How a manager can gain authority from his subordinates: 14 key factors for self-examination

Management 10265 0 manager skills manager competencies requirements for managers manager functions

Evgeny Sevastyanov

Evgeny Sevastyanov

system management expert
E-Mail: [email protected]

Social network

Personal information: Management experience: 18 years

Consulted in the field of regular management of more than 240 companies, including: holdings, chain stores, factories, service companies, builders, government officials, web agencies, online stores.

Author of the book “System management in practice: 50 stories from the experience of managers for the development of management skills” https://50stories.ru/

general director and owner of the management consulting agency "Open Studio": and founder of the "School of Regular Management" (training for owners and managers): https://regular-management.ru/

system management expert

manager skills manager competencies requirements for managers manager functions

“Authority comes from reason, not reason from authority; any authority not recognized by reason is powerless.”

Walter Scott

to whom:

owners, top managers, executives

There are those who live by the principle: “Since I have administrative power, that means they must obey me.”

How much does “cheap authority” cost a manager?

Authority

- this is the ability of a manager to influence the actions of subordinates without resorting to administrative power.

In order to increase their authority, novice, inexperienced managers have a desire (sometimes under pressure from the old-timers of the team) to make quick decisions to please their subordinates, but to the detriment of the company and the benefit of the business. This seems like an easier path than learning basic administrative techniques. But what is easy now often leads to “difficult things later.”

People rarely have limits in their demands.

It is not for nothing that authority acquired in this way is called cheap. People rarely have limits in their demands. Soon the manager will not be able to satisfy the growing appetites of his subordinates.

There will be two ways out: give back and take away everything that you previously gave, or become a controlled appendage for your subordinates. In both cases, cheap authority is shattered. Either the employees will get angry or will not care about anything. Both options will cause anger among top managers, and perhaps a desire to get rid of such a would-be leader.

Go to contents

Don't be like Fedya

Leonid is an experienced person; he has seen many times how incorrect behavior during the probationary period ruins careers. For example, his former colleague Fedor, transferred from the regional office as a very smart and promising employee, became a shining example of how not to behave. Fedor came to the capital office motivated by results; he knew how to rebuild KPIs, increase sales, increase motivation and optimize the economy. Fedor had a lot of ideas, and he immediately began to implement them. Often, in order to convey one of them to the director of the department or vice president, he acted over the head of his immediate superiors, confident that the end justified the means. Watching him, Leonid understood that many of Fedor’s ideas were sound, but he was acting incorrectly.

Colleagues were in no hurry to help him, because he was too openly trying to curry favor

There were three main mistakes:

• Fedor went straight to the “big” people, bypassing his immediate supervisor;
• with his ideas, even good and necessary ones, he violated the interests of his closest colleagues - the restructuring of KPI, for example, could well deprive a percentage of long-time and experienced salespeople;
• No one in the company knew Fedor yet, and therefore there was no reason to listen to the revolutionary ideas that he proposed.

After a month and a half, Fedor was disliked by everyone - his bosses, his subordinates, and employees of neighboring departments. The top management did not notice his ideas, and did not remember him. Colleagues were in no hurry to help him, because he was too openly trying to curry favor - in some cases they didn’t sign an agreement on time, in others they didn’t give him any advice, in others they quietly set him up. As a result, by the middle of the probationary period, management changed their opinion about Fedor - and he turned from an intelligent and promising employee into a fussy and annoying element.

Results, systematic approach to management

• First, the manager needs to master basic administration skills (setting tasks, control, planning, regulation).
• The authority of a manager is a mandatory resource that complements management skills and allows one to perform management functions. A leader without authority is forced to fight sabotage and Italian strikes, instead of working together with his subordinates to achieve their goals.
• Isolating specific factors (the manager’s actions) and meaningful, gradual work with each of them will help to gain authority among subordinates.

Go to contents

Methods for gaining the trust of employees of an online store and other companies

Innovations - put off until later

When starting to work with a team that worked well before the new manager arrived, you should not be overly active in introducing innovations. An observational position can be taken from several weeks to 2-3 months to determine the internal microclimate, social roles of personnel (leaders, performers, others) and the personal potential of each. At this stage, there is no need to put pressure on the staff: observe, suggest and establish trusting relationships, but while maintaining subordination.

On equal terms with subordinates

Employees value leaders who don't wave a managerial position like a flag. The combination of leadership personal qualities, empathy and administrative rules produces positive results: the leader not only gains authority, but also trust, which stimulates the desire to work as a team . It is necessary to show employees that the manager is with them on the same ship, the success of which depends on the contribution of each person, regardless of their position.

Carrot and stick method in human resource management

It is impossible to create a healthy microclimate in a team using only fines and other aggressive methods of stimulating positive work results. The distribution of “carrots and sticks” is carried out in a 50/50 ratio: the best employees of the month receive bonuses and bonuses for production, the worst ones receive a “bare” salary and an incentive to work more diligently.

Motivation methods that serve as carrots give the team the opportunity to understand that the manager cares not only about achieving business indicators, but also about his subordinates. Hot lunches in the office, the opportunity to come to work with a child, a coffee machine, a rest room - these little things create a favorable environment that has an indirect impact on the attitude towards the manager and the overall efficiency of the staff.

Lack of strict limits

Lack of initiative and the opportunity to express one’s opinion without the threat of dismissal are factors that have a demoralizing effect on staff. When trying to gain authority, a leader must take into account the opinions of all team members and also take into account rational suggestions. The final decision remains with the manager, but each specialist has the right to his own point of view: it is necessary to give the staff a certain amount of freedom, which will allow them to reveal their potential and receive interesting ideas that can become points of growth. A liberal leader who supports staff initiatives will gain trust faster than a dictator, whose opinion is the ultimate truth and is not subject to discussion.

Always in touch

Constant communication with staff is an important element in establishing trusting relationships and stimulating interest in the success of the common cause . The method in question does not mean calls after midnight, although they are acceptable in emergency cases, but communication can be maintained through instant messengers and even social networks. If the manager sets the work format from 9:00 to 17:00 and not a minute more, then employees will do the same, which will reduce the level of engagement.

Personal and work issues are equally important

The manager must equally quickly resolve both work and personal issues of employees. It is necessary to equate business processes with people's needs in order to gain trust. For example, a monthly plan is signed within 10 minutes, a vacation schedule or an application for financial assistance is signed at the last moment after repeated reminders. this approach as neglect, and therefore the attitude towards the manager will be corresponding.

No favorites

A manager should not single out employees who demonstrate loyalty to him or who have already established personal communication. The presence of favorites divides the team and causes conflict situations. You can highlight and reward staff, but only for achievements in work and other areas directly related to their professional activities. A manager, in principle, should give up friendly relations at work; if they exist, do not advertise them in order to maintain subordination and not undermine their authority.

Exercising the executive muscle

As Abel Posse said, “Authority is a good thing, but it is fragile like glass, and contempt sticks to a person like ringworm.”

. On my own behalf, I’ll add that before you crash, you still need to earn authority! To do this, I propose to perform a small workshop:

1. Make a table with a list of factors for regular (once a month/quarter) assessment of your actions to work with your authority. Take factors from the article and add those that you consider important for yourself personally.
2. Rate each factor (for example, on a five-point scale), how much are you working with it?
3. Write a short comment to the assessment: what actions increased/decreased your authority, what can be done to improve the situation?
4. Compare with the previous period. Describe what you managed to do and what prevented you from doing so. What needs to change in actions to achieve more.

Good luck in gaining and increasing your authority! Share your influencer stories in the comments.

Go to contents

Featured

• Implementation of system management (regular management)
• System of training and advanced training of employees
• UPGRADE training for managers: development of management skills, systematic approach to management in practice
• Go to the service catalog

View existing ones or leave a new comment on an article

The first 10 ways to make yourself respected at work

1. Keep an eye on your appearance

People escort you according to their minds, but they still meet them based on their clothes - there is no point in arguing with this statement. Make sure your appearance is impeccable and stylish. Follow the dress code, but do not lose your individuality so as not to get lost in the crowd of your colleagues.

2. Remember names

People like it when people pay attention to them. Hearing your own name from the lips of your interlocutor is music to the ears. Give your co-workers pleasure - try to remember their names.

IMPORTANT! This will help you gain respect in the team: if you show interest, you will be rewarded in kind.

3. Observe etiquette

Obviously, politeness helps to establish strong social bonds. Say hello, wish you bon appetit, congratulate you on the holidays, do not allow yourself obscene language and insults.

4. Offer your help

Why not lend a helping hand to a colleague if he really needs it? Help can be of two types:

• professional - you act as a senior mentor and willingly share the secrets of your craft;
• psychological - you support the person, give him advice “for life” (the main thing is not to overdo it and not become a vest for tears).

This behavior will help raise your authority in the eyes of your colleagues.

• Work conscientiously

Ideally, work should bring us pleasure. Reality, of course, shatters the rose-colored glasses. But if you fall in love with your line of work, a very favorable “aura” will automatically arise around you, which people always flock to, like moths to a light.

ADVICE! Charge and infect everyone around you with your energy and interest, make far-reaching plans.

• Constantly improve

At the very least, this will help you earn the respect of your boss. A good specialist is always interested in further development. The world is changing rapidly, and resting on your laurels is a path that leads to a dead end. Look for advanced training courses, work on your shortcomings, offer fresh ideas.

• Rejoice in other people's successes

Envy at work is a very destructive feeling and will not lead you to success. The ability to be happy for others is an important sign of an accomplished personality. Praise your colleague for a successfully completed project, congratulate him on a good performance at the conference. This will help you make yourself respected in the team.

• Take criticism appropriately

It is very unpleasant to admit your mistakes, but without them, full development is impossible. If mistakes are pointed out to you, pay attention to them to avoid mistakes in the future.

BY THE WAY! Don’t start arguing for no reason - just thank them for the detailed analysis of your work.

• Don't show your excitement

Take your time to show this emotion. It shows that you have lost control of the situation for some time. Try to cope with the experience without bringing it into public discussion. Confidence in your own abilities will help you earn respect in the team.

• Don't consider yourself smarter than others

Even if this is true. Nobody likes teaching.

Read also:  Fear, pain and isolation: where does social phobia come from and what to do about it
• Avoid moralizing. If a colleague complains about life, talks about problems in the family, do not give categorical assessments, be softer.
• Don’t teach your colleagues how to work ; they will understand their craft without your valuable recommendations. Help correctly so as not to lower the self-esteem of the person who needs help.

I recommend watching this useful video about trust and respect in a team:

PS: Recommended materials for managers from Evgeny Sevastyanov

1. Book “System management in practice: 50 stories from the experience of managers for the development of management skills”: https://50stories.ru/
2. Online courses and trainings for managers: https://regular-management.ru/
3. Management consulting services:

Now you can Go to all articles or View the catalog
Those who read this article also read
Change management in a company: how innovations and changes can destroy the power and authority of a manager

Time “H”: When the introduction of regular management in your company is inevitable, and delaying the start will only bring additional losses

Personal files for employees: How to take into account disciplinary offenses, achievements, mistakes and agreements

"Just to meet you"

The next step required to pass the probationary period is making friends with lawyers. People who are under pressure from everyone, who are being pushed forward by everyone, who are often left to blame for not meeting deadlines.

Leonid himself came to the lawyers to get acquainted and discuss how together we could make sure that his documents were processed faster, but the lawyers themselves did not suffer.

If you are a hired specialist, you must be friends with the HR manager. Eichar meets you, he sees you off

Each large company, as a rule, has one standard contract template. And if an agreement drawn up according to such a template requires even minimal amendments, the deal is delayed for months. Leonid found out which clauses of the contract are most often dissatisfied by clients and which issues are usually suspended by signing. I divided them into four conditional categories and told the lawyers: “Guys, it is very important for me that contracts are completed quickly. At the same time, I want to make sure that you have less work. Let me tell you what the client really wants, and we will make four contract templates instead of one. Then there is every chance that document approvals will be easy. It’s beneficial for all of us.”

In the same way, Leonid went to the accounting department, just to get to know each other - he talked about his tasks, asked how he could help, brought cakes, drank tea and, as a result, charmed the ladies working there. Then, according to tradition, I visited the HR people. Because I knew that if you are a hired specialist, you must be friends with HR. Eychar meets you in company, he sees you off.

Result: by the end of the first half of the year in the new company, employees of all nearby, often warring departments helped Leonid personally. The engineers did not try to deceive him, saying that it was impossible to implement the contract, the lawyers did not delay the contracts, and the accounting department quickly completed the documents. Leonid has earned a reputation as a “normal guy”, with whom it is pleasant to deal and you can always come to an agreement. In addition, in the process of getting to know other departments, he found out which employees it was better not to mess with.

Advertising on Forbes

Treat everyone equally well

A person must understand that all people are good. Even those you don't like deserve respect. How can you treat well a person who behaves rudely? If you don't know where to start with self-development and self-improvement, start by accepting the idea that a happy and healthy person will never be rude or try to harm others in any way. Only a deeply unhappy person is capable of such a base act. How can you judge someone who has something going wrong in their life? Never judge a person without knowing all the circumstances. Respond to boorish behavior with kindness and respect. The person will become ashamed of his behavior and realize that he is wrong. Only that person who knows how to keep face in any situation can become an authority.

Forming factors

German sociologist Max Weber named three sources (prerequisites) for the formation of public recognition and respect:

1. Traditions and habits. The longer a person leads, the more others become accustomed to it.
2. High official status. If a person has the status of a leader, director, then it is easier for us to recognize him as a leader. Weber called this rational validity.
3. Affective legitimacy. Leadership qualities and charisma are what create informal leaders. These people are confident in themselves, think soberly and clearly, know how to lead, speak beautifully, can unite people and lead them.

Based on these criteria, three types of authority can be distinguished: more formal, less formal and personal. In the first case, we are talking about respect for the position, in the second – for status, in the third – for the individual.

Boost your self-esteem

A person who wants to be respected in society must first begin to respect himself. Only a person with good self-esteem can do this. How to increase it? Stop criticizing yourself. Have you made a mistake? There is no need to torment yourself with thoughts that you have made a mistake again. Admit your failure, draw conclusions from it and try not to repeat it again.

How to become an authority? Stop looking with adoration at everyone who is higher than you on the social ladder. Understand a simple thing: bosses are people too. You should not kowtow to them, but communicate as equals. Don't be afraid to express your opinion in front of important people. Understand your individuality and uniqueness. Then people will be able to see in you what was previously hidden.

Become the life of the party

How to become an authority? You need to attract the attention of the society in which you are located. The easiest way to do this is when you are the life of the party. In this case, you will immediately rise in the eyes of others. They will consult you and listen to your opinion. But this will only happen if you leave your comfort zone and start working on yourself. Make more jokes, don't be afraid to seem funny or stupid. Show off yourself, attract attention. It is advisable to create some kind of memorable image for yourself. For example, you can choose the style of a smart but groovy intellectual. But it’s still better not to play some role, but to be yourself. Every person is unique and interesting. You just need to find your strengths and flaunt them. But weaknesses should be veiled and not demonstrated in public.

What it is

Social psychology has its own explanation of the term authority, what it is and how to obtain such status. In everyday understanding, this word means a person or organization that has a great influence on society. Unlike tyranny, recognition is obtained through non-violent means. It is given for intellectual achievements or moral qualities.

Definition in psychology

In social psychology, the term authority is explained a little differently; this concept affects the social sphere. It means a special form of influence on a group of people.

Important! Fans uncritically accept information from their idol and unconditionally believe him.

The main method of management is belief. People voluntarily recognize the power of an authority and agree to follow him. Not every individual knows how to use authority. Such influence is formed due to special personal qualities and abilities to organize general activities.

The concept of personal authority

This term refers to special personal development that reaches a high level. Such a person commands respect from many people. Often this type of power is based on charisma, i.e. unconscious attraction.

A person with personal authority has special energy, passion, and the ability to speak emotionally and inspiringly. He has good looks, good rhetorical skills, and is confident.

Personal authority is a synthesis of innate and acquired qualities. Every leader who wants to become successful should acquire a similar form of influence.

Instrument of power

Many people strive to take a leadership position, but it is not easy to do. It is possible to obtain the position of chief by force, but this will not give complete satisfaction from having power.

Authority in society means a lot and provides great opportunities.

The peculiarity of authority is that people themselves choose whom to follow and whom to believe. They do not need to be forced or forced. An individual with this form of influence knows how to persuade, and there is no doubt about the correctness of his decisions.

In social psychology, it is believed that authority is based on trust, respect, and democracy. This is what is useful for recognizing yourself as a leader. All other methods will not give long-term results.

In pedagogy, authority is also important, since the obedience of students depends on it. Modern children will not respect a teacher just because of the age difference. Therefore, an adult will have to find ways to win the favor of schoolchildren.

Set goals and achieve them

A person earns authority not by his words, but by his actions. If you want people to respect you, then you must prove to them that you are worthy of such respect. Set goals for yourself and then achieve them. Make promises and always keep them. If you give your word to someone, then fulfill your intention, no matter what the cost. Be punctual and scrupulous. Remember, authority is always ahead of the crowd, which means any awkward movement will be subject to criticism. This doesn't mean you aren't allowed to make mistakes. This means that you must carefully evaluate each step you take and not commit rash actions.

Creating your self

The position of a leader in a team helps in career development, but how to do this and what are the traits of a successful employee? To prove that you are a reliable partner, you need to fulfill your obligations, show good results and not hide the process of your activities. To do this, follow these recommendations:

1. Do not break the sequence of your words and actions. If you throw around promises and don’t keep them, your reputation as an unreliable person will stick with you for a long time and your colleagues will hardly be able to trust you. If the results of your work are discussed, it is better to lower your expectations a little rather than overestimate them. This will not give unnecessary hopes and the goal will look more realistic. And provided that you can exceed the plan, your colleagues and management will be proud of you, otherwise everyone will be disappointed.
2. No matter what difficulties stand in the way of fulfilling your obligations, always keep your colleagues informed of the problem . The sooner you inform about the situation, the easier it is to correct the progress of work.
3. It is important to maintain a positive background in the team, creating a favorable environment for resolving work issues. Show the strengths of your character: avoid gossip, omissions, support your colleagues, do not speak negatively about other people’s projects . When your co-workers' work is assessed positively, you thereby earn their gratitude. It doesn’t matter whether you say this to a person’s face or praise him in conversation with others.
4. It is important to maintain a positive outlook on work: do not complain or whine , even if the project seems difficult or boring to you - this does not exclude collective actions that will help you complete it. Pay attention to the positive aspects, this will make the result more effective and help team cohesion.