How to influence and create change without authority

If you work in a Corporate services area, whether that be in People and Culture, a Program Management Office or Risk and Compliance and you want to shift the mindset and ways of working across the organisation, then the easily 'card' to play is that it is impossible because you have no authority in that area and nothing could be further from the truth.

You can indeed influence behaviours and even change behaviours of those you work with or support using these five strategies:

1) Create a win/win situation with your key stakeholders. Understanding how to solve your stakeholders issues with your change, and creating a sense of togetherness will also create a sense of shared ownership of the change. Sometimes explicitly linking or highlighting the connection between your change and how it may help them is a way in which your change will generate support.  How is your success linked to their success? 

2) Understand and leverage both the formal and informal networks. If the grapevine is stronger than formal communications, then utilise it through genuine connections.  Most, if not all, organisations have both a formal and informal network. Social networks can be really strong. So asking for feedback from key influencers in the organisation can not only improve what you are doing, but it can also garner more support for it as well.

3) Make it fun or different. So many rollouts are simply BORING!! Consider ideas to gamify the approach so there is energy around the change. Excitement and a sense of playfulness if it is appropriate, can have more people engage in the fun. It can have the change get a life of it's own and go viral in your organisation. 

4) Create a sense of social pressure through visibility and celebration. Whether it be through reporting adoption rates or error rates to celebrate the success of some and struggles of others. Having a leaderboard or something similar can create a healthy sense of competition to have people get on board. Just be sure to create an environment where all areas are given equal opportunity to be successful.

5) Make sure your leader is also doing their part advocating about the change and having 1:1's with those who may be lagging. With them focusing on reinforcing the importance of the change and how, once again it can help their peers. Gentle nudging and a sense of togetherness among leaders always helps. Leadership alignment is critical for change to be embedded.

There are just five ways that you can influence for your change.  Try some of them out, and listen to Next Level Change Success for more practical ways you can have your change stick.