Authority Relearnt

I was born first followed by three siblings. Dominance, I suppose, was imbibed in me. Additionally being a daughter of bureaucrat in India, I always observed and had the assistance of a servant, peon or a driver. To command and demand from people was natural and obvious part of life.

Living in USA and practicing psychology, however, changed me. It was not just cooking and living on my own,  but, numerous small tasks like photocopying, cleaning my office, getting water (the tasks for which in India we generally depend on peons to do), that made me more self sufficient.

I discovered my beliefs in individual importance. In my approach to counseling I was client centered and non directive. I would regard all equal in my therapy room: a rich person would be treated same as poor. I would regard individuals beyond their class and levels, beyond their age and gender, and beyond their race and ethnicity.

As I joined work in an organization, I was required to maintain a hierarchy. I had people working for me, and I needed to command, direct and lead. I wondered if I needed to be autocratic to get work done. What it takes to be good authority? Is it a trait or some skill that can be learnt? How to manage people and get things done? And, in deeper sense, how to get people work for you out of love and respect rather than a terror.

Power comes from position, money and knowledge. But authority is not just about executing powers. It is also about possessing the traits which reflect radiance and gain respect from everyone around. Having authority means being able to positively influence people at all levels within an organization, because you are a trusted and respected figure; and you are perceived as having expertize and knowledge in your field.

A few things I have found basic and important for being an effective authority at work:

1.    Knowing your organization:You should understand the structure and philosophy of your company: How things work in the organization and department at grassroot level. Understand your 3R well: Role, Responsibilities and Rights. Know about the people you are working with. The better your understanding of people and processes, the more you are likely to be respected and heard. Better you know them, the best you can get from them.

2.     Having concern for people: Primary trait for any good leadership is ‘concern for people’. Think big in regard to the level of your position. It doesn’t mean you feel proud or carry ego, which in fact will bring arrogance in the behavior. Rather, it entails that you resume responsibility of people working for you.  Understand their needs and be concerned for their welfare. For e.g. a programmer worked late after office hours to meet a project deadline. If you facilitated his dinner at office, he would have greater regard for you.

3.    Understanding yourself: Do you dominate unnecessarily and have the ‘need to control’ over your surroundings? One of my clients once said that when he is not able to control people in his office, he feels out of control himself. Authority is not obtained by dictatorship. The more you want to exert control over others, the more they will want to run away from you. It is a myth that discipline can come only through harsh control. Having people feel that they have choices can bring the best out of them.

Controlling everything

 4.    Your body language speaks a lot about yourself. While you are talking to someone, your eye contact should be direct and appropriate. It shows your confidence and authority, which compels other person to follow you. The body posture while you stand or walk should be erect.  It doesn’t matter how tall or broad you are; but the way you carry yourself makes the difference. When you command you voice should be loud, clear and confident. Same words can reflect anger, request, or assertiveness depending on the tone and your volume. Use your speech and voice modulation accordingly.

TRY THIS: “Go. Get it”
You can speak these words in different tone and volume to communicate different emotions.

5.    Giving clear instructions: It is obvious that if what you are asking is not clear to the other person, no matter how much he respects you; he would not be able to follow it. Clarity in your thoughts and ideas can bring clarity in your instructions as well.When you have clarity about what needs to be done and how, you can assert and demand it more effectively.

6.    Being professional: Do not gossip at work. You lose your reputation and respect. If you talk ill of your boss in front of your colleagues or juniors, then it is likely that they do the same for you behind you. In other case, you can become a role model and inspiration for them on how to respect and follow the seniors. Likewise, your punctuality at work becomes a moral pressure for others to work in time.

“You can tell more about a person by what he says about others, than you can by what others say about him.” ~ Leo Aikman

7.   Demanding what is rational and ethical: Do not ask for unnecessary personal favors at work.  Do not be in habit of asking people to work for some unethical or work which doesn’t come under their work duties. Some people might do it once in a while but eventually would try to refrain from working with you. For example, asking your graphic designer to write routine emails as your PS. Similarly, do not expect something you would do not do yourself. If you do not attend official calls from home do not ask your team member to do so.

8.  Being assertive: It means being able to speak your heart clearly, without being rude or aggressive. Also not feeling guilty or under pressure for something right.

  

Confront people at the right time for right thing with appropriate words. Self confidence and faith in your competencies can bring assertiveness in behavior.

9.    Rewarding generously:  Everyone likes appreciation. Do not hold any positive feedback and reward your team members as they deserve. Rewards are not just tangible. Positive remarks given candidly are also great reinforcement.  It is a myth that generous admiration will even off the chain of command. Rather, you strengthen your relationship with your co workers as well as subordinates by appreciating them and their work.

10.    Scolding effectively: Scolding is as important as rewarding. No scolding should mean to put anyone down. While you scold, do not use abusive words or demeaning tone. At the same time, do keep aggression in your voice and use words as strong as needed. Listen to the other person. It is important to let others speak or explain themselves, even when you know the facts. However, do not get lost in their stories as well as do not get into arguments.

As I mentioned above, these are the basic (but important) points. However, there are more advanced and smart skills (would be writing sometime); because there are situations more intricate than what we can imagine, and people more complex than what we can predict.