Influence Without Authority - Softcover

Cohen, Allan R.; Bradford, David L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471548944 ISBN 13: 9780471548942

Publisher: Wiley, 1991

Synopsis

Today, professionals and managers experience great increases in responsibility without parallel increases in authority. It shows how to attain cooperation from other managers who command resources, information, or potential support but who are not required to collaborate. Discusses how to negotiate exchanges to get what you need to get the work done—especially how to think in terms of the interests of fellow managers and workers and the ``currencies'' these people trade in. Shows subordinates how to get support from superiors and collaboration from peers, how to take responsibility, get challenging tasks, and cultivate appropriate work conditions.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Len Schlesinger called the Second Edition "a bible [for] modern organizational practice." Jeffrey Sonnenfeld said it accomplished "the near impossible." Now, the Third Edition tops that. Influence Without Authority is the classic resource, revised and updated to reflect today's business environment. New chapters on influence and gender, and influence at a distance, enrich your perspective. The authors offer a proven strategy for getting desired results when you can't order cooperation. Applying the winning concept of influence without explicit authority enables you to get things done with colleagues, customers, and management who have their own agendas.

Influence Without Authority shows what it takes to move others to accomplish important objectives, in a way that benefits them as well as you and your organization. The book's proven model builds on ways of working that you already know and use, though abandon when dealing with particularly difficult individuals, groups, or organizations. The authors walk you through techniques that will help overcome the things that get in your way of influencing in problematic situations and offer an approach that can dramatically increase your ability to complete even complex projects.

The model outlined is based on a universal principle of interaction social scientists call the Law of Reciprocity. The steps are simple: assume everyone is a potential ally; clarify your goals and priorities; diagnose the world of the other person; identify relevant currencies, theirs, yours; deal with relationships; and influence through give and take. Implementation can be complex.

Influence Without Authority will give you the inside track for learning how to influence a team, task force, or committee as well as departments and divisions. Learn how to overcome organizational politics and initiate or lead major change. Although a positive, win-win approach is the best starting point, you will also discover how to play hardball when you can no longer 'catch flies with honey.'

The revised Third Edition is filled with illustrative new examples from high-tech companies and contains important information about geographically dispersed virtual teams (including international teams) that addresses the often complex issues of communication, technology, and media.

Influence is the foundation of success in the modern world of organizations; Influence Without Authority is the simple yet sophisticated guide to achieving your goals.

From the Back Cover

THE REVISED AND UPDATED THIRD EDITION OF THE CLASSIC BOOK CONTAINS A UNIVERSAL MODEL OF HOW TO INFLUENCE SOMEONE YOU DON'T CONTROL

Leadership gurus Allan Cohen and David Bradford offer a proven model for getting the help you need from those that control the resources, information, or support necessary for you to succeed.

No matter where you stand on your organization's ladder, Influence Without Authority, Third Edition gives you a useful model and the practical strategies for influencing your colleagues, managers, or customers in order to meet your goals.

"Must-read for current and future business leaders! Allan Cohen and David Bradford beautifully take their influence model to the next level addressing critical factors like gender stereotypes and mastering influence at a distance. In today's ever-changing and complex business environment, Influence Without Authority offers leaders a concise model for breaking down barriers to success and building winning teams."
—Deborah DiSanzo, General Manager, IBM Watson Health

"Nothing gets done without collaboration and influence. This book is filled with ideas anyone can pick up and run with, making things happen day in and day out."
—James Park, CEO and Co-Founder, Fitbit

From the Foreword:

"The ideas in this book lie at the heart of our success as a business, and at the heart of the design of our service—which enables coworkers to easily collaborate around documents and other forms of content so that they can work together without hierarchy or information bottlenecks. Influence is the foundation of success in the modern world of business and this book is a straightforward guide. We rely on it, we teach it, and you should, too."
—Aaron Levie, CEO, Box Inc., and Dan Levin, COO, Box Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0471548944
• ISBN 13: 9780471548942
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336