How To Influence Without Authority
Everybody knows how hard it is to influence somebody. Being in a position of power makes it much easier, because you can just give orders. Of course, ...
Everybody knows how hard it is to influence somebody. Being in a position of power makes it much easier, because you can just give orders. Of course, the downside of being in a position of power and giving orders is that people might start to resent you. Thus, one of the most important tools in a manager’s arsenal remains the ability to influence without authority. This is not an easy quality to gain and it takes years of perseverance in order to master it properly, but I think the results are worth it. Getting inside somebody’s head and influencing their decisions might seem a bit malefic but it is actually a better way to lead, that causes less animosity, than actually giving a direct order, which the employee has to submit to. Some of the topics that will be discussed in the paragraphs below include how to start of early with this technique, meaning from when you first train a new employee, or how to offer advice in an informal environment where the employee might feel like he has no other choice. But let’s stop beating around the bush, and see if you find any of my ideas about how to influence without authority useful:
1. Through training. Training somebody is the best way of influencing him and teaching him or her how to react when faced with certain decisions. If you train somebody, you gain the statute of a mentor, and thus you shall be always looked up at, so your ability to influence will increase tenfold. Starting fresh and training your own “army” is the best way to influence without authority.
2. Often state the principles or standards you follow. The best way you can influence without authority is to incept an idea into somebody’s mind. If you keep repeating certain principles and concepts you adhere to, than the idea, even though some of the employees were not consciously aware of it, will grow roots in their brains. Thus, after a while, having forgotten who they heard the idea from, they might claim it as their own, and therefore stick by it.
3. Offer advice and suggestions in informal settings. Another good way you can influence without authority is to use an informal environment to give friendly suggestions. This way the employee or person you are trying to influence won’t feel the pressure of actually having to take a decision whether to agree or disagree with what you are saying.
4. Address your team every time there is a big change in the company. People will always feel inspired by a person who gives a speech in a time of need. They won’t necessarily take the speech as an order, but it is a very effective way to transmit a message without the use of your authority, thus managing to influence your employees without making them feel disheartened.
5. Try to give as much feedback and support as you can. Taking a special interest into somebody’s work may prove just the ticket to try to influence them. You can incept an idea much easier into somebody’s head after you have praised them for the good job they were doing, because they won’t take special notice of it because of their big ego. Constant feedback will give you a way in through which orders, or general guidelines for a project can be seen as mere suggestions.
6. Encourage employees to confide in you regarding any work related issues. In order to manage to influence without authority you need to be able to get people to trust you. The best way to do this is to try to be receptive and eager to help anybody who wants to confide in you. Once you have become a true friend that helped them in a time of need your suggestions may have a lot more pull with them, therefore you won’t have to pull the “I’m your boss card” so often.
7. Help your colleagues find answers to their problems by asking the right questions. It is said that half of the answer lies in how the question is asked. If you know how to ask the right questions to a problem you might lead the person you are talking too, to the answer you feel is right.
Managing to influence without authority takes a lot of tact and charm, qualities which you can’t really teach. Of course there are many ideas and tips you can try in order to achieve this goal. The ideas I have presented in this article have worked very well for me over the years, but I’m sure that everybody has their own specific ways and means they use to influence people, so if you have any suggestions feel free to leave them in the comment section below. Have a nice day!

