Influence Without Direct Authority Explained

Influence without direct authority has become a guiding principle and an essential skill in Product Management. But what does it really entail? 

The ability to influence is defined by a trifecta of traits: Confidence, Likability (aka charisma), and Effective communication. 

Confidence

Confidence may seem obvious, yet many Product Managers feel held back by self-limiting beliefs. Very often I hear phrases like:

 "I don't code," "I don't do designs," or "I don't have tangible results of my work" .

This attitude creates a misconception that not “delivering” #product value is an equivalent of not “creating” product value. These damaging beliefs negatively impact organizational performance: 

instead of prioritizing informed decision-making and customer value creation through research, Product Managers often acquire technical skills already present in the organization.

A confident Product Manager holds no doubts about the impact they create through customer and industry research, roadmap alignment with business goals, competitive analysis, customer need analysis, prioritization decisions, and information gathering.

This confidence empowers Product Managers to:

Focus on informed decision-making.

Ultimately, within the company, no one else has enough time to gather the information required to manage uncertainty during decision-making.

Become effective evangelists.

A Product Manager proud of their research findings has enthusiasm that naturally motivates them to share these insights with the entire organization. This sets off a chain of events that positively affects the organization's financial performance.

A Product Manager who is excited to share results of the discovery brings alignment to the entire company, increasing the likelihood of successful investment decisions that positively impact bottom lines or revenue.

Likability

To influence without direct authority, a Product Manager needs to be well-liked by the people they regularly collaborate with. While likability may seem obvious or even trivial, it's a key factor in moving towards the finish line faster.

If stakeholders tend to avoid collaboration with a product manager, I strongly recommend transitioning them to different roles. Product Managers who are not well-liked by others will inevitably slow down progress and result in high costs.

In today's competitive landscape, time is the most valuable resource. Product Leaders who can drive things forward swiftly, influencing stakeholders to fulfill their tasks without friction and avoiding time waste on bureaucratic approval processes, are more likely to deliver value faster. This ensures that your organization stays ahead of the competition.

Effective Communication

Firstly, effective communication determines the ability to deliver bad news in a way that prompts action rather than disappointment or, worse, conflict. 

Product Managers serve as internal salespeople. Their role is to gain buy-in from everyone and then facilitate stakeholders to take action.

Secondly, effective communication ensures accountability. 

In a scenario when a crucial product task is not directly executed by a Product Manager, the Product Manager should still take accountability and be responsible for driving this task until completed. 

Product managers who can truly influence don’t think about "who is responsible for completing the task". Instead they focus on "what needs to be done to successfully achieve the result”. 

This mindset  empowers Product managers to put systems in place that are designed to facilitate the delivery of high-quality and time-sensitive results by cross-functional stakeholders. Let’s not forget about simple instruments like follow-ups, reminders, or meeting schedules that can be used to facilitate execution. 

To influence without direct authority, a Product Manager should possess excellent communication skills while also being confident and likable. A combination of these qualities will save organizational resources and ensure timely delivery to the market.