What does it mean to influence without authority? In most workplace environments, the people with the most sway over our behaviors and actions are those who have authority over us. You’re more likely to follow the instructions of your boss than your colleague because you know your job is on the line. However, not everyone in a leadership position will automatically have authority.

If you’re a team lead, the manager of a cross-functional group, or you’re responsible for guiding anyone else in your workforce, you’ll need to be a master in leading without authority, using your influential skills. Here’s what it means to generate influence without authority.

What does it Mean to Influence without Authority?

Leading without authority, or having “influence without authority” means knowing how to motivate, inspire, and direct teams, without actually having any official power over anyone. You don’t necessarily need to be a CEO or investor to be a great leader. There are various other sources of authority that have nothing to do with your job title, such as:

• Expertise: People with expertise in a certain area often act as leaders in a team, sharing their knowledge and helping professionals to achieve specific goals. You can use your expertise and understanding of a specific area to show your authority in a space.
• Relationships: The connections you have with other employees can also be a form of “influence”. If you have meaningful relationships with colleagues, they’re more likely to trust your input and take your advice or guidance seriously.
• Organizational elements: Some companies have processes and procedures in place which allow everyone to take on a leadership position in the right circumstances. If your company allows you to stand up and take charge in different situations, you can use this to influence your colleagues, provided you still consider their input.

Is it Possible to Influence without Authority?

The simple answer is yes – but it’s not always easy. Leading without authority requires professionals to build crucial relationships with their colleagues, built around mutual trust and understanding. In most cases, we’re naturally predisposed to be more “influenced” by people who have authority over us, but that doesn’t mean we’re unwilling to accept the input of others.

Using influential skills correctly, will help you to guide, motivate, and inspire other employees, even if you don’t have an official title that gives you power over your team.

How to Influence without Authority

Learning how to lead by influence takes time and focus. You need to be able to connect with your colleagues on a deeper level and use your expertise and relationships to generate success. Here are some of the top tips you can use to get started.

• Build credibility and trust: Think about which people in your team you trust to guide you in the right direction and help you achieve your goals. They may not all have power over you, but they do have a relationship with you. Developing a sense of trust among your colleagues is a good way to ensure they take you seriously. You can build your credibility by showing your expertise in certain areas, and demonstrating how your input has generated success in the past.
• Mobilize your allies: You’ll struggle to influence anyone in your organization without a solid network of allies. Even if your C-suite won’t give you a new job title to cement your authority, they should approve your plans and show their support of your leadership. It also helps to have colleagues in your team who can back you up and validate your credibility. The more people you have on your side, the more you’ll be able to lead by influence.
• Find common ground: A good way to ensure you can lead by influence, is to show the people you’re working with you’re on the same page as them. Highlight that you’re all trying to reach the same outcomes, and are working towards the same goals. Your team should be able to see evidence that your actions are focused on their best interests, not just your own. Sometimes, you may also need to be willing to collaborate and negotiate on deliverables, processes, and strategies, so your team members feel included.
• Listen to your team: The less you listen to and understand your employees, the less likely they are to pay attention to you. Be humble, and don’t try to take charge of everything without first listening to what your team members have to say. Make sure your leadership doesn’t get in the way of other people sharing their expertise and insights. Leading by influence requires you to let go of your ego, and embrace emotional intelligence.
• Tell stories to tap into a passion: To influence without authority, you need to be persuasive. Storytelling can help with this. It allows you to put your case forward in an engaging way while backing yourself up with the right insights and anecdotes. Use specific examples and anecdotes to explain your reasons for certain suggestions. It’s worth committing to bringing practical solutions to the table too, rather than just highlighting problems. Use your insights to demonstrate your value to the team.