informal leaders ⁽³⁾

"I'm not the CEO. My boss doesn't get it. What can I actually do?" Perfect question. Today we tackle the hardest position - leading change when you have zero formal authority. If you've ever felt frustrated watching problems you could fix if someone would just listen, this is for you.

Your Front-Line Advantages:
🎯 You see real problems (not the PowerPoint version)
🔍 You know what actually works (versus corporate theater)
💪 You have credibility with people doing the work
⚡ Your 15% solution - the sphere you can control right now

*15% Solutions - Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. Inspired by professor Gareth Morgan: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/7-15-solutions/

The 8-Week Battle Plan:

• Week 1: Map your real influence and find allies
• Week 2: Start your first micro-experiment
• Week 3: Make success visible to colleagues
• Week 4: Partner with someone curious
• Weeks 5-8: Let it spread organically

Key Strategies:
Start ridiculously small (one shared list changed everything) Find productive disruption techniques Make your manager your ally through results Use strategic passive resistance wisely Stay humble about success to avoid backlash

You've seen the evidence (trust beats control) and found the hidden leaders in your organization. Now what? Here's your practical playbook that actually works - no rigid frameworks, just smart experiments with the people who can make change happen.

Your 5-Step Roadmap:

🎯 Step 1: Find your spark - What problem keeps you up at night?
📊 Step 2: Reality check - Coffee conversations with informal leaders
🧪 Step 3: Design experiments together - Start tiny, time-boxed, voluntary
📈 Step 4: Make success visible - Progress tracking that motivates
🚀 Step 5: Let success pull - Organic spread beats mandates

The Magic Formula: Small experiment + informal leader support + visible results = organic spread

Your 8-Week Timeline:

Weeks 1-2: Get clear and listen
Weeks 3-4: Co-create your first experiment
Weeks 5-6: Run it (celebrate small wins publicly)
Weeks 7-8: Let success spread naturally

You're looking at the wrong org chart. The real power in your company isn't in the corner office - it's with the person everyone turns to for the real story. The one who can kill your best initiative with a shrug or make it fly with their enthusiasm.

What You'll Discover:

🔍 Google's Project Aristotle: Why psychological safety (created by informal leaders) beats everything else
📊 The 30% problem: Why most transformations fail (hint: it's not what you think)
🎯 Three magic questions to find your real influence network
⚡ Nokia vs Virginia Mason: What happens when you ignore vs embrace hidden leaders