Leading When You Are Not In Charge

No one can be in charge of everything
Leader = influencing people
Believe and be confident in the goal you want to achieve or that others must achieve
Show the value of what you want to achieve, the value it will bring
Solve problems and take benefit of that
Take advantage of opportunities
Define what you want, when, how to measure it, be able to tell if you have succeeded or failed
Have an idea or at least recognize the problem. Come up with an idea to create the spark
Bring solutions and be humble with your own solution. The ideas of others will bring things to our solution
Encourage adoption of other people's ideas
We should not resolve everything alone but involve others so that we resolve together. The adoption of the solution is better
During a brainstorming session, you should not criticize ideas, but encourage them so that there are even more
Show that the solution will bring things to each person. Make it personal. The more personal it is, the more people contribute.
Leading = in groups, but also individually. Do face-to-face interviews/meetings
What's In It For Me: WIIFM. What will I find there? or What is interesting for me?
To be a leader, you have to give responsibility to others and help them succeed
Give power and you will actually get more power and encourage and develop others
Leaders are responsible for themselves and for others
Constructive criticism is good if it is well founded and aims to solve problems.
Criticism should target a task, not a person. It must be challenging.
Leaders take risks and it can be uncomfortable.

Traps to avoid:
• To think that we have all the answers.
• Focus only on certain people because they speak loudly and a lot or because they are believed to be smarter.

Give credit to others and their ideas.
Delegate. Delegate tasks that are neither too complex nor too simple. Depending on people’ strengths and what they like to do.
If the tasks to be delegated are off-putting, delegate them equitably to several people, including yourself.

Being the person who gathers and shares feedback; it gives power:
• Regular updates
• Tell the truth
• Focus on what is important
• Communicate to the right people

If few colleagues are difficult, try to understand why. Listen to their ideas and be respectful. Ask them if they have solutions to make it better.
Networking is important. Give to receive.
1: 1 relationships are important because they promote everything (trust, etc.)
Support and protect the team
Lead by example. Be positive. Be constructive if you criticize.
Communication is important (listening is the most important aspect)
Listen carefully and try to understand. We can "repeat" the sentence of his interlocutor. In a group, You can ask others what they think about it.
Seek to understand first. Then be understood.
Understand and accept criticism.

Avoid:
• Telling
• Pressuring
• Demanding
• Manipulating
• Arrogance

Sources of power:
• Expert power (knowledge, skills, abilities, etc.)
• Referent power
• Reward power
o tangible
o intangible
• Coercice power
• Legitimate or formal positional power
o Delegate & empower others

Getting the support you need
• Power of asking (Aladdin factor)
• If you don't ask, you don't get
• Ask for more than the right thing
• Ask for:
o ideas
o feedback
o teamwork
o communication
o resources
o executive support
o funding

Authority to act
• Reference authorities (external and internal)
• "If company/team X can do it, why can't we"
• "Research/Studies show..."
• Possibility to as a consultant intervention

Find an executive sponsor
• Explain to him/her what is the benetfit they will get from your project
• Go to them with options: plan A, plan B, etc.
• Several smalls steps are easier to accept than a huge gap: less risk
• Give a timeline / roadmap
• Move forward quickly

Understand who controls the funding is very important
• Keep them informed and engaged
o importance of the project
o progress
o milestones
o success
o ROI

Help others, it encourages others to help the entire group

Failures can happen
• Define and analyze them
• Define next steps
• Take corrective action quickly (keep momentum)

Use "won't" instead of "can't"