This article is part of the series “Where Theory Meets Survival,” inspired by my Doctorate in Business Administration coursework — specifically, the Theory of Organizations class. Each post explores how academic frameworks became practical tools during a real-world rebranding and transformation journey.

 

Power Is Not About Titles: Understanding Influence Inside Organizations

Organizations often turn to formal leadership structures for answers. But one of the most practical lessons from my Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) studies, and from real-world experience, is this:

Real power rarely follows the organizational chart.

The ability to influence outcomes, shape decisions, and drive change often resides with individuals and networks that leadership may not even see, until it is too late.

Understanding how power really flows inside organizations is not just interesting. It is essential for leaders who want to navigate change successfully.

What Is Organizational Power?

In organizational theory, “power” is not about authority. It is about the ability to influence others and control access to critical resources.

Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) — which focuses on how organizations manage external dependencies — also applies internally; within companies, different individuals and teams control access to key internal resources like:

• Information
• Client relationships
• Specialized skills
• Institutional memory
• Informal cultural norms

Whoever controls these resources wields influence, whether or not they hold formal titles. Jeffrey Pfeffer, in his classic work Managing with Power, argues that politics, coalitions, and informal influence are natural parts of organizational life, not dysfunctions, but realities leaders must navigate thoughtfully.

Why Titles Alone Do Not Predict Influence

Formal titles and reporting lines provide a rough map of official authority.
But they do not capture:

• Who people actually trust
• Whose opinions shape informal consensus
• Who acts as a bottleneck or an accelerator for new initiatives

Especially during times of change, employees often turn not to formal leaders, but to trusted peers, long-standing veterans, or highly networked informal leaders for guidance and interpretation.

Ignoring these informal structures creates blind spots that can derail even the most carefully designed change programs. Recognizing them — and engaging them — unlocks hidden momentum.

Real Example: Navigating Power Dynamics During a Strategic Pivot

During one major transformation I supported, the formal leadership team rolled out a clear strategic pivot: moving from traditional translation services to data service providers.

But despite formal communications, adoption lagged. Managers issued new directives, restructured teams, launched trainings — and yet, informal conversations across the company revealed deep skepticism and confusion.

What leadership had not fully recognized was that:

• Legacy team leaders, though technically at mid-level roles, held enormous trust among operational staff.
• Longtime specialists were viewed as the “real” experts, and their buy-in signaled legitimacy far more than executive announcements.
• Certain cross-functional coordinators — with no formal decision-making authority — acted as key bridges (or barriers) between departments.

Once we identified these informal influencers, we engaged them early:

• Invited them to preview and co-create messaging
• Positioned them as champions of the transformation
• Gave them roles in leading cross-functional working groups

The difference was palpable. Momentum shifted from slow compliance to authentic engagement.

It was a powerful reminder: Change spreads through informal networks, not formal edicts.

Practical Tips to Map and Engage Power Networks

Sailing through organizational change without understanding informal power is like navigating without a map. To lead effectively, leaders must proactively uncover and work with these networks of influence.

Here’s how to find and work with real power inside your organization:

Influence flows through trust, relationships, and credibility — not just job descriptions.

1. Conduct Informal Influence Mapping Exercises
Use interviews, surveys, or even social network analysis to uncover who people turn to for advice, support, and information — not just formal managers.

2. Identify Trusted Opinion Leaders Within Teams
Who frames how people interpret decisions? Who quietly resolves conflicts, explains changes, or soothes concerns? These are your true influencers.

3. Involve Informal Leaders Early in Strategic Rollouts
Treat them not as threats, but as critical allies. Engage them in planning stages, not just in execution, to build authentic ownership of the change.

Lessons from Resource Dependence and Power Theories

Both Resource Dependence Theory and power-focused organizational studies highlight that influence emerges wherever control over valued resources exists.

In many organizations, information, trust, and cultural credibility are the most valuable currencies — and they are often held outside of formal hierarchies.

Structural power, therefore, must be understood in three layers:

1. Formal Authority (what the org chart says)
2. Resource Control (who controls access to key information, clients, or knowledge)
3. Social Capital (who is trusted, respected, and followed)

Ignoring any of these dimensions weakens leadership during critical moments. Leveraging them strengthens your ability to move the organization together.

Final Reflections: From DBA Theory to Leadership Practice

Before my DBA studies, I assumed organizational charts largely captured how decisions got made. I saw power as a function of position. But through research — and hard-earned professional experience — I learned otherwise.

Power is built through relationships, expertise, and credibility over time.

Leading transformation is not just about issuing orders from the top. It is about nurturing and navigating informal networks of influence that cut across departments, hierarchies, and even geographies.

If you want change to happen, find your informal leaders.
Respect them.
Engage them early.

Because titles may give you authority —
But only real influence gives you impact.

Have you experienced a moment where informal power made or broke a project?I would love to hear your stories — feel free to comment or message me.