Because the core processes of a business—ones that are responsible for creating end-products or services—cut across functions, the best and most efficient way to meet the customer’s needs is to improve the way in which people in these related functional areas work together. This collaboration enables the organization to accomplish goals and implement major change initiatives more quickly and with better quality than if each function operated as a separate “fiefdom.” Key to success in this environment is being able to work effectively with people across the organization, over whom one may have no authority.

1. Influencing Without Authority
Presented by: Rick Lepsinger, Managing Partner

2. Rick Lepsinger, Managing Partner
rlepsinger@OnPointConsultingLLC.com | 212.472.8081
Influencing Without Authority
WELCOME TO

3. 3
Objectives
• Understand how effective managers
gain the support of people over
whom they have no direct authority
• Assess situations to determine
which tactic would be most and
least effective
• Learn best practices for effectively
building and using influence

4. 4
What is Influencing?
Getting people to change their behavior, opinion,
attitude or accept your point of view in a way that
meets their needs and without coercion or a feeling
of being directed.

5. Chat Discussion
What makes it difficult to gain
people’s support and commitment?
What challenges do you face?
5

6. 6
Challenges to Influencing Others
• Poor quality relationships
• Low levels of trust
• Lack of credibility
• Different priorities
• Unaware of the needs and
goals of others
• Unaware of what motivates
others

7. 7
Influence Outcomes
• Commitment
• Compliance
• Resistance

8. 8
Influence Tactics
Reasoning
Inspiring
Consulting
Collaborating
Apprising
Recognizing
Personal Appeals
Exchanging
Legitimating
Coalition
Pressure
Most
Effective
Moderately
Effective
Least
Effective

9. 9
Cross Cultural Study
Twelve Countries Were Involved in the Study
• China
• France
• Hong Kong
• India
• Japan
• Mexico
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• United States

10. Reasoning
• Using logical arguments and
factual evidence
• Most frequently used and seen as
most effective across 12 cultures
• Used to the same extent by men
and women
Kennedy, Ping Fu, and Yukl. Influence Tactics Across Cultures. Advances in Global Leadership 2003 vol. 3, pgs. 127-147 Lepsinger and Forgie.
Using Influence to Gain Commitment: Are Male and Female Leaders That Different. 2010 unpublished study
Most Effective Influence Tactics
10
Most Effective Influence Tactics

11. Reasoning
• Explaining why a requested task
is necessary
• Explaining why a proposed
change or project will be cost
effective
• Providing evidence that a
proposed activity will be
successful
11
Behavior Examples

12. Is most effective when…
• Goals or task objectives are
aligned
• You are recognized as a
credible resource (i.e., track
record of success, considered
an expert)
12
Reasoning

13. Inspiring
• Appealing to a person’s values
and ideals
• Did not make the top 5 across
cultures
• Used significantly more by women
13
Most Effective Influence Tactics

14. Inspiring
• Describing a clear, inspiring
vision
• Making an inspiring presentation
to arouse enthusiasm for a
proposed activity or change
14
Behavior Examples

15. Is most effective when…
• You know the person’s values and what motivates them
• You have a positive personal relationship and high levels
of trust
15
Inspiring

16. Consulting
• Collecting the person’s input and
suggestions
• Seen as effective across 12 cultures
(top 5)
• Used significantly more by women
16
Most Effective Influence Tactics

17. Consulting
• Asking for ideas to improve a
preliminary plan or proposal
• Encouraging the person to
express any concerns about a
proposed change or new
initiative
17
Behavior Examples

18. Is most effective when…
• The person has information you do
not
• The person’s cooperation is needed
for implementation
• You are willing and have the
authority to make changes
18
Consulting

19. Collaborating
• Reducing the difficulty of complying by offering to provide
relevant resources or assistance
19
Most Effective Influence Tactics
• Seen as effective across 12 cultures
(top 5)
• Used to the same extent by men and
women

20. Collaborating
• Offering to help a person do the task
• Offering to provide resources needed to do the task
20
Behavior Examples

21. Is most effective when…
• You can provide additional
resources to help the person
• You can reduce the difficulty
or cost of complying without
creating a new problem
21
Collaborating

22. Marcia, a product manager, works with many people around the
world who design, develop, and market her product. She is a
member of a project team and has to get work done with
people who do not report to her.
In each of the following
scenarios, identify the tactic
Marcia is using to influence
her peers and colleagues.
22
Case Study

23. Marcia is getting frustrated with James, the person responsible for developing
the basic campaign for the new release. Marcia is nervous about delivering on
time. She decides to discuss this directly with James. It turns out that James
has a wealth of information about process, costs, and efficiencies which Marcia
didn’t know about. Marcia asked James if he would work with her to establish
project goals in order to communicate realistic expectations to management.
A. Reasoning
B. Inspiring
C. Consulting
D. Collaborating
#1 Marketing Snafu
#1 Marketing Snafu
23

24. Marcia is getting frustrated with James, the person responsible for developing
the basic campaign for the new release. Marcia is nervous about delivering on
time. She decides to discuss this directly with James. It turns out that James
has a wealth of information about process, costs, and efficiencies which
Marcia didn’t know about. Marcia asked James if he would work with her to
establish project goals in order to communicate realistic expectations to
management.
#1 Marketing Snafu
Consulting
#1 Marketing Snafu
24

25. The development team has been pushing a certain feature to be included in the
next release of the software. Marcia doesn’t believe that it will enhance the
product for her targeted customers of younger users. The development team
doesn’t agree but Marcia and the members of this team have worked together
before so there is a high level of trust. Marcia reminds the developers of the
core values of the company, which are “being the best” and creating an exciting
user experience, and uses that as the basis to support her proposal.
A. Reasoning
B. Inspiring
C. Consulting
D. Collaborating
#2 Feature Swap
#2 Feature Swap
25

26. The development team has been pushing a certain feature to be included in the
next release of the software. Marcia doesn’t believe that it will enhance the
product for her targeted customers of younger users. The development team
doesn’t agree but Marcia and the members of this team have worked together
before so there is a high level of trust. Marcia reminds the developers of the
core values of the company, which are “being the best” and creating an exciting
user experience, and uses that as the basis to support her proposal.
Inspiring
#2 Feature Swap
#2 Feature Swap
26

27. Marcia is working with her colleagues to figure out what the best price
point should be for her product in order to make it attractive to the
customer and maximize the return on the investment made by her group.
They are all aligned with her objectives – they just aren’t sure about her
numbers. She presents additional data to support her recommendation.
A. Reasoning
B. Inspiring
C. Consulting
D. Collaborating
#3 Pricing Strategy
#3 Pricing Strategy
27

28. Marcia is working with her colleagues to figure out what the best price
point should be for her product in order to make it attractive to the
customer and maximize the return on the investment made by her group.
They are all aligned with her objectives – they just aren’t sure about her
numbers. She presents additional data to support her recommendation.
Reasoning
#3 Pricing Strategy
#3 Pricing Strategy
28

29. Marcia wants a reseller to highlight her new release during a seminar attended by customers who will
likely be interested in the new product. Although these seminars are part of the contract, the reseller
is being resistant and making excuses. Finally, she decides to talk to the reseller’s manager to find out
what the problem is.
Marcia finds out that the reseller’s owner is trying to comply with Marcia’s company’s contractual
requirements but finds it time consuming. Marcia offers to bring in a team to help the reseller comply
with the terms of the contract without creating additional work for the reseller.
A. Reasoning
B. Inspiring
C. Consulting
D. Collaborating
#4 Reseller Reluctance
#4 Reseller Reluctance
29

30. Marcia wants a reseller to highlight her new release during a seminar attended by customers who will
likely be interested in the new product. Although these seminars are part of the contract, the reseller
is being resistant and making excuses. Finally, she decides to talk to the reseller’s manager to find out
what the problem is.
Marcia finds out that the reseller’s owner is trying to comply with Marcia’s company’s contractual
requirements but finds it time consuming. Marcia offers to bring in a team to help the reseller comply
with the terms of the contract without creating additional work for the reseller.
Collaborating
#4 Reseller Reluctance
#4 Reseller Reluctance
30

31. Influence Tactics
Reasoning
Inspiring
Consulting
Collaborating
Apprising
Recognizing
Personal Appeals
Exchanging
Legitimating
Coalition
Pressure
Most
Effective
Moderately
Effective
Least
Effective
31

32. Moderately Effective
Influence Tactics

33. 33
Recognizing
Making someone feel better about you:
giving compliments, doing unsolicited
favors, acting respectful, and acting
friendly and helpful before making a
request
Apprising
Explaining how carrying out a request or
supporting a proposal will benefit someone
personally

34. 34
Personal appeals
Asking someone to do a favor based on
friendship or loyalty to you
Exchanging
Explicit or implicit offer to reward a person
for doing what you request

35. Least Effective
Influence Tactics

36. 36
Legitimating
Attempts to establish one’s legitimate authority
or right to make a particular type of request
Coalition
Involves getting help from other people to
influence the target person
Pressure
Threats, warnings, and assertive behavior such
as repeated demands or frequent checking to
see if the person has complied with a request

37. 37
Most Effective Tactics
Influence Tactic Supporting Factors Limiting Factors
Simple
Request
• Your request is clearly legitimate, relevant for
the work, and something the person knows
how to do
• Your request is unpleasant, inconvenient,
irrelevant, or difficult to do
Reasoning • You and the person share task objectives
• You are seen as an expert
• You have a track record of success
• Can be used effectively with boss, peers and
direct reports
• You have a poor track record in areas related to
the request or proposal
• You are not seen a credible expert in areas
relevant to the request or proposal
• The other person is considered an expert in areas
relevant to request or proposal
Inspiring • Most effective with direct reports and peers
• Objective is to gain commitment to work on a
new project or support for a proposed change
• You know the person’s values and what
motivates them
• The person is the boss
• You have a poor personal relationship with the
person
• The person lacks trust and/or respect for you
• You do not know the person very well or what
motivates them
Factors That Support and Hinder the Tactics

38. 38
Most Effective Tactics
Influence Tactic Supporting Factors Limiting Factors
Consulting • Most effective with direct reports and peers
• You have the authority to assign work or make
changes
• The person’s cooperation is needed for
effective implementation
• The person has relevant information that you
do not
• The person agrees in principle with the
objective
• You have a poor relationship with the person
• The person is not willing to be open and provide
suggestions or raise concerns
• The person does not have the expertise to make
a meaningful contribution
• The person’s cooperation is not necessary for
successful implementation
• The person does not agree with the task
objective
Collaborating • Most effective with peers
• You can provide additional resources to help
the person
• You can reduce the difficulty or cost of carrying
out a request
• The person is the boss
• You do not have any way to reduce difficulty or
unpleasantness of carrying out the request
• You cannot reduce the cost of compliance
without creating a new problem
Factors That Support and Hinder the Tactics

39. • Lay the foundation for the effective use of the tactics well
in advance
 Demonstrate your credibility and track record
 Identify shared goals or common ground
 Build positive work relationships and trust
 Get to know the needs and values of the people you depend on
to get things done
39
Tips for Effectively Influencing

40. • Influence people from their
point of view, not your own
• Do not overly rely on Reasoning
• Translate “facts” and “features”
into benefits
• Increase the use of
paraphrasing, empathizing and
questions
40
Tips for Effectively Influencing

41. • Making hasty conclusions about the other person’s or
group’s reaction to your proposal
• Focusing too heavily on tasks and losing sight of
relationships
• Overusing email
• Using pressure tactics before you’ve tried all other options
(and only if the stakes are high)
41
Avoid

42. Thank you!
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