Influence without authority

Product managers rarely have formal authority over stakeholders, yet need to drive outcomes across the organization. Influence comes from understanding what motivates people and aligning your goals with theirs. Find the win-win scenarios where helping you helps them.

Build influence through expertise and relationships. Become the go-to person for product insights. Share valuable information proactively. Help stakeholders solve their problems, even when not directly related to your product. These deposits in the "relationship bank" pay dividends later.

Use data and customer voices as your authority. Stakeholders might dismiss your opinion but can't ignore customer feedback or market data. Frame recommendations in terms of business impact. Instead of "I think we should," try "Customer data shows that this feature could increase retention by 15%."