The Challenge of No Direct Authority

As a PM, your role is to make sure the product succeeds. But you don't have direct power over the people you work with. So, you need to influence them. You gotta work with senior management, design, marketing, engineering, and sales. Each group has its own priorities. Aligning them towards a common vision is your job. It's like trying to get different colored threads to weave a single fabric.

Especially for new PMs, influencing without authority is super tough. When you join a team, you’re expected to lead without authority. It’s like trying to get a cat to follow you. People don’t just listen to you because you say so. You need to convince them. This requires navigating complex relationships and having strong soft skills.

Influence stakeholders when you have no power

Influencing without authority is often considered the most underrated PM skill. Technical skills can be learned. Design principles and writing requirements can be mastered. But persuading and influencing people? That's a different ball game. It’s about understanding and aligning different perspectives.

Building relationships and trust with your team is key. Engage with stakeholders, understand their needs and priorities. Respect their expertise. Present data and evidence to support your ideas. Show them the value and potential impact. This way, you can gain their buy-in and support.

Building relationships is crucial. It creates trust and mutual respect. Imagine your friend recommends a product. You’re more likely to try it because you trust them. Similarly, knowing your colleagues personally can simplify collaboration and influence.

Sharing Meals to Build Relationships

Building relationships can be challenging, especially for introverts, but it’s essential. One effective method is bonding over food. People eat multiple times a day, providing natural opportunities to connect. Keith Ferrazzi’s book "Never Eat Alone" highlights the importance of bonding over meals. As a PM, I regularly have lunch with my team and schedule one-on-one lunches with stakeholders. I also organize social events, like inviting stakeholders to my home for a meal.

How Sharing Meals Helps

Sharing meals helps build relationships by creating a relaxed, informal setting where people can connect on a personal level. It’s less about networking and more about genuine interaction. Regularly having lunch with your team or organizing social events fosters camaraderie and trust, making it easier to collaborate and influence each other. For example, inviting your team over for dinner or baking cookies, even if they turn out badly, shows a personal side and fosters camaraderie. This bond can make future collaborations smoother, as it feels more like working with friends rather than just colleagues.

Walking Meetings

Another effective way to build relationships and influence stakeholders is through walking meetings. Walking meetings help you look in one direction, which can make the conversation feel more collaborative. Plus, getting endorphins and the benefit of exercise can create a positive atmosphere. It’s a great way to break the traditional office setting and connect on a different level.

Using Data to Influence

Data provides objective evidence to support your ideas and decisions, making it easier to persuade others. When you present clear, data-driven insights, stakeholders are more likely to see the value in your proposals and support them. This complements the relationship-building efforts by adding a layer of credibility and logic to your influence.

Importance of Data-Driven Processes

Data-driven processes are crucial for making informed decisions and influencing stakeholders. While data-driven product development and decision-making are commonly discussed, data-driven processes for PMs are equally important. Incorporating data into your workflows can help you influence others and make better decisions.

Using Data to Influence Stakeholders

Stakeholders care about working on impactful projects and solving technically challenging problems. To influence them, use data to show the potential impact and importance of the projects you want them to work on. Presenting data-driven insights can help align their interests with the project goals.

Key Takeaways for Influencing Without Authority

Here are a few key takeaways:

1. Build relationships: Get to know your team personally to create trust and mutual respect.

2. Use data effectively: Provide objective evidence to support your arguments and decisions.

3. Combine soft skills with data: While soft skills are important, complementing them with data enhances your ability to influence.

4. Create informal interaction opportunities: Sharing meals or organizing social events can help build stronger relationships.

5. Walking meetings: Use walking meetings to create a collaborative and positive atmosphere.