Influencing with Intention: Driving High-Impact Outcomes through Collaborative Leadership
Tap the power of your network to maximize your organizational impact. Join me in this post where I cover practical tips for collaborative leadership and drive impactful outcomes.
Engineers and Technical managers are great problem solvers. They excel at tackling complex technical challenges using their analytical skills and logical thinking. Many engineers, including those who have transitioned into management roles, tend to default to technical solutions for all problems, even those that may require a different perspective. For instance, when presented with a challenge like adding a new feature to a product, engineers and managers often immediately jump to technical solutions. They know right away what APIs to expose, which components need changes, which other systems have to be extended etc. But is that always the most effective approach? Have you stopped to wonder if there are better ways to solving the same problem? Does having additional data change your approach to solving problems? In this post, we will explore the power of leveraging your network to problem solve for the most impactful solutions, beyond just technical fixes.
Imagine you are the engineering leader in the space and consider the following situations. We’ll discuss potential solves for each of these cases at the end of the post.
Case a: Your VP just remarked in your business review meeting that the team should invest in ideas to reduce the cost of customer support.
Case b: Your team just lost product support e.g., PMs attrited or laid off. You are still expected to deliver your goals for the year.
Case c: You need to drive stakeholders across your organization to align on a large database migration effort.
For the situations above, managers often default to shouldering more responsibility and driving alignment through endless brainstorming conversations, just like I have done myself in the past. It's practical, it's acceptable, and it's what engineering managers and leaders typically do.
But then I started working with a leader who had a different approach, a master at persuasion. Her problem-solving skills were unique, and she didn't just rely on delegation or negotiation. She had a knack for influencing people without authority, and I was intrigued.
To just give you a flavor, during one of our 1-1 meetings, I shared my concerns about driving alignment with another Director of Engineering who owned a service that required changes based on our technical proposal. I was worried about facing resistance, as I had experienced before. But instead of jumping into strategies and tactics, this leader simply asked, "Who else has seen this proposal? Has the Director's Principal Engineer (staff equivalent) reviewed it?". At first, I didn't grasp the significance of her questions. But then it hit me.
She was applying a simple rule of human emotions: "People defer to experts."
Just like how it took an Anthony Fauci to convince people and Congress about masks and vaccines, having the leader's PE onboard with our proposal would make a big difference. It didn't require separate convincing with the Director. In the midst of our analytical approach to problem-solving, we often overlook the human equations at play. This experience made me realize you’re not limited by your own expertise.
By tapping in influence of others, we can achieve more impactful outcomes and overcome challenges that may seem insurmountable at first glance.
So, as left-brain thinkers, what can we do to tap in influence of others? I propose a 3-step approach - AIM for short.
Assess - Assess unique personalities and behavioral styles of those around you.
Introspect - Reflect on your own behaviors in the context of other personalities
Maximize - Maximize success by tapping into your network to drive collaborative outcomes
1. Assess
Inspired by Adam Grant, Organizational psychologist’s theory on Givers and Takers, I’ve extended the concept and oriented it towards the impact of network effect on sustained organizational impact. The chart's axes emphasize the orientation of individuals towards either low or high impact outcomes along the y-axis, and whether they are operating as individuals or leveraging their network along the x-axis.
The chart is self-explanatory. Ideally, you want to be in the top-right quadrant. You want to be seen as an influential ally in order to create sustainable impactful outcomes for yourself and the organization. Other quadrants highlight a need to either upskill and effectively using your network as seen with Consensus seekers; or rely less on authority and use influence techniques to maximize outcomes with the help of your network.
2. Introspect
Once you’ve understood how different players in the organization operate, reflect on your own behaviors. You can do a quick low-cost exercise to reflect and see for yourself. Here is a sample questionnaire to ask yourself:
How often do you network with people outside your immediate team or department?
Frequently, I make an effort to connect with people from different areas and backgrounds.
Occasionally, I network with people who can help me achieve my goals or interests.
Rarely, I network with people who share similar values or needs as me.
Never, I prefer to work on my own or with people I already know well.
How do you approach your interactions with other people at work?
I try to give more than I get, paying attention to what other people need from me and how I can help them.
I try to get more than I give, putting my own interests ahead of others’ needs and making sure I get credit for my efforts.
I try to match what I give and get, exchanging favors or value with others in a fair and balanced way.
I try to avoid giving or getting anything, keeping my interactions with others to a minimum and focusing on my own work.
How do you influence others in your organization?
I influence others in informal ways, building trust and rapport with them and using my network to advance organizational goals and create impact.
I influence others in formal ways, relying on my authority and position to get things done and using my network to advance my own goals and interests.
I influence others in moderate ways, communicating and asserting my ideas and opinions and using my network to support or challenge others as needed.
I influence others in minimal ways, lacking confidence or credibility to express myself and using my network only when necessary or requested.
Score 4 for “a” and 3 for “b” and 2 for “c” and 1 for “d”. You are well on your way if you scored between 10 and 12. Your peers see you as an Influential ally and you are already effectively networking. Any other scores suggest we have room to improve. Psst - I myself didn’t score high a few years ago and this isn’t scientific to prove you one way or the other.
3. Maximize
If you see yourself as an Influential Ally, Congratulations! Keep doing what you’re doing. Else, here are a few practical tips to advance to that quadrant to maximize your impact.
Shift from being a problem solver to a relationship builder
Imagine yourself in a superhero mode, ready to swoop in and solve a problem with your technical expertise.
But before you leap into action, take a moment to pause and ask yourself, 'Who might benefit or have more information to advance my thinking?'
Just like how a superhero seeks assistance from other allies with unique powers, consider involving other leaders or stakeholders who could provide valuable insights or perspectives. Remember the case we discussed above - where your VP asks you to reduce the cost of customer support. Instead of immediately brainstorming automation solutions, consider reaching out to the Head of Customer Support or use the opportunity to seek an introduction. By involving other leaders in the solutioning process, you not only tap into their expertise but also motivate them to be part of solving the problem at hand, just like how superheroes join forces to defeat a common enemy.
Transform your crisis into someone’s opportunity to shine
This can be counter-intuitive to some because why would anyone want your problem. Remember Case b where you lost product support for your team? Instead of immediately putting on your product hat and trying to solve it alone, consider looking for potential opportunities for others. Is there someone on your team who's aspiring to transition to a product manager role? Or perhaps the product marketing manager who could assist you with experimentation? Or even the solution architect who's considering a role change to product management? Ask around and you’ll be surprised.
Tap into peer power whenever available
Horizontal influence, or influence from peers, can be far more potent than vertical influence from organizational leaders. Think about it like this: people are more likely to be influenced by someone they like and respect rather than a leader they can't relate to. Take Case C, where you need to drive alignment among stakeholders for a large migration, but some employees are resistant. Instead of trying to convince them yourself, consider enlisting the support of a Senior Engineer or Principal Engineer who is in favor of the initiative to speak up at a team meeting. The testimony of a trusted peer stands a better chance of swaying the group compared to yet another speech from you. In other words, influence is often most effective when exerted horizontally, leveraging the power of peer relationships.
This is not a exhaustive strategy to tap into influence of others but reasonable first steps to help you along the way. Effective influence in leadership is about leveraging collaboration, strategic thinking, and relationship-building skills to drive impactful outcomes. By shifting from a "how" to a "who" mindset, turning crises into opportunities, and harnessing the power of peer influence, leaders can navigate challenges, gain alignment, and inspire others to action.
I hope these insights and practical examples have been helpful in your leadership journey. Have you tried applying these strategies in your own context? What results have you seen? I would love to hear your feedback and insights on how these concepts resonate with you and how you have applied them in your own leadership experiences.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, feedback, or questions in the comments section below.