Leading without Authority

Have you ever been in a position where you had a responsibility to lead, but lacked the authority to take action to discipline those you led? Whether you are a parent, teacher, corporate leader, or are in business for yourself, the answer probably is yes! We all have the potential to lead people even when we lack the authority to lead. The last newsletter discussed being stuck in the middle, which is how many people describe this type of a position. However, some see this position as a necessary step and a preparatory step to move up while others see it as a tiring and thankless position. Regardless of our personal views the reality is that leadership without authority or commonly called transformation leadership is a tremendous dilemma for many of today’s leaders.

Why Leading without Authority Exists?

Streamlining, right sizing, and downsizing in organizations has created a new position in the corporate ladder typically referred to as transformational leadership. These leaders are given the responsibility to motivate, lead, improve productivity, and negotiate conflicts without the ability to hire, promote, evaluate or even fire the people they supervise. Leaders without authority can be very influential and far more motivating than those who have the authority or power to move people up a corporate ladder. The reason is simple transformational leaders understand that it isn’t about power or what can be demanded of people they work with, rather it is about building a relationship. Successful leaders in this position move beyond excuses; they move beyond self-interest, and focus on the larger goals of the group or organization.

Successful Leaders in this Position

While this position without power can leave many feeling helpless, those who are confident understand the great opportunity it brings to embrace the challenge. Their leadership will often stand the test of time. Successful leaders get the job done without formal authority. In the past, leaders have relied on their ability to offer rewards such as to increase pay for people who are helping us to accomplish our goals. This has included things such as bonuses, tenure, promotions, and so forth. However, in these less formal leadership positions motivation often takes the form of expressed appreciation, approval, personal assistance, or other interpersonal intrinsic motivators. Not everyone can be a leader without authority and succeed. Those who need control will struggle and most likely fail. So how do those who succeed do it? They understand and accept that people may exert influence without formal authority. Consultants, trainers, middle managers, teachers and many more people understand this position all too well. They also understand that influence is a skill that can be mastered. Transformational leaders learn to prepare instead of spending time repairing. This means these leaders are less impulsive and realize that short-term solutions could create long-term problems. Their ability to avoid a knee jerk reaction allows them to listen to the problem and to discover the problem that lies beneath the surface. The ability to take a more cautious approach improves their relationship with those they lead because it helps them to develop trust with by building a positive track record. Other skills that successful transformation leaders use include:

• Establishing personal and professional boundaries and then being consistent in maintaining these boundaries with co-workers.
• Helping those, they lead to reach for their dreams without a hidden agenda.
• Developing the potential of the people, they lead.
• Appreciating and valuing the uniqueness of the people they lead.

What Companies can do to increase the Success of Leaders without Authority Companies are learning that a streamlined corporate chart will have people in positions that lack authority. However, these leaders still have a voice and valuable insight about the people they lead. What companies do realize is that even before any restructuring there have always been leaders without authority, therefore what is needed is to empower these individuals and to listen to their input. Allowing a leader in this position to share insight and to receive help in placing the right people in the right positions only adds to the success of the company, as well as the success of the employees. Whenever possible leaders without authority should be given the opportunity to discuss mobility options so that the right people are put into the right positions.

Studies have shown that the effects of transformational leadership are generally much stronger than those of leaders with authority. After all, some of the greatest leaders in the world have been followed, because of their charisma and their ability to relate to people. Their leadership was not based on power, but was based on trust people had in them. While this is true, we also know that leaders who have authority and exhibit transformational leadership characteristics are even more successful than those leading without authority. For leaders, the intriguing question comes down to how to stimulate the combined leadership skills of both so that we may "rally the troops" and "make the trains run on time." Both of these skills are important, but they are most effective in an appropriate combination with the other.