Business Leadership Management

Influence Without Authority (Summary)

by Allan R. Cohen and David L. Bradford

You need a critical report from a colleague in another department, but they're swamped and you have no formal power over them. Do you escalate to their boss? Bribe them with favors? The surprising answer is to stop thinking about what you need and start acting like a currency trader, discovering what they value most—whether it's recognition, access to information, or help on a pet project—and making a trade that benefits everyone.

Assume Everyone is a Potential Ally

Stop viewing colleagues as adversaries or obstacles. Instead, adopt the mindset that even the most difficult person can become an ally if you understand their goals, pressures, and needs.

An engineer constantly blocked a manager's requests for his team's resources. Instead of fighting him, the manager took him to lunch and learned the engineer felt his expertise was constantly ignored. By simply starting to ask for the engineer's advice before making requests, the manager turned him from a blocker into a key supporter and advocate.

Identify Your Currencies and Theirs

Influence is about exchange, not manipulation. You must identify what you have to offer (your currencies) and, more importantly, what the other person values (their currencies). These often go far beyond money or formal rewards.

A marketing manager needed faster IT support but had no authority over the IT team. She discovered the overworked IT staff desperately valued public recognition. She began publicly praising specific IT members in company-wide meetings for their help. In exchange for this 'currency' of visibility, her department's support tickets were suddenly handled with much higher priority.

Diagnose Their World Before Making Your Ask

Before you can influence someone, you must understand their perspective. What are their goals? What pressures are they under from their boss? What are their personal values and priorities?

A project lead needed an analyst to prioritize a report. Instead of just demanding it, she first learned the analyst was being pushed by her own boss to focus on a different company-wide initiative. The project lead then reframed her request, showing how her report would actually provide crucial data for the analyst's high-priority initiative, thus aligning their goals instead of creating a conflict.

Build Relationships Before You Need Them

The most effective influence is built on a foundation of trust. You can't just show up when you need something. You have to make 'deposits' by offering help, sharing information, and showing support proactively.

An executive regularly forwarded interesting articles to a colleague in another division based on that colleague's known interests. He also publicly credited her team when their work helped his. When he later needed her department's help on a tight deadline, the request was met with enthusiasm, not suspicion, because he had already established a history of goodwill and generosity.

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