How To Influence When You're Not In Charge
Read Time: 2 Minutes
Last week in the Impromptu Speakers Academy, one of my students working in sales shared this problem:
"I have this challenge at work where there's a salesperson who leads our meetings... and I'm not leading the meeting, but I lead a big segment of it. I think they could be better at teeing up meetings rather than going through boring agendas and intros... I'm trying to find ways to be able to influence that."
How do you influence meeting dynamics when you're not the official meeting leader?
Today, I'll share the three approaches that I gave him. This is exactly how I'd influence without authority.
Let's dive in.
1. Choose Your Audience Strategically
The first instinct might be to escalate to senior leadership - like a VP of Sales - to drive change from the top down. But often, the most effective path is working directly with your peers. Ask yourself:
- Who do I collaborate with most frequently?
- Where can I make the most immediate impact?
- Which relationships are already built on trust?
2. Frame Your Feedback as an Opportunity
Instead of saying "Here's what's wrong with our meetings," try this approach. Use the framework called What / So What / Now What. This means:
- What: Describe what happened in the past
- So What: Describe why that past event matters in the present. Make sense of the past.
- Now What: Describe what could or should be done in the future
For example:
Let's say you notice that client meetings typically start with a rigid product overview, leading to low engagement. Here's how to frame this feedback:
WHAT: "I noticed in this morning's meeting with [Client], when we jumped straight into the product demo, they seemed a bit hesitant to share their actual business challenges."
SO WHAT: "If we could start by asking them about their key priorities first, we might uncover more relevant use cases. This could help us tailor the demo to their specific needs and potentially increase our win rate."
NOW WHAT: "What if we tried something different in our next few meetings? We could open with a simple question like 'What's the main challenge you're hoping our solution could solve?' Then we could adapt our presentation based on their response."
This approach:
- Uses a specific example instead of general complaints
- Shows the direct business impact of the suggested change
- Offers a concrete solution that's easy to implement
Remember: Focus on specific, objective observations rather than subjective criticisms.
3. Master the Conversation Setup
The success of your influence often comes down to how you start the conversation. Here's a proven formula:
This approach:
- Shows respect for their time
- Makes them feel valued
- Positions the discussion as collaborative rather than critical
If you want to influence without authority while mastering speaking on the spot, consider signing up for The Impromptu Speakers Academy. Enroll today. It's first come first serve, and limited space is available. Hope to see you inside.
Talk soon,
Preston
