How Do You Influence People Without Authority

How to answer this question

• 1Rely on relationships, data, and credibility rather than position or pressure.
• 2Be genuinely helpful to people before you need something from them.
• 3Come with data instead of opinions when you need to persuade.
• 4Frame requests in terms of what is in it for them.
• 5Show that this kind of influence takes time to build but holds under pressure.

Example answer

I rely on three things — being genuinely helpful before I need something, coming with data instead of opinions when I need to persuade, and framing requests in terms of what is in it for them. When I needed buy-in from a procurement team I had no authority over, I had spent six months sharing supply chain data that was useful to their work. When I came with a request she trusted my judgment and moved quickly.