We recently delivered a masterclass at the University of South Wales on Leading Without Authority. Thanks to all those who attended – and thanks for the very positive feedback!
Here are some thoughts on the subject…
Trust
Building trust is critical when leading those who you have no official authority over. Some fascinating conversations took place around how much energy and patience it takes to build trust, yet how easily it can be eroded.
Relationship
Building authentic relationships with colleagues and partners is essential as you will need others to work with you and for you. Reciprocity is key here. We ran a fun exercise that demonstrates how alien this can feel in some organisational cultures.
Networks
We are all familiar with formal networks (the standard organisation chart) within organisations, but what about networks that exist but are less overt, less conspicuous. Identifying these and figuring out how they can be utilised is a key step forward in building a way to help others help you.
Influence
We looked at how you can make an impact on others. Influencing and persuasion can be seen as being pushy. So, how can this be done in a way that is appreciated by all parties? We took an unusual look at this, to help shed new light on familiar blockers.
Academic research
In preparing for this particular workshop, we found some very interesting research which provides some key insights into how you can increase your odds of getting what you need from others. It does boil down to persistence, but also relies on the need to diversify your approach simultaneously.
Find out more about leading without authority
If you are interested in this or any of our workshops, please contact us at info@annovista.com. For more information on our workshops see our training page