In a problem-solving workshop this past week leaders spent a great deal of time working on some of the critical challenges they were facing in their workplaces. At first there was a great deal of frustration and anger in describing the leaders’ crises. It was clear that many of the leaders had been dealing with their obstacles for a long time and no one seemed to care.
“It doesn’t make sense to me that this is still going on.”
“I’ve spoken up about this situation and no one will do anything to change it.”
“I can’t do my job efficiently without this changing.”
“Why can’t I be taken seriously?”
There were so many exasperating comments and so much dissatisfaction in feeling unheard. Something had to change and it had to begin with these individuals. Even if they didn’t have the formal title, they needed to lead from where they were.
[Tweet “It isn’t necessary to have a formal title to lead a change. “]
How to be taken seriously without a formal title:
Decide you want to lead.
To take on the charge of leading a change without having the formal position or title means that we are committed to our decision. Without admitting to ourselves that we can lead, the change will never take place. That’s it. The first step in steering a change is owning it. The people in my program eventually realized that they had to be the change agents to make things different.
Diagnose the right problem clearly.
To be taken seriously in initiating a change we must make sure to understand the problem completely. Defining a problem clearly involves:
- Looking at who is and isn’t affected
- Seeing where it is and isn’t taking place
- Digging into how it is presenting itself
- Reframing the problem in different ways to make sure it is actually the problem
Do your research and collect your data.
To share the ins and outs of a change we need to know everything about it. We need to find out what is causing the problem. One way for people to lose credibility when sharing a change is not having all the facts and information about a situation.
Brainstorm with other team members.
Even without a title or position we can rally our team members and people from departments also affected by the crisis to work with us. We can set up meetings to brainstorm solutions to the problem. Remember when we brainstorm we:
- Don’t judge the ideas
- Never say: “That won’t work”
- We offer as many ideas as possible even if they seem outlandish
- Keep an open perspective to all possibilities
[Tweet “To be taken seriously without a title include team members when finding solutions.”]
Plan your presentation carefully.
We may have the best ideas and the most solid solutions but if we can’t sell them our suggestions may be lost. We need to think about who are the decision makers and how best to demonstrate our changes. Then consider the venue and format of the presentation. Should you present your findings in a team meeting or maybe call for a few departments to get together?
How have you been taken seriously without a title or position? How did you get your suggestions heard?
This is great advice, Terri. I’ve been in situations where I wasn’t the designated leader but the thing that propelled me forward was my commitment to the situation. It wasn’t a matter of being bossy or grabbing power…instead, my dedication to the project trumped everything else. Dedication and Leadership are two words that “go together.”
Being dedicated to a project or direction is also so important when we want to lead without a title. I too have seen people who felt so strongly about a particular change or idea that they built their support quickly and found the decision makers to roll-out their change.
Thanks so much LaRae for your additional insights in helping us lead from wherever we are!
I’ve tried “Top Down” and “Bottom Up” leadership. Top down is by far the most effective as long as the person at the top is truly committed to putting values before profits. The bottom up style of leadership will only get you so far but you still have to try and hope your ability to lead by example and produce consistent results rubs off on the executives and managers in disguise as leaders. If great results do not come down from the top, a loving, passionate and caring team of adults can try and send great results up from the bottom. In organizations where the Bottom Up style of leadership is necessary, you will always find a Manager-In-Disguise at the top driving a high turnover rate at the bottom.
Thanks Robert for stopping by. I feel that we can lead from wherever we are and a title or position aren’t indications of successful leadership.
Spot on, Terri! It’s easy to complain and easy to assume it’s someone else’s responsibility to fix things but leaders don’t default to the easy road. I appreciate that you point people towards fact gathering before proposing a solution too. Often, we know our experience and perspective but it’s only a small part of the puzzle.
Will share. Your advice here will be useful to many!
Alli
Great point Alli! Complaining is not empowering. That is why it is so critical for leaders to step up and make a change happen, rather than waiting for others. Of course to be successful in persuading their team to see things from their perspective, a great deal of fact finding and planning is essential. Step one is figuring out what exactly is the real problem and then gathering information about what the issue is really about.
Thanks Alli for your additions!
You are totally preaching to the choir Terri! Leading up can be challenging, but it is so rewarding to be a part of the solution instead of just fussing about what “should be.”
I love your point about “fussing about what “should be.” I have worked with people as well as had team members who are chronic complainers who are never interested in looking at solutions. They just love to blame and complain. Owning the fact that we don’t need a particular position or title to move a project forward or an obstacle out of the way is what leading is all about.
Thanks for chiming in with your great comments Chery!