Influence without authority: How to be powerful irrespective of your role, position

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A hot topic I often teach, talk, and conduct workshops around is 'Influencing Without Authority.' The current environment of matrixed organisational structures requires all people managers to develop this skill regardless of their position. As part of the research for my book, I delved deep into the subject. After all, unsavoury politicking often stems from feeling powerless and lacking influence. Various books have been written on being influential in the work environment. One of the critical underlying attributes for it is power; hence it becomes vital to understand your own interpretation of the power to be an effective leader.

A person's role or position certainly provides some authority which automatically gives them power. Expertise and mastery in a subject empower as well, as in the case of an individual contributor or technical architect. There are a few other sources of power. You can learn to identify sources of different types of power through John French and Bertram Raven's work in their book The Bases of Social Power, first published in 1959.

I want to discuss a different type of power, something that is innate, something in your control, and not outside of you. This is the power that comes from your individuality. It makes you feel empowered irrespective of the person, situation, or circumstance. I define it as 'Distinctive Power.'

The general impression is that power is only reserved for the executive layer or a strong voice on stage, or celebrities with millions of social media followers. However, this distinctive personal power resides less in authority over others and more in your own belief of how powerful you feel inside. You don't necessarily have to be in a position of power to feel powerful.

Your distinct power comes from having clarity about who you are and where you are headed. It is an indicator of mental and emotional strength. It is the ability to take decisive and deliberate actions in any situation and be comfortable with not taking any action if that is what serves that situation best. People with this type of power carefully choose where and how they invest their energy. They are bright and aware of where and how to assert themselves without compromising their values.

The first step is to recognise and understand your power. What are those situations and circumstances when you feel powerful? Then, understand how you use or exert it when you give it away and when you claim it. Are there certain people around whom you don't feel this power? Do some incidents compel you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and claim your power?

You can tell when someone is living their life from a place of distinctive power when they live intentionally with a purpose and optimism for life. Such people can manage their boundaries well. They know how to distinguish between the analytical and the critical voice in their heads. There is a gap between your thoughts, feelings, and actions. The ability to understand this and take action from a place of awareness gives you more power. Influential people are masters at manoeuvring the unhelpful self-sabotaging thoughts that often hinder progress. It requires a more in-depth inquiry into your patterns, habits, and beliefs that hold you back from the things you want.

It is not the person who is confident or not, but a task or aspect that one feels confident in. The more your power, the more significant is your influence, and the higher the possibility is to impact the lives of those around you.

This distinct personal power does not remain constant in life. Life may throw curveballs at you that test the most resilient of people. However, once you understand it, you can figure out ways to claim it when you find it weakening or waning.