You might shy away from terms like “authority” and “influence”.
Maybe they sound quite masculine and can invoke Thatcher-esque images of iron women banging their fists on lecterns.
Or maybe the image you’re conjuring up is of women like Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada.
Or maybe you’ve had a negative experience with a female leader in your own career and you’ve decided that you don't want to be like “that woman”.
That's not what authority and influence means. And if you want to take control of your career, authority and influence skills are what you need to develop. If you’re still not convinced, let's look at the numbers.
Women hold less than 8% of Fortune 500 CEO positions and get paid approximately 20% less than their male equivalents, for the same job.
Women occupy around 40% of the seats on the boards of the UK’s biggest listed companies.
Out of 100 FTSE Chief Executives just 10 are female.
Hard work and hoping for the recognition you deserve are not going to change these numbers. Women need to be deliberate and proactive if they have any hope of improving representation around the top tables, not to mention closing that stubborn gender pay gap that shows such glacial progress with every year that passes.
We can’t afford to wait for workplaces to play catch up. It's essential that women focus on building their credibility, thought leadership, and negotiation leverage in the workplace and so developing your professional authority and influence is more important than ever.
When you become known as an expert in your field who confidently voices opinions and adds value, people will start listening and looking to you for guidance. You’ll gain the authority needed to boost promotion chances, gain higher pay, better projects and increased decision-making power.
What do we mean by authority and influence at work?
Having authority isn’t being a tyrant, speaking down to people or being aggressive. I’d encourage you right now to challenge any associations you’ve made between the bad experiences you’ve had with managers and the word “authority”. Authority and influence at work refers to the ability to guide, persuade, and lead others within the workplace environment and doing this with integrity and respect. Authority typically comes from a formal position of power within an organisation, but even those who have yet to secure leadership positions can demonstrate authority through their expertise and speaking up in meetings.
Influence, on the other hand, is more about the ability to inspire and persuade others and doesn’t rely on formal positions of power. Influential individuals have the power to affect the opinions, behaviours, and actions of their colleagues and peers. Influence is based on respect, credibility, and the ability to build strong relationships with others.
How do you develop authority and influence?
Become a “Subject Matter Expert”
Seek out opportunities to master your craft. Don’t wait for invitations and opportunities to show people what you can do. Join industry associations to stay on top of trends. Follow thought leaders and experts in your field on social media. Look for opportunities to solve new challenges or get involved in projects that let you apply expertise. Position yourself as an authority by publishing in-depth articles, speaking at industry events, and sharing your knowledge through blogs and articles. Contribute high-value comments in online discussions and LinkedIn Groups to demonstrate your insights. Get visible.
Speak Up Confidently in Meetings
Don’t let yourself get talked over or drowned out. Come prepared with well-researched ideas and make sure you’re heard. Volunteer to present or weigh in early. Claim your time to offer observations, data-driven opinions, and solutions. Prepare short anecdotes or analogies to win over the room. Use collaborative language. If you find the male voices in the room challenging read this article “Escape the He-peating trap”
Build an Authoritative Online Presence
Develop a personal brand across platforms like LinkedIn and maintain a consistent image and voice. Build a blog to share your knowledge. Curate and share content from others, highlighting their expertise. Use social listening to identify opportunities to establish thought leadership.
Focus on Networking and Relationships
Be proactive about making connections online and at in-person industry events. Maintain your network through regular communications and invitations. Nurture relationships by sharing valuable introductions, advice, and opportunities. Identify potential mentors, sponsors, collaborators, and promoters. Follow up and express appreciation. Seek win-win partnerships that allow you to demonstrate your expertise and promote and endorse others often. And if you struggle with making networking work for you, check out this episode of the Career Espresso podcast
Seek Out Sponsors
A sponsor is a person senior to you and in the same line of work. They usually work for your existing organisation or the organisation you would like to work for so they can have a direct influence over your career growth and progression. A sponsor will advocate for you when you’re looking for a promotion and might also have some influence on other aspects of your career and your overall visibility.
Ask for promotions and pay increases
Don’t wait for someone to recognise your worth–ask for promotions, leadership opportunities, new responsibilities and raises. Come prepared by maintaining a brag file book that tracks your metrics, achievements, kudos and capabilities. Quantify your value and back it up with evidence. Do your research on industry salary ranges and norms. Be confident stating the value you bring and be willing to negotiate. Use your expertise and thought leadership to advocate for appropriate titles and compensation.
Practice Self-Promotion
Time to get over the “good girl complex”. How many times do you downplay your accomplishments? Practice getting comfortable with self-promotion. Share wins on social media, with pride. Hiding your accomplishments serves no-one, least of all you or the other women in your organisation. When praised or thanked, don’t just say ‘no problem’ – accept it confidently. Update LinkedIn with new skills, promotions and certifications. Make your accomplishments discoverable by others.
Be a Mentor and Pay it Forward
Share your knowledge, provide guidance, make introductions, and advocate for emerging talent. Consider joining or starting a women’s mentorship group outside of your org. Write recommendation letters for promising women. Promote their content and celebrate their wins. Your mentorship establishes authority and creates future allies. Women need other women on their side. Whether it’s sharing experiences, tips or advice, having an open-door policy, lets normalise female allyship and promote workplaces where women champion each other. Changing the culture with and for the women around you can make your workplace one in which women thrive, rather than just survive.
And finally
Increasing your authority and influence at work requires a combination of building relationships, demonstrating expertise, taking on leadership roles, advocating for oneself, and supporting others. Developing your authority, influence, and earning potential as a woman is closely related to confidently owning your expertise. By boosting your credibility, amplifying your voice, strengthening connections, and advocating for your worth more women can establish themselves as influential leaders in their organisations closing the gaps in both representation and earning power.
Women leaders, what are we waiting for?
And if you know that hard work and hope won't be enough to get you the recognition you deserve in your career, sign up to my Ready to Rise career development community for tips, resources and monthly coaching sessions here
コメント