VIDEO: Influencing People Who Don’t Report to You

Maybe the toughest thing in management to do is persuade others to go along with you when you have no authority over them.

If you find yourself in this situation, consider these five action steps.

  1. Do your homework. Find out what your colleagues in different functions think about the initiative.
  2. Make your case. Demonstrate how the initiative will make things better in the long run. Acknowledge short-term pain for longer-term gain. Argue the business case.
  3. Listen, listen, listen. Pay attention to what your colleagues are telling you.
  4. Push hard. If this initiative is important and if senior management is counting on you to drive it through, and then keep on it.
  5. Be there to follow up. This is critical. Make it known up front that you will be available to help implement the initiative.

First posted on SmartBrief on 6/10/2016