3 Tips for Leading Without Formal Authority

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3 Tips for Leading Without Formal Authority
 
In today's flat organizations, leaders need to influence and persuade not only their direct reports, but a cast of peers, contractors, and managers. Here are three tips to assume authority in any situation, whether or not you're the official leader:

Remember enthusiasm is contagious. Your genuine excitement about a project will motivate others to become engaged and care about it.

Take care of your own ego. No one wants to be responsible for making you feel important. Assume authority by demonstrating excellence in your field, not soliciting others' approval.

Lead quietly. When you don't have formal authority propping you up, others will be suspicious if you grab the reins too forcefully. Don't be overinvested in the outcome; lead quietly, get everyone involved, and ask questions along the way.
 
 

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3 Steps to Prepare for a Difficult Conversation
 
Difficult conversations are an inevitable part of any manager's job. Here are three steps to keep those tough conversations productive, not combative:

Decide on a realistic outcome. Remember, you and your counterpart may want different things. Think about your desired outcome rather than accomplishing everything on your personal agenda.

Focus on the future. What is your ultimate goal? Describe it and the benefits of your vision. If this is a review conversation, explain how you'd like to work with your employee going forward.

Identify what's in the way. With the future as your backdrop, articulate what is interfering with reaching the goal. This helps to keep the conversation away from personal barbs and focused on making positive changes