The Authority + Influence Formula

The real test of empowerment is what happens when you are not around. Does your team have the authority and ability to get things done? You have to give authority for others to make decisions. By not releasing authority you can stall the process of progress. However, when others are trusted to make decisions they will rise to a higher level of ownership in their responsibilities. When leaders give their team authority it expands productivity. People produce faster when there is minimal red tape to navigate through. One small act of empowerment can change the whole timeline of success.

Always remember that authority has to be combined with influence in order for it to operate successfully. Authority is never about ruling over people, it is about having influence with people. Ken Blanchard remarked that, “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” Without influence authority becomes a clanging cymbal in people’s ear. If someone has authority but not the necessary influence it will lead to resentment from others. If you give authority to individuals, but they do not develop their influence, people will not respond well to their decisions. People follow influence more than they follow authority. The key to effective leadership is combining authority with influence, but it must start with influence as the foundation. As the leader of the team, you have to make sure you give authority to those that have the ability to inspire others. If the individual does not have this ability you will need to help them grow their influence before they become too authoritative. Never assume that just because you have given someone authority they will automatically have influence with others. Position does not equal influence. Authority does not equal influence. Influence can only grow when the leader inspires people’s H.E.A.R.T. through hope, encouragement, action, respect, and trust.

Never hold back authority with an influential person. There is nothing more paralyzing to an influential person than when they are stripped of authority to do what needs to be done. Do not make the mistake to overload and then under-empower those around you. Burnout occurs when one has too much on their plate and no possible way to accomplish it all. Withholding authority from those who need it can lead to an unhealthy environment where people stop producing results. When others have proven themselves worthy of authority do not hesitate to give it to them. Author George Lewis Davis wrote, “Authority is not something we buy, are born with, or even have delegated to us by her superiors. It is something we earn – and we earn it from our subordinates. No manager has any real authority over his people until he has proved himself worthy of it – in the eyes of his people – not his own, nor those of his superiors.”

Here is a good formula to think about…