Influence vs. Authority: What Truly Moves People to Follow Your Lead
By Chris Goede
Leadership grows clearer when you grasp how influence vs authority shapes the way people respond to your direction. Many leaders feel the push to deliver strong outcomes and recognize that real commitment rises when they build trust, connection, and shared purpose with their teams.
In the Maxwell Leadership Podcast episode “Leader Change: From Position to Influence,” Perry Holley and Chris Goede explain how leadership strengthens when influence sets the tone for the relationship. They speak to the value of character, consistency, and care in everyday interactions, and the ideas ahead build on those insights to explore what truly moves people to follow your lead, and how both authority and influence can work together when it comes to leading others.
The Role Authority Plays in Leadership
Authority arises from the role you hold and the responsibilities that come with it, giving your team clarity about direction, decisions, and expectations. In moments that call for firm guidance or quick action, authority helps people understand who carries responsibility and what must move forward. It offers structure that keeps work aligned and provides confidence during fast or demanding situations.
Even with that structure in place, early leadership often depends on the power of the position. At that stage, the leader directs because the role allows it, yet the team has not reached a level of connection or trust. Authority may influence behavior, but deeper commitment forms when trust and shared purpose begin to grow. Leaders who recognize this see authority as a starting point and work to build relationships that invite stronger engagement.
How Influence Becomes the Real Measure of Leadership
Influence grows through character, credibility, and the way you treat people, and it reaches places authority cannot reach. When someone follows because they believe in you, the relationship carries a steady strength that encourages trust, ownership, and meaningful engagement. This creates momentum that feels natural and inspires people to bring their best because they feel valued and supported.
Leadership reveals itself through the people who follow. In environments where roles shift and teams collaborate across many lines, influence helps people stay aligned and motivated. Leaders who invest in it create a culture where individuals feel inspired to contribute, grow, and support a shared vision in ways that last long after the initial effort.
How Moving from Authority to Influence Transforms the Way People Follow You
A leader’s impact grows when the relationship moves from positional direction to earned trust. Perry Holley often describes this shift as the point where people begin granting permission for influence, which forms when they experience consistency, care, and steady presence. This becomes visible as your team responds with openness and confidence, and it strengthens the work you accomplish together.
You see this change through the way people engage. Instead of relying solely on direction, you create space for ideas, listen fully, and communicate with clarity. As this becomes part of your daily rhythm, your team quietly evaluates you through three questions that shape how they choose to follow:
“Can you help me?”
“Do you care for me?”
“Can I trust you?”
When these answers take shape, influence rises, and people offer greater creativity, commitment, and ownership to the vision you share.
How to Earn Influence with the People You Lead
Influence is built through consistent actions, not intention alone. How you show up day to day shapes trust, credibility, and how others respond to your leadership. The actions below reflect leadership practices that encourage alignment, commitment, and follow-through.
Strengthen Your Competence So People Trust Your Judgment
Perry Holley reminds leaders that people respond to those who demonstrate steady, reliable skill. When you stay current, continue learning, and make thoughtful decisions, you build credibility that helps your influence expand. Competence reassures your team that your guidance is grounded in understanding and experience.
Notice How Your Reactions Shape Your Credibility
Chris Goede highlights the impact of a leader’s reactions, especially when pressure rises. When challenges appear, and you respond with clarity and calm, your team sees a leader who can be counted on in any setting. Those moments build trust, and trust becomes a meaningful driver of influence.
Let Your Motive Guide What People Experience From You
Teams pay close attention to intent. Influence strengthens when people sense that your decisions come from a place of service and growth rather than personal gain. When your motive reflects care, integrity, and support for the team, your leadership voice becomes steady and dependable.
Earn Permission by Showing Genuine Care for People
Influence deepens when your team feels understood and valued. Listening well, supporting their goals, and being present in meaningful moments helps you earn the permission that shapes lasting leadership relationships. As care becomes part of your rhythm, people naturally offer more of their creativity and commitment.
Are You Leading with Influence or Just Authority? Questions to Ask Yourself
Self-reflection helps you understand the experience you create for your team. Influence takes shape through daily choices, and those choices grow clearer when you pause long enough to look at your own patterns. Leaders who grow with intention often discover that small adjustments in how they listen, communicate, and support their teams make a meaningful difference in long-term impact.
Consider the questions below and take time to reflect on what they reveal. You can journal your thoughts, discuss them with a mentor, or use them during a quiet moment of evaluation.
Do people follow because they want to, or because they feel expected to?
Do you invest in the relationship before expecting strong results?
Do your actions and reactions show steadiness and humility?
Do you offer clarity that explains the meaning behind the work?
Do people feel respected when they express hesitation or differing ideas?
Reflection opens the door to deeper awareness, and awareness strengthens your ability to lead with purpose.
When to Lean on Authority and How to Blend It with Influence
Authority continues to serve an important function, particularly in moments that call for clarity or quick direction. When timing is tight, or decisions must be made without delay, authority supports progress and brings steadiness to the team. You may find that authority helps most when situations involve:
Urgent action
Established standards
Safety or compliance requirements
In these moments, authority creates confidence and helps the team stay focused on what needs to happen next.
Leaders who blend authority with influence create an environment where people feel guided and supported. Influence nurtures connection and trust, while authority provides structure when the moment requires clear direction. As you lead, you can pause and read the cues in front of you. Some situations benefit from instruction, while others call for listening, collaboration, or encouragement. When you sense these shifts, your leadership becomes more grounded, and your team gains confidence in your judgment.