Leading Without Authority

1. Co-elevation: The New Work Paradigm for Leading Without Authority

Co-elevation is a mission-driven approach to collaborative problem-solving through fluid partnerships and self-organizing teams.

The new work world demands a fundamental shift in how we approach leadership and collaboration. Co-elevation is the answer to this challenge, providing a framework for leading without formal authority. It emphasizes going higher together, nurturing a generosity of spirit and commitment to shared missions.

Co-elevation principles:

• Collaborative problem-solving
• Fluid partnerships
• Self-organizing teams
• Mutual accountability
• Candid feedback

By embracing co-elevation, individuals can extend their reach and accomplishments far beyond the limits of their assigned responsibilities, achieving transformative outcomes and fostering innovation in the face of disruption.

2. Redefine Your Team Beyond Organizational Boundaries

Your team is made up of everyone—inside and outside the company—important to achieving your project or mission.

Expand your definition of "team" to include anyone critical to your success, regardless of their position in the organizational hierarchy. This broader perspective allows you to tap into a wider range of resources and expertise.

Key aspects of redefining your team:

• Look beyond direct reports and immediate colleagues
• Include cross-functional partners
• Consider external stakeholders and even competitors
• Focus on shared goals and missions

By adopting this inclusive approach, you can create more diverse and effective teams capable of tackling complex challenges and driving innovation. Remember, your ability to influence and collaborate with this expanded team is crucial for achieving exceptional results.

3. Take Full Responsibility for Your Success and Relationships

If you're going to wait for everyone else to change, you might as well put your career on hold and be resigned to underperforming for your patients.

Embrace "extreme ownership" of your career and relationships. Recognize that your success depends on your ability to build and nurture productive relationships with others, even those you may find challenging.

Overcome these common excuses:

• "It's not my job"
• "They won't listen anyway"
• "I don't have the authority"
• "It's too difficult"

Instead, focus on what you can control: your own actions and attitudes. Take the initiative to reach out, build connections, and contribute value to your expanded team. By accepting that "it's all on you," you empower yourself to create positive change and achieve your goals, regardless of your formal position or authority.

4. Earn Permission to Lead Through Serving, Sharing, and Caring

Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.

Build trust and influence by demonstrating genuine care and commitment to others' success. This approach opens doors to deeper collaboration and allows you to lead without formal authority.

Key strategies for earning permission to lead:

• Serve: Actively look for ways to help others succeed
• Share: Be vulnerable and open about your own experiences and challenges
• Care: Show authentic interest in others' well-being and growth

By consistently demonstrating these behaviors, you create psychological safety and open porosity with your teammates. This foundation of trust enables you to offer candid feedback, challenge ideas constructively, and inspire others to join your mission.

5. Foster Deeper, More Collaborative Partnerships

Transformative Outcomes = Radical Inclusion + Bold Input + Agility

Create an environment that encourages diverse perspectives, honest feedback, and rapid iteration. This formula for co-elevating collaboration leads to breakthrough solutions and accelerated innovation.

Key elements of collaborative partnerships:

• Radical inclusion: Actively seek input from a wide range of voices
• Bold input: Encourage candid, courageous feedback and ideas
• Agility: Embrace rapid experimentation and iteration

Implement practices like:

• Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) sessions
• Regular check-ins and feedback loops
• Cross-functional team structures

By fostering this type of collaborative environment, you can tap into the collective intelligence of your team and achieve transformative outcomes that surpass what any individual could accomplish alone.

6. Embrace Peer-to-Peer Development and Coaching

We each need to take responsibility for coaching and developing the members of our teams, and we need to seek their coaching as well.

Create a culture of mutual growth by normalizing peer-to-peer coaching and development. This approach fills the gap left by traditional hierarchical mentoring structures and accelerates individual and team growth.

Key aspects of peer-to-peer development:

• Give and receive candid feedback
• Focus on both hard and soft skills
• Create psychological safety for honest conversations
• Celebrate growth and improvement

Implement practices like:

• Regular co-development check-ins
• Peer coaching circles
• Skills-sharing sessions

By fostering a environment where everyone is both a teacher and a learner, you create a more agile, resilient, and high-performing team capable of adapting to rapid change and seizing new opportunities.

7. Cultivate a Culture of Praise and Celebration

What we reward with praise is what others will aspire to achieve. What we celebrate is what we will receive.

Harness the power of positive reinforcement to drive desired behaviors and outcomes. Regular praise and celebration create a more engaging work environment and reinforce the co-elevation mindset.

Strategies for effective praise and celebration:

• Make it personal and specific
• Celebrate small wins and progress, not just big achievements
• Recognize effort and growth, not just results
• Encourage peer-to-peer recognition

Benefits of a praise-rich culture:

• Increased motivation and engagement
• Enhanced psychological safety
• Reinforcement of desired behaviors
• Stronger team bonds

By consistently praising and celebrating co-elevation behaviors and outcomes, you create a virtuous cycle that drives continuous improvement and strengthens your team's collaborative culture.

8. Create a Co-elevation Movement in Your Organization

Transformation on this level is a team sport, and we all have to play an active role in it.

Spread the co-elevation mindset throughout your organization to create lasting cultural change. By inspiring others to adopt co-elevation principles, you can spark a movement that transforms your entire workplace.

Steps to create a co-elevation movement:

1. Start with a small, committed core group
2. Model co-elevation behaviors consistently
3. Celebrate and share success stories
4. Provide tools and resources for others to learn and practice
5. Encourage others to become co-elevation champions

As the movement grows, it becomes self-sustaining, with new co-elevators inspiring and teaching others. This ripple effect can lead to a fundamental shift in how your organization operates, fostering greater innovation, engagement, and overall performance.

Remember, cultural transformation starts with individual actions. By consistently practicing and promoting co-elevation, you can be the catalyst for positive change in your workplace and beyond.

Last updated: April 8, 2025