How People Without Titles Are Quietly Gaining Power At Work

"Traditional organisations were built on clear hierarchies. Authority flowed down the chart, and power came from title. Today, that structure is dissolving. Cross-functional teams, hybrid work, and fast-changing priorities mean people often need to lead without formal authority. This shift has created a new workplace currency: influence. Those who can mobilise support and shape decisions without relying on positional power are becoming the most effective leaders. They build coalitions across boundaries, move information quickly, and make things happen despite lacking direct control."

"Authority can be granted instantly, but influence takes time to build. It relies on credibility, trust, and relationships rather than rules. This makes it both more fragile and more powerful. People follow positional leaders because they must. They follow influential peers because they want to. Leaders who still rely mainly on formal authority risk falling behind. In networked organisations, titles only go so far. The people who shape outcomes are often those who sit in the white space between roles-connecting teams, translating information, and resolving conflicts"

"Influence speeds decision-making by bypassing bureaucratic friction. When people trust you, they do not need to be convinced from scratch each time. They assume good intent and move faster on your suggestions. Ronald Burt's research on social networks showed that people who bridge disconnected groups hold disproportionate influence because they can connect information others cannot. They become brokers of ideas."

Traditional organisations relied on clear hierarchies and positional authority. Cross-functional teams, hybrid work, and shifting priorities erode those hierarchies and create situations requiring leadership without formal authority. Influence, grounded in credibility, trust, and relationships, has become a critical workplace currency. Influential people build coalitions across boundaries, transmit information rapidly, and mobilise support despite lacking direct control. Influence takes time to develop and is both fragile and powerful. Network bridges between disconnected groups amplify influence by enabling access to unique information. Mapping personal influence networks reveals whether social power matches formal authority.

Read at Forbes