Authority
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According to
Linda A. Hill, author of the Harvard Business Review article entitled ‘Becoming
the Boss’, authority is not something that a leader earns just by the nature of
their job title. Hill states that, “…authority
emerges only as the manager establishes credibility with subordinates, peers,
and superiors” (Hill 52). A question one might as themselves is how does a leader
go about establishing this credibility? Hill shadowed nineteen new managers
throughout their first year on the job in hopes to find the answer to this
question. Hill explains that these new managers believe that once they are
promoted, they have all of the power, respect, and credibility they need to run
a successful department; however, “instead
of feeling free, they feel constrained” (Hill 51).
One of the problems new managers run into is that they will instruct a subordinate to do something, and they do not respond in the way the manager had hoped. This leads to the managers coming to the realization of, “…how difficult it is to earn people’s respect and trust” (Hill 53) and they are often shocked, “…that their expertise and track record don’t speak for themselves” (Hill 53).
Linda Hill’s research suggested a few approaches to solving this problem. First, she states that, “They need to demonstrate their character – the intention to do the right thing” (Hill 53). This is especially important for new leaders or new managers because they need to earn this track record with their new employees. Next, the new employee needs to show that they have competence, which Hill defines as “knowing how to do the right thing” (Hill 53). Third, leaders need to validate their influence, which is defined in the article as “the ability to deliver and execute the right thing” (Hill 53).
I believe that combining all three of these qualities lead towards gaining employee’s trust, which makes it easier to establish relationships with them. Colquitt, Lepine, and Wesson go on to further elaborate why some leaders are more trusted than others. They describe it as a mixture of justice, ethics, and overall trustworthiness portrayed and proven by the leader. They say that, “…it’s often difficult to gauge trustworthiness accurately, so employees instead look to more observable behaviors” (Colquitt, Lepine, Wesson 220). I think that this goes hand in hand with what Hill was discussing: how new managers need to prove their character, competence, and influence instead of merely assuming they have gained authority through their new job title.
One of the problems new managers run into is that they will instruct a subordinate to do something, and they do not respond in the way the manager had hoped. This leads to the managers coming to the realization of, “…how difficult it is to earn people’s respect and trust” (Hill 53) and they are often shocked, “…that their expertise and track record don’t speak for themselves” (Hill 53).
Linda Hill’s research suggested a few approaches to solving this problem. First, she states that, “They need to demonstrate their character – the intention to do the right thing” (Hill 53). This is especially important for new leaders or new managers because they need to earn this track record with their new employees. Next, the new employee needs to show that they have competence, which Hill defines as “knowing how to do the right thing” (Hill 53). Third, leaders need to validate their influence, which is defined in the article as “the ability to deliver and execute the right thing” (Hill 53).
I believe that combining all three of these qualities lead towards gaining employee’s trust, which makes it easier to establish relationships with them. Colquitt, Lepine, and Wesson go on to further elaborate why some leaders are more trusted than others. They describe it as a mixture of justice, ethics, and overall trustworthiness portrayed and proven by the leader. They say that, “…it’s often difficult to gauge trustworthiness accurately, so employees instead look to more observable behaviors” (Colquitt, Lepine, Wesson 220). I think that this goes hand in hand with what Hill was discussing: how new managers need to prove their character, competence, and influence instead of merely assuming they have gained authority through their new job title.