Influencing without authority
How many of these statements can you relate to?
I feel like I am bothering people when I ask them to do something.
It feels odd to be a younger employee asking someone more experienced for a work product.
My personality isn't very direct and I don't like asking people for things.
Influencing without authority, or having the ability to make others act without having any director authority over them, is a skill that you will use regardless of your level within an organization. Even the CEO of a company needs to influence her Board of Directors - who she doesn't have authority over.
Influencing without authority is necessary for leading a project or initiative. It can feel intimidating to ask people who don't work for you to do something. Here are a few things that can help alleviate that discomfort.
Act like an owner
Write it down
Teamwork
Over-communicate
See below to read the details on each of these.
