Closing the Gap between Authority and Power

Last week, I published a post that highlighted the fine distinction between caring and care-taking.  While on the topic of making distinctions, this post, from 2012 explores the difference between authority and power.

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George Carlin once said, “I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don’t have as many people who believe it”

This started me thinking about what authority and power in organizations really mean. Some people believe these words are synonymous. Well, perhaps, but I’m more inclined to believe that authority and power, while linked, are two different things.

For instance, it is possible for you to have authority without power if you are a newly appointed manager. People reporting to you will likely have little or no experience with you as a leader. As such, they may be reticent to follow your directives. Your authority only carries real power when you have earned their trust and respect and when they can see merit in the direction you want to take them.   In short, the power kicks in when they give it to you.

Conversely, it is possible to have power without authority when as a well informed, competent and reliable team member, people seek out your advice and guidance.  While you may not have the authority to make certain decisions on your own, you influence other team members who have come to respect your judgment and are eager to follow your lead.

Of course, as George Carlin so succinctly reminds us, the challenge is to optimize on the authority we are given by persuading others to not only believe it but also endorse and respect it.  When we have accomplished that, then  words like authority and power become more easily interchangeable.

So how does one go about closing the gap between authority and power?  Well, here are some thoughts about that:

Be yourself

Some people believe that when they are awarded the mantle of authority, they must behave in a certain authoritative way.  However, to me, authority has no particular personality trait.  It is simply a mechanism provided to some people that facilitates decision-making and getting things done.  When you represent yourself honestly, people are more likely to accept and trust you and that’s where the power lies.

Listen and learn

The decisions you make are only as good as the information on which you base them.  Effective decision-making happens when the leader, and those who follow him or her, learn from each other.  Your authority gives you permission to make decisions.  The power behind the authority lies in the willingness of the leader to listen, learn and make informed ones.

Roll up your sleeves and join in

There are times when the leader becomes the ‘servant’.  This is when everyone is clear about what must be accomplished and you, as leader, do whatever you can to support the process.  You may certainly have the authority to command work to be done without participating yourself.  However, sometimes rolling up the sleeves to help is just what is needed to inject enthusiasm into the mix and create positive working relationships. And that can be pretty powerful.

Recognize and Reward good work

If you want to put power behind your authority, good work must never go unrecognized.   As humans, we all need to know that we, and our efforts, are appreciated. And, in the workplace, recognition is very much valued when it comes from a person in authority and is offered with sincerity.  Most of us, when given such recognition, are eager to do more and to do it happily. And that’s where the power comes from.

There are, of course, other ways to close the gap between authority and power and I invite you to share your ideas here too.

In the meantime, I leave you with another thought.  Some people in authority believe they can grab power by using fear as their primary motivator.  It’s a poor and often painful strategy that may work for a while but does not usually stand the test of time.  Even the Wizard of Oz was found out eventually.

So, What do you think?

Leading By Example and Some Mistaken Beliefs

Someone once said, “A good example has twice the value of good advice.”  With that in mind, I offer you a refreshed version of a post I wrote in 2009 in the hope its value to you also merits a repeat performance. 

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Many people have written about the importance of leading by example. Yet in spite of its apparent simplicity, there are still many times when we manage to muck it up.  Perhaps it is so simple that we take it for granted.  Or, perhaps it is that some of us have mistaken beliefs about what leading by example is really about.

Here are a few possibilities that come to mind for me:

· Mistaken Belief #1 – Leading by Example is a 9-5 pursuit

I suspect that some leaders make leading by example a project rather than a way of being. In other words, they appreciate that in order to engage people at the office they have to serve as a role model and so they create a model of personal behaviour that may have little or no bearing on who they really are. In effect, they put on their office persona in the morning along with their business clothes and take it off again when they get home and change into something more comfortable. This practice is not sustainable over time and I can only imagine how exhausting it must be.

The bottom line: If you don’t represent yourself honestly where ever you are, the example you set will not ring true for those you want to influence the most.

· Mistaken Belief #2 – You can get people to do as you say, and not as you do, as long as you don’t get caught

In our condominium complex, there was a man on the board who is President of his own company. He served on our Strata as Chair of the Building Committee, a pretty important role.  Some time ago, he sent out a communication to all owners to advise us that putting weather stripping across our front doors is strongly discouraged because doing so interferes with the flow of air to the suites.  He advised those among us who had installed weather stripping to remove it immediately.

Days later, after receiving this rather forceful message, my husband had cause to place a note concerning condo board business under this man’s door.  He was unsuccessful in doing so because apparently, the Building Chair has installed weather stripping.

The Bottom Line:If you have ever had the idea that you can say one thing and do another and not be found out, think again.   Believe me, you will be busted. And, when you are, the trust and respect that others have for you will be compromised.

· Mistaken Belief #3 – People will only pick up and emulate the behaviours you want them to adopt

No matter who we are, as long as we are alive, someone is looking to us for an example of how to behave. Even if we have never been placed in a formal leadership position, we influence those around us simply by being there. And, being human, we are not always going to act in exemplary fashion. We can only hope to align our behaviour in accordance with what we value most and accept that sometimes others will pick up something from us that we would rather they hadn’t.  It happens.

For example, a long time ago, I was invited to attend a lunch in the Head office executive dining room.  I was very surprised to receive the invitation because as a fairly junior personnel assistant, it was a bit of a lofty thing to happen for me.

The purpose of the lunch was to entertain a party of Chinese students. On meeting them I began to realize why I might have been chosen to participate.  They were all rather small and I, also being rather small, seemed to be the only bank representative who could look them straight in the eye without having to sit down.

The table was beautifully set. However, the challenge for me and my lunch companions was that it was rather high, and the dining chairs, in contrast, rather low.

In spite of this, the lunch unfolded quite well…until the waiters delivered dessert, strawberries served in a tall stemmed glass, rimmed with sugar. It didn’t take long for me to discover that if I actually wanted to eat these delicious strawberries, I would have to stand up.  The other diminutives around the table seemed to be in the same predicament.  I noticed them looking at each other but none was so brave as to take a chance and grab a strawberry quickly while no one was looking.  And so, at what I considered to be a strategic moment, I took up my spoon, stood up very quickly, popped a strawberry into my mouth and sat down, just as quickly, to chew it.  My new, and equally undersized companions followed my lead until soon, we were all popping up and down until we bore a striking resemblance to an um-pa-pa band.  Needless to say, I was never invited back to the executive dining room.

Bottom line: It is a mistake to expect that people will not, at times, follow an unintended lead. It happens.  Forgive yourself and move on.

That’s what I think anyway.  What do you think?

Leadership and the Influence Factor

This post is a refreshed version of one I wrote about a year ago.  I have amended it to include some very wise thoughts shared in the comments of the original by Mary Jo Asmus, an executive coach, writer, consultant and founder and President of Aspire Collaborative Services.  

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John C Maxwell once said, “Leadership is Influence”.  It’s a very simple statement and one that has oft been repeated.  It is also a statement that, while short on words, is long on implication, deep on meaning and wide on interpretation.  So I thought I would have a look at it and maybe noodle around with it a bit here.

To be clear, Leadership through influence is not a topic that can be discussed to anyone’s satisfaction through one blog post, or even a thousand.  It is an ongoing leadership preoccupation.

If you are a new boss, you may, or may not have discovered by now that while people may do what you tell them to do, they are more likely to do it willingly, (and well), if you have done a good job of helping them believe it’s a good idea.  That’s the influence factor.

I’m thinking though, that in order for influence to germinate and grow in a healthy way, the conditions have to be right. In my experience, right conditions are usually present when those who follow, experience their leader as competent, trustworthy and brave enough to be their advocate when circumstances warrant it.  In short, it’s about earning credibility.  You can read more on that topic here.

For now, let’s assume that conditions are right and the necessary credibility has been earned.  What are some things you can actually do to increase your influence factor?  Here are a few suggestions to consider:

Focus on building great relationships.

Building genuine relationships with those around us is deeply fundamental to a leader’s ability to influence…or do anything else successfully over time.  In truth, influence begins with this.  The rest of it kind of falls into place behind it.

Encourage conversation and debate

Influencing is not about having all of the answers or having things go our way every time.  It’s about becoming known and engaging others in conversation about things that matter. In order to gain influence we must also at times be willing to be influenced and that means listening, sometimes debating and sometimes finding ways to see things from a variety of perspectives.   When we become known for our ability to include others in decision-making we also earn their confidence.

Be Consistent

The work environment is often in a state of flux.  People will welcome your influence if your actions are consistent with your words

Ask Simple Questions

Simple questions cause us to focus, re-focus or think more deeply about a topic under discussion.  It usually contains few words but those words are powerful enough to make a noteworthy impact on the direction a conversation takes or the conclusions that come out of it.

For example, imagine a room of people gathered to talk about how best to reach and serve customers.  The participants begin to talk about their marketing ideas and become embroiled in a debate about the most effective strategy, each participant becoming more and more wed to his or her own idea. In the excitement, the customer somehow is lost from the discussion. A simple question might go something like, “So, if you were the customer, how would this strategy serve you?”

Learn when to intervene and when to back off.

Once, a leader asked me to take the lead at a business meeting.   It was really a meeting that he needed to lead himself but because the subject matter was not one with which he was comfortable (and it was an area in which I was well practiced), he asked me to do it.   He’s a very smart guy and I knew him to be fully capable of conducting this particular meeting and getting some good results. But, we began the meeting according to his wishes… with me as facilitator and he, as a participant.

About an hour into the meeting, I made an excuse, asked him to carry on without me and left the room.  I went to the ladies room for a few minutes. I picked up a magazine for a few more and then I listened at the door of the meeting room to hear what was going on.  Of course, he was doing a fine job of facilitating and I slipped back into the back of the room and took my place, as a participant.

So, how do you influence others?  What do you think it takes? How does it differ from manipulation? Or does it?  What do you think?

Closing the Gap between Authority and Power

George Carlin once said, “I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don’t have as many people who believe it”

This started me thinking about what authority and power in organizations really mean. Some people believe these words are synonymous. Well, perhaps, but I’m more inclined to believe that authority and power, while linked, are two different things.

For instance, it is possible for you to have authority without power if you are a newly appointed manager. People reporting to you will likely have little or no experience with you as a leader. As such, they may be reticent to follow your directives. Your authority only carries real power when you have earned their trust and respect and when they can see merit in the direction you want to take them.   In short, the power kicks in when they give it to you.

Conversely, it is possible to have power without authority when as a well informed, competent and reliable team member, people seek out your advice and guidance.  While you may not have the authority to make certain decisions on your own, you influence other team members who have come to respect your judgment and are eager to follow your lead.

Of course, as George Carlin so succinctly reminds us, the challenge is to optimize on the authority we are given by persuading others to not only believe it but also endorse and respect it.  When we have accomplished that, then  words like authority and power become more easily interchangeable.

So how does one go about closing the gap between authority and power?  Well, here are some thoughts about that:

Be yourself

Some people believe that when they are awarded the mantle of authority, they must behave in a certain authoritative way.  However, to me, authority has no particular personality trait.  It is simply a mechanism provided to some people that facilitates decision-making and getting things done.  When you represent yourself honestly, people are more likely to accept and trust you and that’s where the power lies.

Listen and learn

The decisions you make are only as good as the information on which you base them.  Effective decision-making happens when the leader, and those who follow him or her, learn from each other.  Your authority gives you permission to make decisions.  The power behind the authority lies in the willingness of the leader to listen, learn and make informed ones.

Roll up your sleeves and join in

There are times when the leader becomes the ‘servant’.  This is when everyone is clear about what must be accomplished and you, as leader, do whatever you can to support the process.  You may certainly have the authority to command work to be done without participating yourself.  However, sometimes rolling up the sleeves to help is just what is needed to inject enthusiasm into the mix and create positive working relationships. And that can be pretty powerful.

Recognize and Reward good work

If you want to put power behind your authority, good work must never go unrecognized.   As humans, we all need to know that we, and our efforts, are appreciated. And, in the workplace, recognition is very much valued when it comes from a person in authority and is offered with sincerity.  Most of us, when given such recognition, are eager to do more and to do it happily. And that’s where the power comes from.

There are, of course, other ways to close the gap between authority and power and I invite you to share your ideas here too.

In the meantime, I leave you with another thought.  Some people in authority believe they can grab power by using fear as their primary motivator.  It’s a poor and often painful strategy that may work for a while but does not usually stand the test of time.  Even the Wizard of Oz was found out eventually.

So, What do you think?

Leadership and The Influence Factor

John C Maxwell once said, “Leadership is Influence”.  It’s a very simple statement and one that has oft been repeated.  It is also a statement that, while short on words, is long on implication, deep on meaning and wide on interpretation.  So I thought I would have a look at it and maybe noodle around with it a bit… hopefully with you.

To be clear, Leadership through influence is not a topic that can be discussed or “put to bed” to anyone’s satisfaction through one blog post, or even a thousand.  It is an ongoing leadership preoccupation to understand the role leaders play in guiding the thought processes and actions of others in a way that will support organizational goals.  But, we have to start somewhere right?

If you are a new boss, you may, or may not have discovered by now that while people may do what you tell them to do, they are more likely to do it willingly, (and well), if you have done a good job of helping them believe it’s a good idea.  That’s the influence factor.

I’m thinking though, that in order for influence to germinate and grow in a healthy way, the conditions have to be right. In my experience, right conditions are usually present when those who follow, experience their leader as competent, trustworthy and brave enough to be their advocate when circumstances warrant it.  In short, it’s about earning credibility.  You can read more on that topic here.

For now, let’s carry on and assume that conditions are right and the necessary credibility has been earned.  What are some things you can actually do to increase the influence factor in your working environment?  Here are a few suggestions to consider:

• Encourage conversation and debate

Influencing is not about having all of the answers or having things go our way every time.  It’s about becoming known and engaging others in conversation about things that matter. In order to gain influence we must also at times be willing to be influenced and that means listening, sometimes debating and sometimes finding ways to see things from a variety of perspectives.   When we become known for our ability to include others in decision-making we also earn their confidence.

• Be Consistent

The work environment is often in a state of flux.  People will welcome your influence if your actions are consistent with your words

• Ask Simple Questions

Simple questions cause us to focus, re-focus or think more deeply about a topic under discussion.  It usually contains few words but those words are powerful enough to make a noteworthy impact on the direction a conversation takes or the conclusions that come out of it.

For example, imagine a room of people gathered to talk about how best to reach and serve customers.  The participants begin to talk about their marketing strategy ideas and become embroiled in a debate about the most effective “roll out” strategy, each participant becoming more and more wed to his or her own idea. In the excitement, the customer somehow is lost from the discussion. A simple question might go something like, “So, if you were the customer, how would this strategy serve you?”

• Learn when to intervene and when to back off.

Once, a leader asked me to take the lead at a business meeting.   It was really a meeting that he needed to lead himself but because the subject matter was not one with which he was comfortable (and it was an area in which I was well practiced), he asked me to do it.   He’s a very smart guy and I knew him to be fully capable of conducting this particular meeting and getting some good results. But, we began the meeting according to his wishes… with me as facilitator and he, as a participant.

About an hour into the meeting, I made an excuse, asked him to carry on without me and left the room.  I went to the ladies room for a few minutes. I picked up a magazine for a few more and then I listened at the door of the meeting room to hear what was going on.  Of course, he was doing a fine job of facilitating and I slipped back into the back of the room and took my place, as a participant. Admittedly, it was a bit of a gamble. But, sometimes influence requires a measure of risk.

The point is, leading through influence is often a subtle activity.  It requires us to be aware enough of what people are capable of to sometimes leave the room and let them get on with it.

So, how do you influence others?  What do you think it takes? How does it differ from manipulation? Or does it?  What do you think?

 

 

Change & The Credibility Factor

I’ve been thinking about change lately, mostly about what it is that separates a person who seems to be able to influence change in a positive direction, from a person who might have the authority and the technical skill to do the work, but seems unable to pull it off.

The word credibility comes to mind.  The Thesaurus suggests that credibility is synonymous with trustworthiness, integrity and sincerity. I think that if these basic values are present, the chances of arousing the interest and respect of other people are pretty good. And, I believe too, that change agents come in many forms, manifest themselves in a variety of ways and at a variety of levels.

Thinking about that reinforces for me, the notion that it is credibility not title, position, role or authority that makes the difference between an effective change agent and an ineffective one.

So, if you are with me so far, the big question seems to be ” How do I prove my credibility to others?”

Here’s what I think it takes to earn credibility:

• I do what I say I’m going to do… and I do it, when I say I’m going to do it.

Reliability is an important ingredient in establishing credibility.

There’s nothing more infuriating or counter-productive, than when someone makes a commitment to do something and then fails to follow through.

• I represent myself honestly and do my best to be candid and open with my colleagues and bosses.

I think that to gain credibility with others we must simply find the courage and confidence to be ourselves and make our contributions without pretense or bravado.

• I show that I’m open to learning and trying new things

Nothing puts holes in our credibility as a change agent more than conveying the impression that we have all the answers. And, it is arrogant to think that we can influence change in others without feeling the need to change something ourselves.

Change is a learning experience in itself. If we believe that it is for everyone but us, we are likely not asking the right questions, enough questions, or paying attention to what is going on around us.

• I demonstrate respect for the experiences and knowledge of others.

One of the best ways to build credibility is to observe those who have gone before us and learn from their experiences.  If we want to be heard we must first listen.

• When I challenge the status quo, I offer feasible and thoughtful alternatives.

To me, presenting a problem without considering a solution is not supporting change.  It is simply complaining.  This doesn’t mean that we have to have a solution for every problem.  But if we want to earn credibility, we have to consider not only the problem, but also the possibilities and questions that will stimulate further exploration.

• I own up to being human and making mistakes. And, when I make mistakes, I apologize and then do my best to make amends.

Making excuses for the mistakes we make is simply unproductive and, well, not very attractive either. In general, we do not adversely affect our credibility when we make mistakes. We adversely affect our credibility when we try to cover them up, rationalize them away, or otherwise pretend that they didn’t happen.

There are probably a lot of other elements that contribute to the establishment and perpetuation of our individual credibility.  What comes to mind for you?