Identify Who Really Has Power in Your Workplace

Org charts show formal authority. They don't show actual influence.

The person with the most power in your department might not be the one with the manager title. Real influence comes from relationships, expertise, or control over resources that other people need. Understanding who has informal power helps you navigate workplace decisions more effectively.

This matters more during economic pressure. When companies are under stress, informal influence networks become more important. Decisions happen through back channels and personal relationships as much as through official processes. Knowing who actually moves decisions forward helps you position your work and protect your standing.

Why Informal Influence Matters

Formal authority is easy to identify. Your boss can approve or reject your requests. Their boss controls larger decisions. The hierarchy is documented and clear.

Informal influence is harder to see but often more important. Someone who lacks formal authority but has the CEO's ear influences decisions more than mid-level managers with official titles. Someone who controls access to critical information or systems has power regardless of where they sit in the org chart. Someone everyone trusts and respects shapes opinions even without direct decision-making authority.

People with informal influence get their projects prioritized, their recommendations implemented, and their concerns addressed. They navigate organizational politics successfully because they understand how things actually work rather than how the org chart says they should work.

What Informal Influence Looks Like

Observe your workplace over the next few days and watch for these signs of informal influence:

Their opinion gets solicited before decisions are made. In meetings or email threads, people ask what this person thinks before finalizing plans. Their input shapes the discussion even if they're not the decision-maker.

Others seek their advice or approval. Colleagues go to them for guidance on how to approach problems, navigate politics, or get things done. They function as an informal authority people trust more than the official chain of command.

Their projects get resources and attention. When they request budget, headcount, or executive time, they receive it more easily than others at their level. Their work gets treated as higher priority.

They connect people and information. They know who to talk to about any issue and facilitate introductions. They have visibility across departments or levels that others lack. They broker relationships that move work forward.

People modify their plans based on this person's concerns. When they raise objections or suggest changes, others take it seriously. Their pushback carries weight even without formal veto authority.

They get consulted during conflicts or problems. When disputes arise or things go wrong, leadership asks them for perspective or relies on them to resolve the situation.

Not everyone with influence displays all these signs, but influential people typically show several of them consistently.

Identify Three Influential People

Based on these signs, identify three people in your workplace who have influence beyond their formal title. These might be peers, senior individual contributors, administrative staff, or people in other departments.

For each person, write down:

What makes them influential - The specific source of their power. Is it relationships with leadership? Deep expertise everyone needs? Control over critical systems or information? Long tenure and institutional knowledge? Personality and persuasiveness?

How others interact with them - What you observe in how colleagues treat them. Do people defer to their judgment? Seek their buy-in? Route requests through them? Copy them on communications even when not required?

What they do differently than others at their level - The behaviors or approaches that set them apart. Do they communicate differently? Build relationships intentionally? Position their work strategically? Navigate politics skillfully?

Be specific in your observations. "Everyone respects Sarah" is vague. "Sarah has worked here for 12 years and knows the history of every major decision, so people consult her before proposing changes to established processes" is specific enough to learn from.

What Makes Them Effective

Look at your three influential people and identify patterns in what makes them effective. Different people gain influence through different means, but certain patterns appear repeatedly:

Strategic relationship building - They invest time in relationships with decision-makers and key stakeholders. They're visible to leadership through regular communication, volunteering for high-profile work, or finding legitimate reasons to interact with powerful people.

Expertise others depend on - They possess knowledge, skills, or information that other people need regularly. This creates ongoing dependency that translates to influence. People can't bypass them because they control something essential.

Consistency and reliability - They deliver on commitments repeatedly, which builds trust. Over time, leadership relies on them for important work because they've proven they won't create problems or require excessive management.

Understanding organizational culture - They read the room accurately and adapt their approach to match how things actually get done in your specific workplace. They don't fight the culture; they work within it effectively.

Making others successful - They help colleagues achieve their goals, which creates reciprocal relationships. People who benefit from their assistance become advocates who elevate their influence.

Visibility without self-promotion - They ensure their work gets noticed without appearing to brag. They share updates that serve business purposes while simultaneously showcasing their contributions.

The specific combination varies by person and workplace, but influential people usually demonstrate several of these patterns consistently.

How This Information Helps You

Understanding who has informal influence and what makes them effective serves several purposes:

You know whose support matters. When you need buy-in for an idea or project, you know which people to consult beyond your direct manager. Getting informal influencers on board often matters more than formal approval.

You avoid political mistakes. You don't inadvertently work against someone who has more power than their title suggests. You recognize when someone's objection will actually block your work even if they can't formally veto it.

You can model effective behaviors. You see what approaches work in your specific environment. If influential people all communicate in certain ways or build certain types of relationships, those patterns reveal what your workplace rewards.

You understand decision-making reality. You recognize that the official process isn't always the real process. Decisions often get made informally before official meetings, and knowing who influences those informal discussions helps you navigate more effectively.

Apply What You Observe

Use this information to adjust your own approach. You're not trying to manipulate people or play politics in a negative sense. You're trying to understand how your workplace actually operates so you can be more effective.

If you notice that influential people all have strong relationships with certain leaders, that tells you those relationships matter in your organization. You might look for legitimate opportunities to interact with those leaders through your work.

If you see that influence comes from deep expertise, that tells you skill development and knowledge building create power in your environment. You might focus on becoming the expert in areas that matter to your organization.

If influential people succeed by making others successful, that reveals your workplace values collaboration and reciprocity. You might look for ways to help colleagues achieve their goals.

You're learning the actual rules of your workplace by observing who succeeds and how they do it.

Continue Observing

Identifying three influential people and understanding their effectiveness is today's task. Over time, continue observing power dynamics in your workplace. Notice when influence shifts, when new people gain power, or when previously influential people lose it.

These observations help you navigate relationships, position your work effectively, and understand the real decision-making process. This knowledge becomes more valuable during uncertainty when informal networks matter more than official channels.

Identify your three influential people today. Write down what makes them effective. Look for patterns in their approaches. This understanding helps you navigate your workplace more successfully regardless of what happens with the broader economy or your company's situation.