Influence without Authority from edX

Lead conflict-free workplace teams with high synergy and leverage the power of purpose to accomplish business goals.

Consider this scenario: You’re tasked with leading a project within your organization but in an unofficial capacity.

Technically, you’re not in a position of leadership, but you've been given managerial responsibilities, such as generating a budget, creating a schedule, and managing and coordinating a team. So long as everyone else plays along, you should be fine. But that can be a big ask.

While your co-workers might not be intentionally trying to thwart your success, their priorities are naturally going to align with those who hold authority over them and their jobs—their supervisors. Without a position of authority, your priorities are likely to take a back seat to everything else on your team’s plate, often to the detriment of your initiative.

Does this sound familiar? If so, then this course will give you insights on how to lead without authority.

What's inside

Learning objectives

What will you learn?
Differences between influence and persuasion
The 5 step process of influencing
The 6 key principles of influence

Currencies of influence
Top skills you will learn
Engage others and manage interactions, influence tactics, influence techniques, influence models

What will you learn?
Differences between influence and persuasion
The 5 step process of influencing
The 6 key principles of influence
Currencies of influence
Top skills you will learn
Engage others and manage interactions, influence tactics, influence techniques, influence models

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on practical strategies for leading projects and teams when formal authority is absent, which is valuable for individual contributors

Explores the differences between influence and persuasion, which are essential skills for project managers to navigate team dynamics

Teaches a five-step process of influencing, providing a structured approach to achieving goals without relying on hierarchical power

Examines the currencies of influence, which helps learners understand and leverage various motivators to gain cooperation and support

Covers influence tactics, techniques, and models, which are useful for professionals seeking to improve their interpersonal skills

Requires learners to apply influence tactics in real-world scenarios, which may present challenges for those lacking opportunities to practice

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Influence without Authority with these activities:

Review 'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion'

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Gain a deeper understanding of the psychological principles behind influence and persuasion, which are foundational to the course.

View Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion'.
Read the book, focusing on the six principles of influence.
Take notes on how these principles can be applied in a workplace setting.

Review 'How to Win Friends & Influence People'

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Learn fundamental principles of interpersonal relationships and communication to enhance your ability to influence others.

View Melania on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'How to Win Friends & Influence People'.
Read the book, focusing on the principles of building rapport and trust.
Reflect on how these principles can be applied in your professional interactions.

Identify Influence Opportunities

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Apply the course concepts by identifying real-world scenarios where you can practice influencing without authority.

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Identify a project or initiative where you lack direct authority.
Analyze the stakeholders involved and their potential currencies of influence.
Develop a strategy to influence key stakeholders using the course's principles.
Document your approach and the results you achieve.

Four other activities

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Role-Play Influence Scenarios

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Practice applying influence techniques in a safe environment through role-playing with peers.

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Partner with a colleague or fellow student.
Develop realistic influence scenarios based on workplace challenges.
Role-play the scenarios, practicing different influence techniques.
Provide constructive feedback to each other.

Create a Presentation on Influence Tactics

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Solidify your understanding of influence tactics by creating a presentation that explains and illustrates their application.

Browse courses on Influence Tactics

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Research different influence tactics and techniques.
Develop a presentation outlining the tactics, with examples.
Present your findings to colleagues or peers for feedback.

Develop an Influence Strategy Template

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Create a reusable template for developing influence strategies in various situations.

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Outline the key elements of an effective influence strategy.
Design a template that guides users through the strategy development process.
Test the template with real-world scenarios and refine it based on feedback.

Mentor Junior Colleagues on Influence

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Reinforce your understanding by mentoring others on the principles and techniques of influence.

Browse courses on Influence Tactics

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Identify junior colleagues who could benefit from mentorship on influence.
Share your knowledge and experience with them.
Provide guidance and support as they apply influence techniques in their work.

Career center

Learners who complete Influence without Authority will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Project Manager

A project manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects, often working with individuals across different teams and departments. This role requires the ability to influence team members to complete tasks on time and within budget, even when the project manager does not have direct authority over them. The course, Influence without Authority, directly addresses this challenge, providing strategies and skills to motivate and guide teams toward common goals without relying on traditional hierarchical structures. Techniques taught here can help a project manager secure cooperation by understanding what motivates colleagues, building consensus, and fostering a collaborative environment. This course can help a project manager build a foundation for success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Team Lead

A team lead guides a group of individuals towards a specific objective, often without direct managerial authority. This role requires a high degree of influence to ensure that team members are engaged, productive, and aligned with the team's objectives. The course, Influence without Authority, provides the necessary tools and frameworks that a team lead needs, such as understanding the differences between influence and persuasion, influence tactics, and effective models of influence. The course can help a team lead to better engage others, manage interactions, and increase their impact. The course may be useful to anyone in a team lead role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Lead

Change Management Consultant

A change management consultant helps organizations implement changes effectively and smoothly, often collaborating across various departments without direct authority over the individuals affected. Success in this role hinges on the ability to influence stakeholders to adopt new processes and mindsets. The course, Influence without Authority, teaches methods of influencing others, which are skills a change management consultant uses every day. A consultant will learn to build consensus, handle resistance, and create a shared commitment to change. The specific principles of influence taught in this class can assist a consultant in navigating organizational complexities. This course helps a consultant build a foundation for success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Change Management Consultant

Product Manager

A product manager defines and guides the development of a product, often needing to influence engineering, marketing, sales, and other teams without direct management authority. This role requires a deep understanding of influence to align these teams to the product vision and roadmap. The course, Influence without Authority, can be highly valuable for a product manager, teaching how to engage others, manage interactions, and utilize influence models. This course helps build a foundation for success for a product manager looking to increase their ability to guide product development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Scrum Master

A scrum master guides a development team in using agile methodologies, requiring a strong ability to influence team members to follow agile principles without resorting to direct authority. A scrum master relies on influence to improve the team's development process and to encourage a culture of continuous improvement. The course, Influence without Authority, may be useful as it provides a framework for influencing others, even without formal power. A scrum master will learn to leverage the currencies of influence and employ different influence tactics. A scrum master will also learn to engage others and to manage interactions. This course may help a scrum master increase their effectiveness.

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Consultant

A consultant provides expert advice and solutions to clients or internal stakeholders, often needing to influence them to adopt recommendations even without direct authority. The success of a consultant often depends on their ability to persuade others of the value of their advice. The course, Influence without Authority, teaches important techniques for a consultant to influence others without needing to rely on formal authority. The consultant will learn to engage others, manage interactions, and use influence models. This course may be helpful for consultants seeking to enhance their effectiveness.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Business Analyst

A business analyst works to identify an organization's needs and recommends solutions. Often, the business analyst must influence stakeholders to gain buy-in for recommended solutions. The role of business analyst depends on the ability to persuade others of the value of proposed changes. The course, Influence without Authority, can be quite useful, teaching the difference between influence and persuasion. A business analyst can learn to engage others, manage interactions, and use influence models. This course may help a business analyst learn to guide stakeholders and colleagues to consensus.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Nonprofit Program Coordinator

A nonprofit program coordinator manages and coordinates projects or programs, requiring the ability to influence volunteers, community members, and other stakeholders. A coordinator must be able to engage others and manage interactions to work towards a common goal. The Influence without Authority course might be helpful for a nonprofit program coordinator, teaching the five-step process of influencing and the six key principles of influence. These techniques can help the coordinator to accomplish their program goals. This course may be helpful to a program coordinator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Program Coordinator

Sales Representative

The primary goal of a sales representative is to persuade potential clients to purchase products or services. Though not directly related to leadership, influencing is key to this role. The course Influence without Authority goes over the difference between influence and persuasion, which can be useful to a sales representative. The course also covers currencies of influence and influence techniques, which can help a sales representative engage others. This course may be helpful to a sales representative.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Representative

Marketing Specialist

A marketing specialist develops marketing campaigns and strategies, often needing to influence other departments and stakeholders to align with marketing goals. The role requires the ability to gain cooperation to execute effective marketing plans. The course, Influence without Authority, can offer useful strategies for a marketing specialist. They will learn to engage others, manage interactions, and employ influence models. The course may be helpful to a marketing specialist.

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Volunteer Coordinator

A volunteer coordinator recruits, trains, and manages volunteers for an organization. A volunteer coordinator does not have direct authority over the volunteers, so must be able to influence them to participate effectively. The course, Influence without Authority, outlines principles of influence. These principles can help a volunteer coordinator to engage volunteers, manage interactions, and use influence models. This course may be helpful to a volunteer coordinator.

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Training and Development Specialist

A training and development specialist designs and delivers training programs to employees, needing to influence them to adopt new skills and knowledge. This role relies on the ability to influence trainees, who might not be motivated to participate or whose priorities are elsewhere. The course Influence without Authority may be useful for this role. This course teaches the five-step process of influencing and the six key principles of influence. A training and development specialist will learn to engage others, manage interactions, and use influence models. This course may be useful to a training and development specialist.

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Curriculum Developer

A curriculum developer designs educational materials, and must be able to influence stakeholders such as educators and subject matter experts on implementation. A curriculum developer often must work with and persuade others to adopt the curriculum. The course, Influence without Authority, may be helpful to this position. Though not directly related, the principles of influencing can help a curriculum developer gain consensus and buy-in from relevant stakeholders. The course may be helpful for a curriculum developer.

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Account Manager

An account manager manages relationships with clients, which often requires influencing them to renew contracts or to expand services. Success in this role hinges on the ability to persuade clients to continue doing business with the company. The course, Influence without Authority, goes over the difference between influence and persuasion. This course may be useful for an account manager. This course may help to improve an account manager's ability to engage clients.

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Human Resources Generalist

A human resources generalist supports employees and manages HR activities, often needing to influence managers and staff to comply with company policies. This role requires the ability to engage others and manage interactions to achieve organizational goals. The course Influence without Authority may be useful to this position. The course covers the five step process of influencing, and the six key principles of influence. This course may be helpful to a human resources generalist.

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Influence without Authority

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