Influence without authority is frequently mentioned in organisational psychology and leadership studies. It's also the title of a popular book on organisational behaviour, Influence Without Authority, by Allan R. Cohen and David L. Bradford, first published in 1989. And it's one of the most common struggles in the workforce, whether one's a senior executive or an entry-level employee.
It's 2024, and hierarchical power structures in tech companies are less rigid than ever. It's not unusual to find team leads who are also senior individual contributors, product and business teams that have to work together to ship a project, or a junior developer starting an ambitious refactoring project with the help of their more senior colleagues. Influencing without authority is not just corporate jargon; it's a skill you must hone to navigate today's workplace better.
It is also not just another word for "office politics." Someone taking advantage of office politics focuses on promoting themselves at the expense of others. On the other hand, influence without authority is a way to help teams work better, faster, and smarter; I'm sorry to say, but it's not a way to win your next promotion (although if you follow everything below, a promotion is not a far-fetched scenario).
Let's start by examining the three levers of organisational influence and explore how to improve them:
Three Sources of Authority
According to the namesake HBS article, authority is built based on three pillars:
Work Expertise
One of the most effective ways to influence others is to establish yourself as an expert in your field. People naturally gravitate towards knowledge and look to experts for guidance. Expertise is not built overnight, however. It's derived from consistent effort, delivering quality work, and exceeding expectations consistently. Being an expert isn't just about knowing your craft; it's also about sharing your knowledge in ways that benefit the team without crossing into self-promotion.
Share your knowledge by focusing on how to add value to the team. For example, if you're well-versed in a specific JavaScript framework that your team is curious about, take the initiative to create a presentation explaining its nuances and how it can streamline the team's work. Or, if you're the go-to person for a particular part of your company's infrastructure, document your processes clearly and share them. Even your personal side projects can be leveraged by the team, provided they bring something new to the table.
Being an expert also involves leading by example. Even if you don't have the authority (yet), you can act in ways that inspire others. Here are some ideas:
Show proactivity by taking the steps to solve an issue before bringing it up to your manager.
Show accountability for your mistakes and avoid blaming others for your shortcomings.
Show courage by volunteering to help with a challenging, ill-defined project.
Remember the old saying about Caesar's wife: being great at your work doesn't make you an expert. An expert must deliver consistently excellent results, share their knowledge, and act in a way that inspires and elevates others.
Interpersonal Relationships
Through the social media zeitgeist, I've recently noticed a trend of people actively opting out of office interpersonal relationships to "protect their energy" — or whatever therapy speak term we're using these days. I've even posted about it on Bluesky (you can follow me there for more ramblings).
It's everyone's prerogative to do that. However, not investing in creating strong relationships with (at least some of) your colleagues will actively harm your career later on. That is why people blame remote work for hurting their options; it's not remote work that's the issue here. It's because remote work makes it more challenging to bond with others, and you have to devote twice the energy you would if you were in the same room.
Even if you never wanted to be a people manager, you have to understand that people will naturally rally behind someone they like, which is essential if you want to reduce resistance to the initiatives you bring to the table.
Here are some ideas to form honest relationships in the workplace:
Meet new hires with curiosity and openness. Offer to show them around the office and learn more about their background and aspirations.
Every team has one or more culture "influencers" — the type of natural leaders everyone looks to, regardless of an official title. If you're not one of them (yet!), aim to work closer with them.
Schedule informal 1:1 meetings with people outside your team. Aim to meet people you don't usually work close to, as this will help you understand more about the organisation.
Celebrate others and advocate for their work by publicly acknowledging their contributions.
I'm not here to suggest sucking up to others to climb the corporate ladder. What I know is that you have to try and find your work tribe. I've done some of my best work with people I trusted to look after my best interests, even during high-pressure times.
Organisational Understanding
Understanding how things work in your organisation is essential to make an impact. That goes beyond simply knowing your role or responsibilities. You will need a clear understanding of the formal and informal processes shaping your workplace. Who are the key stakeholders? Who are the culture influencers, the people others turn to for advice or guidance even if they don't hold formal authority? What are the organisation's strategic priorities right now? Taking the time to learn these nuances equips you to navigate your environment effectively.
Most importantly, you must understand your position in the "food chain." That isn't just about your place on the org chart; it's the web of relationships and dynamics around you. Who are the people you work with most closely? Who are the key decision-makers to influence if you want to get your ideas heard? Equally important, who are the people you already influence through mentorship, collaboration, or expertise? Mapping this network helps you see where your power lies and where you need to build stronger connections.
If you want to spearhead strategic initiatives, aligning with company goals is imperative. No matter how beneficial your idea might be, it will only gain traction if aligned with the organisation's values. For instance, pitching a major refactoring project during intense feature development sprints following a recent funding round will likely get ignored. Instead, try to frame your ideas in ways that directly support the company's immediate priorities.
Five Common Scenarios
Since I wanted to make this post as pragmatic as possible, here is a list of real-life scenarios where you might be called to influence without authority, including what you should not and what you should do in each case:
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Your Idea Versus Your Manager
You have an idea for streamlining a team process, but your manager seems hesitant.
What to avoid
Framing your suggestion as criticism of your manager's decisions. Saying something like, “This process is outdated and slow” could make them defensive and less receptive to your idea.
What to do instead
Present a well-researched case showing how the current workflow leads to delays and demonstrate how a minor adjustment could improve outcomes (e.g., “We could save 15 hours per sprint.”). Offer to lead the implementation, minimising additional work for your manager.
Everyone Versus Documentation
You want to launch a shared documentation portal, but other teams are reluctant to participate.
What to avoid
Framing participation as mandatory and criticising others for not adopting it. Statements like, "It’s impossible to work efficiently without everyone contributing" will make people resent the project (and probably you).
What to do instead
Always start locally: pilot the portal with your team and share its positive impact with others. Invite people to contribute gradually, educating them on the time and effort benefits.
New Tools Versus the Norm
Your team found a tool that improves efficiency, but another team resists adopting it.
What to avoid
Presenting the tool as a one-size-fits-all solution or belittling their current processes. Saying things like "This tool is so much better than your spreadsheets" will make them feel undervalued and less open to change.
What to do instead
Share specific results, like "This tool helped us reduce response times by 20%" and invite them to a demo to show how it can improve their workflow as well. Offer to collaborate on setting up their workflows and address concerns about the learning curve. For all intents and purposes, make adopting this new tool the cool thing to do.
Personal Issues Versus Productivity
A previously productive colleague has become disengaged, and their contributions to team projects are not what you'd expect from them.
What to avoid
Bringing up the issue in a public setting or pressing them to share personal issues. Don't generalise; their disengagement doesn't mean they’re lazy.
What to do instead
Approach them privately and ask if they’d like to grab a coffee. During the conversation, acknowledge their prior contributions (e.g., "Your work on the API integration last quarter was a game-changer") and gently ask if something is affecting their motivation. Offer to work together on a small project to help them re-engage.
Late Responses Versus Looming Deadlines
You need input from another team to proceed with your project, but they are slow to respond.
What to avoid
Escalating the issue to their manager right away or bombarding them with follow-ups can damage trust and make collaboration harder in the future.
What to do instead
Send a clear message explaining the urgency of their input and how delays impact your project. For example, "We’re targeting a launch by Dec 15th, and we need the market segmentation data by Dec 8th to stay on track." You also offer flexibility by suggesting alternative timelines or changing the scope.