4 Strategies To Establish Authority As A Manager
Becoming a manager is the gateway to having authority, respect, and influence within an organisation... or is it?
In reality, the path to establishing authority is more complex than just taking on a position of power. Whether you've been promoted or are new to the organisation, you have to earn respect otherwise it’ll be impossible to exercise authority.
If you’ve been promoted, congratulations, but there will be people who once managed you that you’ll be managing, so establishing that authority won’t come easy. If you’ve been hired as a manager in the company, congratulations, but no one knows or trusts you yet, so establishing that authority won’t come easy.
Here are 4 strategies that will help you to establish authority, whilst building strong relationships with people in your organisation.
BUILD A FOUNDATION OF TRUST
Trust is the foundation of authority.
You can’t expect people to value your judgement or look to you for the final say if they don’t trust you. Whether that’s trusting your ability, or simply trusting that you have their best interest at heart.
To establish trust, you need to be:
TRANSPARENT
Transparent in your actions, decisions, and communication
SUPPORTIVE
Show people that you are there to support them. Whilst you have authority, let them know that you’re using your authority to make decisions that benefit them.
HUMBLE
Admit when you don't know something and seek input from your team when appropriate. This’ll show people that whilst you’re capable for the job, you also know that collaboration is what breeds success.
FIND A MANAGEMENT STYLE
Every manager has a unique management style, and it's crucial to find yours and be consistent in your approach. This’ll help team members understand your expectations, how you work, whilst fostering a sense of stability.
But remember to find a management style that considers the team. You want people to respect you, work hard, and get results, but you don’t need to instil fear to do that.
Authority doesn’t mean micromanagement or arrogance; it's about having the ability to make critical decisions that are respected making decisions that are respected and possessing the ability to inspire and guide your team effectively.
LEAD YOUR TEAM BY EXAMPLE
One of the best ways to establish authority is to lead by example. Any good leader makes other leaders. You want your employees to be inspired by your actions so when you say something, they don’t just listen, but they implement it into the way they work. Model the behaviour and work ethic you expect from them.
For instance, if you show dedication and a strong work ethic, your team is more likely to follow suit.
COMMUNICATE WELL WITH YOUR TEAM
Don’t be a mystical, untouchable leader. Be present, have clear communication, and develop your emotional intelligence. This will help you to establish authority with purpose. People need to understand your expectations, hear your feedback, and be able to offer their ideas. Otherwise, your authority will have no actual impact.
Authority helps you get things done, ideas across, and impact made, but if you don’t communicate that, things will stay the same and employees will become increasingly frustrated.
Not to mention, good communication will help you to hold people accountable as well as keeping track of their progress daily, rather than having to wait till annual progress reviews that be far too formal.
You want to build positive relationships with employees where people feel comfortable and inspired when speaking to you.
- Written by Oliver Howson
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