Influence: Leadership Without Authority - How to Influence Your Team by Leading by Example

“Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.” John C. Maxwell

It's a simple definition. But it's one that can completely change how you think about leadership.

Because if leadership is influence, then leadership isn't limited to people with a certain title.

You don't have to be the manager. You don't have to be the director. You don't have to be the person whose name appears at the top of the organizational chart. You can lead wherever you have the opportunity to influence people. I learned that lesson working with sites on Operational Excellence and 5S.

When the Person Leading the Change Doesn't Have the Title

As an Operational Excellence Manager, I worked with sites implementing 5S as a Lean tool to improve organization, cleanliness, and workplace efficiency. Many sites had a local 5S Coordinator responsible for helping lead the initiative. But the coordinator often didn't have formal authority over everyone involved. That meant they couldn't simply say: “Do this because I said so.” They had to influence.

One of the most effective ways to influence change is to model the behavior you're asking others to adopt.

The 5S Example I'll Never Forget

I worked with a site where the organization was asking employees to follow 5S principles in their work areas. But the site leader's own workspace wasn't following those same principles. There were piles of things on shelves and around the office. Items were mixed together. Things weren't easy to find. And eventually, something that needed to be located couldn't be found. A customer complaint helped expose the problem. What made the situation particularly important wasn't simply that the workspace was disorganized. It was the message the workspace was sending. The organization was telling employees: 5S matters. But the leader's behavior was communicating something different: Maybe it doesn't matter that much. That's a leadership problem. Not because leaders have to be perfect. They don't.

But because people pay attention to what leaders consistently do—not just what leaders tell them to do.

Influence Starts With Going First

The turning point came when the leader recognized that they needed to start with their own area.

They changed their habits. They applied the 5S principles themselves. And that created a different kind of credibility. Now they weren't simply asking other people to change. They were participating in the change. That matters. Because influence isn't just about having the right words. It's about creating enough trust and credibility that people are willing to follow.

What This Means for Managers

This principle applies to much more than workplace organization.

Think about the behaviors you ask your team to demonstrate.

Do you want them to:

• Communicate openly?

• Be accountable?

• Listen to each other?

• Follow through?

• Stay organized?

• Treat people with respect?

• Embrace change?

• Take ownership?

• Give constructive feedback?

  
  

Now turn the question around. What does your team see you doing?

Because your behavior is part of the culture you're creating.

• If you want people to communicate openly but shut down every time someone challenges your idea, you're sending a message.

• If you want accountability but regularly make excuses for your own missed commitments, you're sending a message.

• If you want people to embrace change but resist every change that affects your own routine, you're sending a message.

  
  

Your team is learning from you even when you're not teaching.

Five Questions to Ask Before You Ask Others to Change

The next time you're frustrated because your team isn't adopting a behavior you believe is important, pause before giving another reminder.

Ask yourself:

1. Am I modeling it?

If someone followed your example exactly, would they be demonstrating the behavior you want?

2. Am I consistent?

Does this behavior matter only when there's a problem, or does it show up in how you operate every day?

3. What might I be unintentionally communicating?

Sometimes our actions send a different message than our words.

4. Where can I go first?

You don't have to wait for everyone else to change before you start.

5. What would influence look like instead of enforcement?

If people aren't responding to another instruction, maybe the next move isn't another instruction. Maybe it's an example.

You Don't Need the Title to Lead

One of the most useful shifts a manager can make is realizing that leadership isn't simply about authority. Authority can tell someone what they're expected to do. Influence helps people understand why it matters—and gives them someone worth following.  And influence isn't something you have to wait for someone to give you. You can start with your own behavior. Start there. Go first.  Let people see the change you're asking them to make. That's leadership without the title.

A Question for People Leaders

What is one behavior you're asking your team to change right now?

Before your next conversation with them, ask yourself:

What would it look like for me to model this first?

Sometimes the most powerful leadership move isn't another instruction. It's an example.