From authority to influence: leading beyond your title
When the title isn’t enough
The harsh truth is that in senior leadership your title gets you through the door, into the room, and into seat at the the table. But it doesn’t provide a guarantee that anyone will follow you once you’re there
Authority is positional. It’s granted by your role, title, reporting lines, and formal mandate. Influence is personal. It’s earnt through building trust, credibility, and relationships
The product and transformation leaders who thrive aren’t the ones who rely on their job title, nor are they the ones that follow the letter of the law when it comes to their job description. They are the ones who can lead across silos, up and down the hierarchy, and in rooms where they have no formal control. They know how to move and motivate people, not just manage them
Why influence matters more than authority
You’ve worked hard to get to where you are in your career and that should be celebrated. But it’s important to remember that:
authority is temporary. It can change with restructures, reporting lines, or leadership shifts that are beyond your control
influence is portable. It follows you across roles, organisations, and industries
influence is mandatory in complex environments. To succeed in matrixed structures, you need to collaborate and cooperate with people outside of your chain of command
trust accelerates execution and results. Influence speeds up decision making processes, reduces resistance, and builds momentum
The building blocks of influence
Influence isn’t the same as charisma. It’s a repeatable skill that’s built on four foundations:
credibility. Demonstrated expertise and sound judgment
reliability. Consistency in delivering on your promises
relatability. The ability to connect with others’ priorities and pressures
reciprocity. A track record of supporting others’ goals
When these elements are visible and consistent, people follow you because they want to - not because they have to
Example 1: The peer coalition
A Transformation Lead had no formal authority over the operations team, yet she needed their buy in to implement a new system. Instead of lobbying the operations leadership team for their support she co-created OKRs and KPIs with them such that they served the agendas of both their respective functions. This shifted the relationship from “your project” to “our shared accountability”
Her influence came not from her title, but from her ability to align interests and build trust
Example 2: Breaking down the silo walls
A General Manager in Product and Transformation built influence with the Chief Financial Officer and her finance team by helping them solve a reporting bottleneck that was unrelated to his own portfolio. Months later when he needed an urgent budget approval expedited, the finance team fast tracked it because he had helped them resolve a pain point when no one else cared enough to help
His credibility and reciprocity create a reserve of goodwill he could draw on when it mattered
Example 3: Influencing up
A Director in Strategy and Transformation needed her C-Suite sponsor to prioritise a stalled initiative. Instead of escalating pressure, she reframed the proposal in terms of the sponsor’s own KPIs and strategic goals. The initiative was approved not because she used a formal escalation path through the formal chain of command, but because she was able to demonstrate relevance to her key stakeholder
How to expand your influence
Influencing doesn’t have to feel like a daunting, dreaded, and icky exercise. You can start with:
mapping out the gaps in your influence. Who do you need onside that you don’t have yet? Where are decisions being made without your input?
learning their world. Understand your target audience’s metrics, pressures, and success stories. Ask them what success looks like for them
offering value first. Solve a problem for them before asking for help. Share insights, resources, or connections that support their goals
maintaining the relationship. Influence fades if it’s only activated in emergencies. Stay visible, helpful, and relevant
Once you’ve mastered those steps, you can try to:
influence through others. This equips allies to advocate for you in rooms you’re not in
bridge silos. Connect people across functions to solve shared problems. Sometimes they’re not even aware that they’re all independently working to solve the same problem and they could find a sustainable solution with less effort by collaborating with each other
shape narratives. Frame issues in ways that resonate with multiple audiences then stick to your core messages
use timing strategically. Make asks when trust is high and the stakes are clear
Common mistakes leaders make
Good product and transformation leaders rise quickly through the ranks because they consistently demonstrate their ability to execute. However sometimes when the pressure is on and they need to worry about the consequences of holding formal authority, they can momentarily forget that:
assuming your title is enough won’t cut it. Positional authority doesn’t guarantee followership
people see right through you if you only engage with them when you need something. Influence is built through consistent contribution
neglecting lateral relationships can be detrimental. Managing up is important, but forgetting that your peers often hold more sway than you do with their superiors who you are trying to influence can hold you back
overexplaining instead of connecting doesn’t activate engagement. Repeating the facts over and over again causes people to switch off. Influence requires you to tap into both the emotional and rational sides of your audience
Influence with integrity
Influence isn’t about manipulation. It’s about alignment. It’s the ability to connect your goals with others’ priorities in a way that feels authentic, fair, and mutually beneficial. The best influencers:
lead with empathy. They understand before they persuade
deliver consistently. They build trust through follow through
stay aware of their audience. They tailor their messages to speak to what their audience cares about
play the long game. They invest in relationships before they need them
Your homework for this week
Where could you replace positional authority with earned influence this quarter? What’s your first move?
Things you could do to help you with this:
choose one initiative where you need support from someone outside of your function
identify one stakeholder whose buy in would accelerate progress
learn their priorities. What pressures are they under?
offer value. Solve a problem, share an insight, or connect them to a resource
track how the relationship shifts over time
Why this matters
Authority gets you access. Influence gets you action
In complex organisations, the product and transformation leaders who succeed are the ones who can lead without relying on formal power. They know how to build trust, align interests, and move people even when they don’t “own” the decision
Being politically savvy isn’t about creating drama and playing pointless games. It’s about playing the strategic long game and influence is your most powerful tool in the toolkit
Want to lead more impactfully with influence rather than relying on your title and authority to get things done?
Let’s work on this together. Here are three ways:
Influencing for Impact: This practical 2-day workshop is for you if you want to influence a decision maker, influence a change in customer or colleague behaviour, or influence someone to buy something from you
Executive and Leadership Team Coaching: Work directly with Lai-Ling to problem solve for your specific situation in a confidential setting. This is for you if you want to develop and execute on a game plan that is 100% tailored to you
Leadership Development: Invest in the product and transformation leaders in your company with leadership development that is customised for their role. This is for you if you want your people to learn about people and politics