The Art of Influence: How to Lead Without Authority

Author

Ikechukwu Okoh
February 17, 2025

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This Week at a Glance

The Art of Influence: How to Lead Without Authority

Leadership is not only about titles or hierarchy; it’s about influence.

Some of the most impactful leaders I’ve met were not those in the highest positions but those who commanded respect, inspired action and fostered collaboration without formal authority.

Before I became a Principal Medical Officer/Deputy Director with the Hospital Management Board in Asaba, Nigeria, I had several experiences with leading without authority.

I managed teams across different units, yet I had no direct control over many of them.

I had to earn credibility through action rather than position.

I learned so much then and want to share them with you.

How to Lead Through Influence

  1. Master the Power of Relationships
    People don’t follow positions; they follow people.

    I prioritized building trust by genuinely listening to team members, understanding their challenges, and offering support where I could.

    Over time, they saw me as a go-to person, even though I wasn’t their official leader.

    This was particularly evident when I worked with nurses and administrative staff to improve patient flow despite structural bottlenecks.

  2. Demonstrate Competence and Reliability
    The easiest way to gain influence is by consistently delivering results.

    When we worked on improving medical record efficiency in a government hospital, I wasn’t in charge of the records department.

    However, by proposing a streamlined documentation system and demonstrating how it could improve workflow, I won the team's support, and they championed the change themselves.

  3. Communicate with Conviction and Clarity
    The way you articulate your ideas matters.

    By clearly communicating the vision, outlining how each person’s role contributed to the bigger picture, and fostering a sense of ownership, the team naturally aligned with the goal, even though I wasn’t their official supervisor.

  4. Lead by Example
    Influence isn’t about telling people what to do; it’s about inspiring them through action.

    When others see you working hard, being accountable, and upholding high standards, they are likelier to follow your lead.

Reflection Question: How can you increase your influence within your organization, regardless of your position?

Balancing Confidence and Humility: A Leadership Superpower

Confidence without humility is arrogance.

Humility without confidence is insecurity.

Authentic leadership requires a delicate balance between both.

Early in my leadership journey, I leaned too much on confidence.

I wanted to prove I knew what I was doing.

However, I quickly realized that the best leaders do not pretend to have all the answers.

Instead, they acknowledge gaps in knowledge and actively seek input from their teams.

How to Master This Balance

  1. Be Confident in Your Strengths, but Acknowledge Weaknesses
    Confidence comes from experience, preparation, and competence.

    However, I’ve learned that acknowledging weaknesses without diminishing authority creates room for collaboration.

  2. Ask More Questions Than You Answer
    I used to believe leaders had to have all the answers.

    But my greatest leadership moments came when I shifted to asking the right questions.

    In one of my leadership roles in Nigeria, I encouraged hospital administrators and department heads to ask questions that led to breakthrough solutions in patient care.

  3. Be Assertive, Not Aggressive
    There’s a fine line between confidence and dominance.

    I learned that asserting ideas clearly and openly rather than forcefully pushing them through encouraged buy-in rather than resistance.

  4. Celebrate Others’ Successes More Than Your Own
    Authentic leadership isn’t about personal recognition; it’s about lifting others.

    One of my proudest leadership moments was seeing a junior doctor I mentored in Nigeria step into a leadership role because they had been empowered to grow.

Reflection Question: Are you maintaining a healthy balance between confidence and humility in your leadership approach?

Building a Culture of Accountability: The Key to High-Performing Teams

Accountability is the foundation of high-performing teams.

Without it, even the most talented teams fall apart.

Accountability doesn’t come from micromanagement.

It comes from creating a culture where responsibility is embraced rather than enforced.

While leading healthcare projects in Nigeria, I inherited a team that often missed deadlines and shared blame.

I knew that to improve, we would have to shift from a culture of excuses to accountability.

How to Build a Culture of Accountability

  1. Set Clear Expectations
    People can’t be accountable for what they don’t understand.

    I started by making expectations crystal clear.

    Who is responsible for what, what the deadlines are, and what success looks like?

  2. Create a Safe Space for Ownership
    Accountability isn’t about punishing mistakes.

    It’s about learning from them.

    When a hospital I managed experienced delays in submitting bills to the Delta State Contributory Health Commission due to miscommunication, I resisted the urge to assign blame.

    Instead, we held a debrief session, identified key lessons, and implemented measures to prevent it from happening again.

  3. Give People Autonomy
    People take ownership when they feel they have control over their work.

    I saw the most significant shift in team performance when I stopped micromanaging and empowered team members to make decisions.

  4. Lead by Example
    If leaders aren’t accountable, teams won’t be either.

    I made it a point to acknowledge my mistakes, share what I have learned, and follow through on my commitments.

    Over time, accountability became embedded in the team culture.

Reflection Question: What can you do this week to strengthen accountability within your team?

Key Takeaways

Leadership isn’t about titles or authority.

It’s about influence, self-awareness, and fostering a culture where accountability thrives.

Whether you’re leading a small team or an entire organization, these principles can elevate your impact:

  • Lead with Influence: Build relationships, demonstrate competence, and inspire action.

  • Balance Confidence with Humility: Assert your strengths while remaining open to learning.

  • Create a Culture of Accountability: Empower teams to take ownership through clear expectations and autonomy.

Outstanding leadership is about more than what you do.

It’s about how you make others feel, grow, and succeed.

I wish you a fabulous week ahead

Please stay connected with me:

Ikechukwu Okoh

Founder of Leadership Pulse

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