The secret to leading change when you're not "in charge"
Spoiler - you don't need the job title to have authority
Have you ever been asked to lead a piece of change, but been left wondering spiralling, about how on earth you’ll get buy-in from people that don’t report to you?
It’s one of the most common challenges I see in coaching sessions with new and aspiring leaders:
“I’ve been asked to drive this change, but I don’t have the authority to make anyone do anything.”
And here’s the truth: change that sticks rarely comes from authority alone.
This is the penultimate newsletter in our mini-series on leading change.
Go back and check out part 1, part 2 and part 3 here, and if you’re a paying subscriber, there’s also a podcast on using the Kotter model for leading change, which has proved very popular!
In fact, I’ve had some great feedback on the podcast model, so I’ve recorded a short podcast today to complement today’s topic (free for everyone) and look out for more in the future!
Hi by the way! If you’re new here, WELCOME!
I’m Louise, a former Director of Communications and now leadership and careers coach. If you need me, you can always find me here every week with actionable leadership advice, on TikTok and on LinkedIn. Or get in touch by replying to this email.
So if you’ve been tasked with leading a change, whether it’s a new strategy, culture shift, or communications rollout, and you’re not the one holding the power… (I hear you…) Here’s how to lead anyway and do it well.
The reality of influencing without authority
Let’s start here: change is emotional. It's political (I mean…) It triggers uncertainty. And most of us resist it, especially if it feels like it's happening to us rather than with us. That’s human nature.
This means that influencing change without formal authority isn’t about being clever, persuasive, or even charismatic. Although those things can help, they are not the critical traits you need.
Instead, it’s about creating trust, shared understanding, and momentum, even when you're not the final decision-maker.
Understanding human nature (so having strong Emotional Intelligence or EQ) and leaning into the behaviours that bring out the best in people (see the list of three above, I’d add active listening and inclusion to that list) is what will make the difference.
And of course, that’s what real and meaningful leadership is all about.
Whether you have the “title” or not.