Leading Without Authority

This is a simple infographic that boils down a very complex thought pattern. When I spent several months working closely with a colleague from our Customer Support team​ last year, he mentioned using “we” instead of “I” when working with a customer – a tactic he leveraged to make the customer feel as if we’re working proactively WITH them to resolve the issue. He also got me away from saying “problem”. “We” have “challenges” or “issues”, but it’s never a “problem” for our customer.

This mindset developed in support has turned out to be a huge key in developing my leadership skills, as well. Using the same strategy that I have used with customers to guide them to a successful outcome, I’m able to guide my team to successful outcomes as well. The concept is the same – we’re working together, leveraging our unique skills and talents, to overcome obstacles and achieve a common goal. A year ago, I would have thought that was a bunch of buzz word hype, but these minor shifts in vocabulary have resulted in major changes in my thought processes. This one tiny change, catching myself every time that I would say “I” or “problem”, is the foundation of how I approach leadership.

Leading without authority is likely the biggest challenge most of us will confront in our careers. It’s easy to drive a team to our goals when we have authority over them, but a true leader doesn’t need it. To be able to lead and influence strictly through the goodwill and trust placed in me by others without having to rely on “because I said so” type responses is my ultimate goal.

Up until this point, I’ve relied on technical expertise to establish authority in my career. That’s still valid; I’ve often said that I never want to be the sort of boss who asks people to do things that I myself can’t do. That type of authority only gets you so far, though. To truly break out of the pack, I have to be the person people come to for guidance or advice even when I don’t have designated authority. Only then will I have confidence that I can handle a leadership position without falling back on these easy “boss” mistakes.