Imagine walking into a room where no one reports to you, yet everyone is willing to follow your lead. Sounds like a dream, right? Welcome to the art of building influence without authority, a skill every product leader must master. In this week’s newsletter, we tap into insights from Nico Posner, a seasoned Silicon Valley product leader, to uncover how to thrive in this delicate dance of persuasion and relationship-building.
Influence Without Titles
For both emerging and growing product leaders, wielding influence across an organisation is an uphill battle. You lack direct control over most functions, yet your success hinges on aligning diverse teams. How do you steer teams toward a shared vision when they don’t officially report to you? Without authority, how do you secure the trust, buy-in, and cooperation needed to deliver impactful products?
Nico Posner distilled decades of experience into one golden rule: Start building relationships before you need them.
“In order to be most effective, those relationships you build cross-functionally are essential for minimising mistakes and achieving your objectives,” Nico explained. “This isn’t something you can start when you have a specific ask. It needs to be ongoing—from day one.”
Network Strategically and Empathise Deeply
Build a Cross-Functional Network: Nico emphasised the importance of "concentric rings of relationships" within an organisation. Focus first on peers who influence your work, then expand to their peers and teams. This network becomes your leverage in moments of challenge.
Understand Motivators: Dive into what drives other teams. Nico shared, “Understanding the goals of your stakeholders allows you to align your work with their success.” It’s about connecting the dots between their wins and your objectives.
Make It Bidirectional: True influence stems from reciprocity. Show how your efforts help others achieve their goals, and they’ll do the same for you. It’s not about asking for help; it’s about mutual empowerment.
Five Key Steps to Build Influence
Start Immediately: As Nico suggested, don’t wait until you need help. Begin relationship-building on your first day in a role.
Learn Stakeholders’ Goals: Schedule one-on-one meetings to understand their priorities and challenges.
Be a Listener: Prioritise active listening over speaking. Understanding others is the foundation of trust.
Communicate Clearly: Share regular updates using frameworks like Nico’s “3Ps”—Progress, Problems, and Plans. Consistency builds confidence.
Seek Alignment: Identify mutual objectives. Frame your requests in terms of shared success.
Mistakes to Avoid
Waiting Too Long: Starting relationships only when you need something risks being perceived as opportunistic.
One-Way Communication: Avoid focusing solely on your needs without considering how you can add value to others.
Assuming Authority Equals Influence: Even if you have a title, lasting influence is earned, not granted.
Influence is a Journey
As Nico highlighted, influence without authority is a skill developed over time with intentionality and empathy. By nurturing relationships, understanding motivators, and aligning goals, you don’t just influence; you lead.
For the growing product leader, this means creating leverage through aligned, cross-functional relationships that streamline processes. For the emerging leader, it’s a chance to cultivate a network that will support your future rise to leadership.
Start building your influence today—because tomorrow’s success depends on it.
Good insight 😌 Can i translate part of this article into Spanish with links to you and a description of your newsletter?