matter how well you navigate this process, there will be those who resist your attempts to lead by influence. Allow them the opportunity to air their grievances without becoming defensive.
#6 – Be a team player. Deliver on your promises, suggest great ideas, and know when to take a back seat so others can shine. Help your colleagues out by taking on extra work or staying late when needed.
#7 – Recognize other people’s work styles. Whenever possible, adapt to the work style of the group as a whole or certain individuals. You’re not trying to be someone you aren’t, you’re simply showing flexibility and an ability to read the room.
If you are working with an individual or group that prefers to brainstorm for quite a while before deciding on a course of action – do your best to accommodate that. If the individual or group tends towards decisiveness – do your best to accommodate that.
#8 – Simplify things. Utilize your verbal and written communication skills to succinctly express your project proposal or idea; busy people don’t have time to try to interpret a complex proposal.
#9 – Spread positivity. Regularly give recognition, maintain a positive outlook, and approach situations with a growth mindset. People will gravitate towards you – and want to work with you.
Here’s my bottom line for you today: DO NOT wait until you’re in a leadership position to exercise your leadership skills…you may never get the opportunity. Rather, look for strategic opportunities to lead by influence, and be sure to keep track of those situations as you update your resume and LI profile.
One more excellent tip: As you have these opportunities and experience success around leading by influence, ask those who had a front-row seat to write you a recommendation about that experience for your LI profile. This is so powerful: rather than just you saying you were a tremendous success, a third-party expert is extolling your strengths.
If you are a high-achieving professional with the goal of landing in the C-suite, the Highly Promotable coaching program may be just the ticket! This 1:1 program is targeted to strategically leverage one of your strengths to become a signature strength — and move the needle on one of your developmental areas so it becomes a strength.
This is a four-figure investment in your professional future! If this sounds like just what you need, schedule a complimentary introductory call to determine if you are a fit for Highly Promotable:
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