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How Great Managers Use Power And Authority – Fundamental Principles · Enhance.training

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Managers use power and authority in so many different ways.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: The power and authority you gain from position is only one type of power, and I would argue increasingly ineffective on its own in today's workplace.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Every manager has power from their position.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: So why are some managers incredibly infective, have very supportive teams, and get a ton of things delivered?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Why do other managers with the same positional power meet resistance and feet dragging from their teams and struggle to achieve much at all?
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: How managers and leaders use power and authority are a huge part of their effectiveness in their roles.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Using power and authority carefully and effectively is a necessary part of a manager's or leader's job.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: To use power and authority well, you have to build it in the first place.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're covering firstly why having power and authority is essential to manage and lead others.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, use your power and authority to elevate, empower and improve to maximise success.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Third, why using your power and authority for the good of the team is so important.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then fourth, seven ways to build power and authority as a manager.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: I've worked in many top companies and I've had a 20-year plus management career going from junior manager through to board director.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen lots of different ways managers and leaders use power and have learnt a lot personally about using different types of power to get the best from my teams and achieve great results.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: So first, having power and authority is essential to manage and lead.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Without any power, would any of your team follow you?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Without some power and authority, you would struggle to delegate and struggle to set team direction.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: You would find developing others a lot harder.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Removing problems and obstacles that are hindering the team would also be hard, if not impossible, without some power and authority.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Power and authority are both essential to be able to manage and lead with any credibility and effectiveness.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Power and authority are neither good nor bad.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Using power and authority are a key part of how human groups function.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone has different levels of power and authority at work and in every group in our lives.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Power and authority are intertwined through everything we do involving others.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not just humans that have social structures and hierarchies.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Look at any pack animal and there is a pecking order.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: I would argue that to be an effective manager or leader, you need to work at building different types of power.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: The more power and authority you gather, the more effective you can be to do your job of managing others and leading well.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: More power means you can create a bigger positive impact for your team and business.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: How you use the power you have is a huge factor for your success and for those around you.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: People want to and choose to follow managers and leaders that use power to help the group, that use power in service of others.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: The impact of using power to help others is very different from using power to help yourself at the expense of others.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: A critical action as a manager is to use your power and authority to elevate, empower and improve.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: Managers are much more dependent on others to do their jobs well compared to an employee or worker.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Your managers have far less direct control over the output of their work and effort.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: There are lots of ways managers can misuse their power to give them a feeling of greater control over the team they lead.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Some include firstly withholding information to make team members more dependent on the manager.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Second, putting others down, embarrassing them, damaging their confidence, etc.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: to maintain a more dominant controlling position over them.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Third, providing regular corrective feedback without providing any or much positive feedback.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Again, a way to maintain more direct control.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, withholding interesting work and development opportunities.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, misrepresenting individuals to their boss and to more senior management.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Sixth taking credit for the work of others.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Seventh restricting team members' access to influential people within the business.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: And there are many more.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: These misuses of power and authority quickly damage trust, teamwork and motivation.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: The result is lower team performance and an unhappy team, which in turn damages the manager's standing and reputation across the business.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Using your power to elevate, empower and improve team members will massively increase team performance over the long term when combined with other good management practices.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: I know from personal experience of turning around multiple underperforming teams in different companies and winning best team prizes, again with different teams.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: As a manager, helping others to be better is one of the best ways you can help yourself.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Your performance is assessed on your team's performance.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Help your team to improve their performance.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Here are 10 practical examples of how great managers use power and authority to elevate, empower and improve team members.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, openly share information with team members that enable them to do a better job, to understand their company direction and performance, and to help them build productive relationships with all their colleagues.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Second, praise great decisions, actions, behaviours and results.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: Make team members feel valued and an important part of the overall business.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, do your best to develop your team members through the work they do, the coaching and mentoring you provide, and any other means available.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Better skills usually lead to better performance and also happier staff who stay longer.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, tell your boss and senior managers about the achievements of specific team members.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: Give them a fair and honest picture of who is good and why and who is working at improving.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: 6.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Give credit for the great work of others wherever you can.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: They will want to do more work for you, which in turn helps you achieve more.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: 7.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Help your team build relationships with a wide variety of people in the business.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: The stronger the relationships, the more influence they will be able to exert to do their jobs well, help colleagues and support the success of the team.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: 8.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Be really clear what your expectations are and what good looks like.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: This empowers and helps individuals work towards meeting and beating those expectations and goals.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: 9th, create opportunities for team members to be responsible and take ownership of their areas, tasks and activities.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Agree goals, but don't specify how to achieve them.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Be on hand to help and support, but do not instruct unless they are stuck.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: And tenth, create consistency by thinking through the impact of your decisions, actions and behaviors on the team before undertaking them.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Providing consistency gives reassurance, safety, authority, and encourages a ton of performance improving behaviours in your team, you know, such as measured risk taking, learning, decision making, etc.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: There are so many ways to use power and authority as a manager to elevate, empower and improve your team members.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is a great way to use power that you have to help others.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Next, I'll cover why using your power and authority for the good of the team is so important.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: People are happy to follow and support those that use power and authority for the good of the group.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: The individual gains by supporting a leader that increases team performance, makes the working environment more enjoyable, creates better development opportunities, etc.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: People are very reluctant to follow those that use power and authority to help themselves at the expense of others.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: Employees in these teams grudgingly do what is asked of them, do the minimum to avoid negative consequences, be obstructive in subtle or even overt ways, etc.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: A culture of fear and uncertainty is much more likely in this scenario.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: These leaders typically make life worse for the individuals in the team, not better.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Working is much less enjoyable, team results are worse, development is lower, etc.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Getting average team performance in these circumstances is hard work.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: Using power well and for the group's benefit means everyone in the group is better off.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Working for the benefit of others is a great way to build trust and goodwill quickly.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Employing the power you have to intelligently organise your team and the work they do, to cut through vested interests, to challenge the status quo, to protect your team from distractions, to solve problems, to remove distractions.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: There is a long list of areas that the manager is best placed to improve.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: Use the power you have to help others, and you are much more likely to have a happy, motivated and higher performing team.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: These positive factors will lead to a bigger team, more promotions, more influence, etc.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Very good news for you personally.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: People happily follow and support leaders that work for the teams they manage.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: How a person manages and uses power is a real test of that person's character.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Use power and authority well for the good of the team and the business, and you are likely to be given more power and authority.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Next, I'll share 7 actions to build power and authority as a manager and leader.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Jess Coles, and if you're new here, Enhanced.training shares people management expertise, resources, and courses teaching you how to build high performing teams.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Learn more about developing the mindset, behaviours, and skills needed to build high performing teams by visiting Enhanced.training and take a look at the performance improvement our Management Skills Accelerator course offers you and managers in your team.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: So next we discuss seven actions to build power and authority as a manager.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: With five of the main ones being firstly the power and authority of a position and the perceived dependence on the person in that position.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, being good at persuading and influencing others.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Third, creating a sense of obligation to the group or to an individual.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, building trust and relationships across the organisation.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then fifth, demonstrating professional competence, i.e.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: being very good at your job.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: All of these give you power and authority in different ways.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: A manager audio should seek to build their power and authority in as many of these areas as practical.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: Diversity of your power and authority base helps as much as depth in each one.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Here are seven actions to help you increase the power and authority you have.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, very carefully advertise while the other person has dependence on you and your good opinion.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Your examples include for bonus recommendations, promotions, for increasing their visibility and building their reputation with senior staff members, etc.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Use positive positioning rather than implied threats.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Second, improve your listening and empathy skills, which in turn will help you increase your persuasion skills.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Knowing your audience is critical to be good at persuading and influencing them.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Third, do as much as you can to help other people when they need help.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: They will feel more obliged to help you when you ask for it.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: This is reciprocity, which is a very powerful social rule hardwired into human behaviour.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, create a meaningful purpose and vision for what you and your team do.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Common purpose and interdependence within a team is a very powerful motivator.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Very few people want to let the group and colleagues down.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, build good relationships widely in your business.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: Relationships and trust that goes with them allows you to exert a lot more influence in a lot less time, compared to not having these relationships.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: 6th, work to be good at your job.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Set aside time to develop your skills and improve what you do.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: Investing in yourself is good for so many reasons.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: 7th, internally market your achievements and work on building a good reputation within the business.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: The bigger your organization, the more you have to work on communicating to others the great things you are doing for them to be really noticed.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Think of all the other ways that you can increase your power and authority in the five key areas outlined.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Start small and keep building.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: With a little thought, confidence and work, you'll be able to increase your power and authority, which increases the positive impact you can make on your team and business.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: So, in summary, every manager and leader needs to build power and authority to enable them to do their job well.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Having power is not good or bad.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: How you use the power you have is critically important.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Use your power and authority to help others and to make life for your team members better.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: Use your power and authority to serve the best interests of your business.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: Do not use power to help yourself at the expense of others.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: This is easy to say and not so easy to do in practice.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Work hard at using power for positive reasons and to help others, and you'll be a lot better off in the long term.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you have any questions, please email me at support at enhanced.training and I'll get back to you.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: To learn more on successfully managing others, take a look at the additional resources I've included in the podcast description or visit us at enhance.training.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks very much for listening, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.