In the world of tech companies, project managers often find themselves navigating complex relationships, not only with their teams but also with senior leaders. One particular project manager, let’s call him John, came to me with a question that many of you might relate to: How do you manage a senior manager when you don’t have formal authority?
John was facing a major challenge. He was the project manager for a key initiative within a rapidly growing tech company, and the senior manager overseeing his work was, to put it bluntly, his complete opposite. While John was organized, structured, and methodical, his senior manager was scattered, disorganized, and possessed a vast knowledge but kept it locked away in his mind - without documentation, communication, or any form of knowledge sharing.
In a typical project, a manager’s role is to ensure that the team has the resources, guidance, and structure needed to succeed. But in John’s case, things weren’t going according to plan. His senior manager held all the knowledge, refused to document it, and often dismissed meetings with John or postponed them. John found himself struggling to move forward on the project and make any progress. His frustration was palpable.
The key issue here was that John did not have the formal authority to force his senior manager to take the necessary actions. He was trying to manage someone who had more experience, more seniority, and more control over the project than he did. But despite the obstacles, John knew that his role as the project manager was essential. He understood that without effective collaboration and the proper processes in place, the project would fail.
So, John came to me seeking advice: How can I manage someone with more experience, more authority, and more knowledge without stepping on any toes? The solution, as I explained to him, wasn’t about asserting power or authority - it was about leading through influence, facilitation, and making things happen.
This approach, the strategic facilitation approach, was built around the idea of leading without authority. It’s not about being in charge, but rather about getting things done and ensuring progress despite the obstacles in place. The facilitator’s role is to support, guide, and empower others to take action without directly controlling them.
John was skeptical at first. He was used to working in environments where authority was clearly delineated and where power dynamics were more explicit. The idea of leading someone with more experience and power without the formal title or control seemed daunting. But I assured him that this methodology could work in any organizational structure, especially in the fluid, fast-moving world of tech.
Building Trust and Credibility
When John came to me for guidance on how to manage a senior manager without formal authority, the first thing we needed to address was the most fundamental element of any relationship - trust. Without trust, nothing can move forward. The ability to influence others and lead effectively hinges on your ability to create a foundation of trust and credibility, especially when you're not in a position of formal authority.
In John’s case, his senior manager wasn’t exactly a stranger to him, but they hadn’t built a strong working relationship yet. The senior manager was used to having things done his way, and John, being the organized and structured project manager, had yet to prove himself as someone who could be trusted to navigate the ambiguity and challenges that arose during the project. So, how could John build trust in a way that would allow him to lead the project effectively, even when the senior manager was dismissive and unstructured?
The first step was showing value.
In any professional relationship, especially one where you don’t have formal authority, the first way to gain trust is by demonstrating value. John needed to show his senior manager that he was capable of managing the project, driving results, and solving problems - without needing to be micromanaged. This wasn’t about showing off or taking over; it was about subtly proving that his methods were effective and worth considering.
John began by identifying small wins that he could achieve without needing the senior manager’s immediate input. He focused on solving problems that were holding the project back, removing obstacles, and maintaining momentum. For example, he took initiative to resolve a scheduling issue with one of the key teams without involving the senior manager, but once it was solved, he made sure the senior manager knew about it. By handling issues efficiently and effectively, John showed that he could be trusted to keep the project on track.
Second, John needed to start listening and asking questions.
Trust is a two-way street. If John wanted to build trust with his senior manager, he had to show that he was genuinely interested in understanding the senior manager’s perspective. This wasn’t about agreeing with everything the senior manager said, but about being a good listener and acknowledging his knowledge and experience.
John made a conscious effort to ask open-ended questions during meetings. Instead of simply presenting problems and solutions, he invited the senior manager to share his insights. For example, instead of saying, “We need to resolve this issue now, here’s my solution,” John started to ask, “I’ve been thinking about how we can handle this, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. What’s your perspective on this challenge?”
This approach did two things: First, it gave the senior manager an opportunity to share his knowledge. Second, it subtly positioned John as a collaborator rather than a subordinate. By demonstrating a willingness to learn and incorporate his senior manager’s insights, John started to gain credibility in the senior manager’s eyes.
Third, John had to demonstrate consistency.
Building trust takes time, and one of the fastest ways to lose it is by being inconsistent. John had to prove that he could be relied upon to deliver results, even if those results didn’t always go according to plan. He needed to be consistent not just in what he did, but in how he communicated and followed through.
One of the easiest ways to establish consistency in a working relationship is through communication. John started to send regular, concise updates to his senior manager, providing status reports on the project and outlining any challenges or successes. Instead of waiting for the senior manager to initiate communication, John took the initiative to keep him informed. He made sure the communication was brief and actionable, respecting the senior manager’s time, but ensuring that there was no ambiguity about where things stood.
Over time, John’s consistent follow-through on commitments and his transparent communication built trust with his senior manager. The senior manager began to rely more on John’s updates and, slowly, started to acknowledge John’s role in driving the project forward.
Lastly, John needed to be patient.
Building trust doesn’t happen overnight. Especially when you’re dealing with a senior manager who is set in their ways and has built a certain way of working over many years. John had to understand that it would take time for his senior manager to truly trust him and see him as an equal partner in the project.
Rather than pushing for immediate results, John started to take the long-term view. He focused on small, incremental steps to build the relationship, and over time, his senior manager began to see John as someone who was capable, reliable, and worthy of trust.
Aligning Goals and Creating a Shared Vision
Now that John had started to build trust and establish credibility with his senior manager, the next step in leading without authority was to align their goals and create a shared vision for the project. Without alignment, even the best relationships and most productive teams will struggle to move forward. Alignment is essential for ensuring everyone is rowing in the same direction, especially when you don’t have the formal authority to dictate the course of action.
The problem John faced was that, although he had earned the senior manager's trust, they didn’t necessarily see eye-to-eye on how the project should progress. The senior manager had his own vision, based on years of experience, and it was often different from the structured approach John was trying to implement. This gap in vision and goals was creating friction and holding the project back. John had to find a way to bring their goals together and create a common purpose for the project.
Here’s how we worked through this challenge and the tactics John used to align their goals and develop a shared vision.
1. Understand Their Motivations
The first step in aligning goals is to understand what drives the other person. John needed to put himself in his senior manager’s shoes and figure out what was most important to him. Was it speed, control, innovation, or something else entirely? Understanding the senior manager’s core motivations would give John insight into what might appeal to him and how he could help the senior manager see the value in John’s approach.
John began having more in-depth one-on-one conversations with his senior manager. Rather than diving straight into project-related issues, John asked about the senior manager’s overall vision for the company and the specific project. What were the senior manager’s top priorities? What were the key outcomes they both wanted to achieve?
Through these conversations, John discovered that the senior manager valued autonomy and speed - he didn’t want to be bogged down with too much structure or micromanagement. While John’s approach was detailed and methodical, the senior manager was more focused on getting results quickly, even if it meant sacrificing some of the structure. With this understanding, John was able to adjust his approach and frame his own vision in a way that aligned with the senior manager’s priorities.
2. Create a Shared Vision for the Project
Once John understood his senior manager’s motivations, it was time to align their goals and create a shared vision for the project. This wasn’t about John abandoning his structured approach; it was about finding a middle ground where both perspectives could thrive.
John suggested a meeting where both he and his senior manager could discuss the project's vision and lay out their goals for the project together. The goal of the meeting wasn’t to negotiate or compromise on every detail, but to ensure that they both understood what success looked like for the project and how they could work together to achieve it.
In the meeting, John made sure to frame his ideas in terms that would resonate with his senior manager. For example, instead of saying, "We need to follow this strict schedule and document every detail," John reframed it as, "By creating a clear structure, we can move faster and reduce bottlenecks, which will give us the autonomy and flexibility we need to make decisions quickly." This way, John’s structured approach was presented as a way to achieve the senior manager’s desired outcomes - speed and autonomy - while still maintaining enough organization to keep the project on track.
Through open dialogue, they both agreed on key milestones, expectations, and a flexible but clear framework for the project. This shared vision allowed them to work together more effectively, reducing friction and creating a sense of collective ownership over the project’s success.
3. Use the Power of Small Wins
Aligning goals doesn’t happen overnight, and the process of getting both parties on the same page can take time. One effective tactic for John was to leverage small wins to build momentum and reinforce the shared vision.
By setting short-term, achievable milestones that both he and the senior manager could agree on, John helped create a sense of progress and forward movement. Each small success served as a reinforcement of their shared goals and vision, and it allowed them to see the tangible benefits of their collaboration.
For example, when John implemented a small change in the project’s workflow that increased efficiency and allowed the team to meet a deadline ahead of schedule, he made sure the senior manager was aware of it. He framed this as a victory for both of them and emphasized how the success aligned with their shared goal of delivering the project quickly and efficiently.
Over time, these small wins built the trust in their shared vision and demonstrated the value of working together to achieve common goals. As the project progressed and more wins were achieved, both John and his senior manager became more confident in their ability to work together and maintain alignment.
4. Make Compromise a Tool, Not a Barrier
While alignment is crucial, it doesn’t mean that both parties will always agree on every decision. There will be moments of tension and disagreement, especially when you don’t have formal authority to impose your vision. But John learned that compromise wasn’t a sign of weakness - it was a powerful tool for creating collaboration.
Instead of trying to force the senior manager to adopt John’s way of doing things or vice versa, John focused on finding compromises that allowed them both to get closer to their goals. For example, if the senior manager wanted to skip some documentation to save time, John might compromise by ensuring that only the most critical information was documented, which kept the project moving on.
John also made sure that compromises were presented in terms of mutual benefit, emphasizing how each decision contributed to their shared vision. This approach kept the project on track while maintaining the senior manager’s sense of autonomy and flexibility.
Empowering Others to Take Action
At this stage of the project, John had successfully built trust with his senior manager, and they had aligned their goals and created a shared vision. But none of this mattered if John couldn’t translate this newfound collaboration into tangible, sustained action. Leading without formal authority isn’t just about gaining trust and aligning goals; it’s also about empowering others - especially those with more power than you - to take ownership of the work, drive progress, and act in ways that move the project forward.
In the final piece of the strategic facilitation approach, empowering others to take action is what truly makes things happen. Without the ability to inspire action, even the best-planned projects can stall. So, how did John learn to empower his senior manager and the team, even without the formal authority to do so?
Let’s break it down into the key tactics that John used to create an environment where others felt motivated and confident to take action, step by step.
1. Empowerment Starts with Ownership
The first step to empowering others is giving them ownership over the work. This isn’t just about assigning tasks - it’s about making people feel like they’re truly responsible for achieving a specific outcome. For John, this meant involving the senior manager in decision-making and giving him a stake in the results.
John made sure that when important decisions were made, his senior manager had the opportunity to lead and own those decisions. For example, rather than constantly providing all the solutions or coming to the senior manager with fully-formed ideas, John asked for the senior manager’s input and allowed him to take charge of particular aspects of the project that aligned with his expertise and priorities. By doing this, John didn’t just defer to the senior manager’s authority; he made him a co-owner of the solution.
This approach also extended to the wider team. John knew that if his team was going to drive the project forward without constant guidance, they needed to feel empowered to make decisions themselves. He encouraged them to take initiative and voice their opinions without fear of stepping on anyone’s toes. By fostering a sense of ownership, John ensured that everyone on the team felt they had a direct impact on the project’s success.
2. Facilitate Collaboration, Not Control
One of the most common misconceptions about leading without authority is that it’s about being passive or giving up control. On the contrary, leading without authority requires actively facilitating collaboration while resisting the urge to control every decision.
John’s role was to create an environment where his senior manager and the team felt supported, rather than micromanaged. This meant creating opportunities for collaboration and open discussion, where everyone’s ideas were valued and considered. John facilitated these discussions by asking questions that encouraged others to think critically and find solutions together.
For example, in meetings, instead of presenting a plan and asking for approval, John would present a challenge and ask the senior manager and the team to brainstorm possible solutions. This collaborative approach allowed everyone to contribute and take ownership of the outcomes. John’s job was not to control the conversation, but to steer it in a way that made others feel empowered to contribute, which ultimately led to better solutions.
John also made sure that after every collaboration session, each participant left with a clear sense of ownership over their tasks and a commitment to follow through. This reinforced the idea that everyone had a vital role to play, and that their actions were directly tied to the success of the project.
3. Foster a Culture of Trust and Support
To lead without authority, especially with someone in a more senior position, it’s essential to create a culture where people feel they can take action without fear of failure. For John, this meant fostering an environment where both his senior manager and the team felt supported, rather than scrutinized. When people feel trusted, they’re more likely to take risks and be proactive.
John made sure to celebrate small wins and recognize individual contributions. He regularly highlighted moments where the senior manager and the team took initiative and helped solve problems. This wasn’t about praising for the sake of praise - it was about reinforcing the behavior that drove progress. By acknowledging efforts in front of others, John made it clear that taking action, even without explicit instructions, was not only acceptable but valued.
At the same time, John ensured that failures weren’t punished, but seen as learning opportunities. If something didn’t work as planned, rather than assigning blame, John asked reflective questions to understand what could be improved next time. This helped create an environment where everyone felt safe to experiment and try new ideas without the fear of repercussions.
This culture of support was especially critical when working with his senior manager, who could be resistant to change. John made sure that his senior manager had the space to take risks and lead initiatives without constantly looking over his shoulder. By giving him the autonomy to act, John empowered him to take ownership of parts of the project that he was passionate about.
4. Clarify Roles, But Embrace Flexibility
Empowering others to take action doesn’t mean letting the project spiral into chaos. John understood that clear roles and responsibilities were necessary to keep the project on track, but flexibility within those roles was just as important. By clarifying roles while allowing room for flexibility, John was able to create a dynamic where people felt both guided and free to act.
John worked with his senior manager to clearly define their roles on the project, but he didn’t draw rigid lines that would stifle creativity or collaboration. He made sure that while they had clear areas of responsibility, they were both free to collaborate across boundaries when necessary. This flexibility allowed the team to move faster and more efficiently, as they weren’t bogged down by rigid hierarchies or micromanagement.
For the team, John emphasized that while they had specific tasks to complete, their contributions could evolve as the project progressed. By being open to shifting responsibilities and adapting to new challenges, John empowered the team to act in ways that supported the overall goal, without the constraints of a top-down command structure.
5. Encourage Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Finally, John made sure that empowerment wasn’t a one-time event - it was a continuous process. He encouraged regular feedback loops to ensure that the senior manager and the team were constantly refining their approach and learning from their experiences.
John facilitated regular check-ins where the senior manager and team members could discuss what was working well and what wasn’t. These feedback sessions allowed everyone to make adjustments, learn from mistakes, and continuously improve their contributions. John ensured that these sessions were framed in a constructive way, focused on growth and improvement rather than blame.
Through this ongoing cycle of feedback and improvement, everyone involved felt like they were continuously progressing and contributing to the project’s success. The more John encouraged this process, the more everyone - his senior manager included - took ownership of their work and felt empowered to make decisions on their own.
Conclusion: The Transformative Power of Leading Without Authority
Empowering others to take action is perhaps most crucial element of the strategic facilitation approach. When you lead without authority, your ability to drive change and move projects forward depends on your capacity to empower those around you. By giving ownership, facilitating collaboration, fostering trust, and embracing flexibility, you create an environment where everyone can thrive, regardless of their position in the hierarchy.
John’s experience is a testament to the power of leading through influence, not authority. By applying these tactics - building trust, aligning goals, and empowering action - John was able to successfully manage his senior manager, drive the project forward, and create a collaborative, high-performing environment. Leading without authority doesn’t mean you’re powerless. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful ways to create lasting impact and drive results.