194. How to Influence People Who Don’t Report to You

Send us Fan MailNeed another team to prioritize your project—but you do not manage them? Cross-functional influence is one of the most important leadership skills in a matrixed organization. When your project depends on peers, stakeholders, or teams outside your reporting line, pressure alone rarely creates lasting cooperation.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, leadership coach Kele Belton explains how to influence people who do not report to you, build cross-functional relationships, and get stakeholder buy-in without relying on authority, escalation, or office politics.You will learn why another team may not prioritize your request, how to build the trust that makes collaboration easier, and what to do before your next high-stakes ask. This episode is especially valuable for women leaders managing cross-functional projects, navigating a reorganization, or trying to move important work forward across teams.In This Episode, You’ll LearnWhy a project can stall when another team does not share your priorities or reporting structure.Why pressure, escalation, and a stronger business case often do not create lasting cross-functional buy-in.How to influence peers and colleagues when you have responsibility for results but no formal authority.Why the best time to build relationships with other teams is before you need their help.A practical way to start building cross-team trust this week, with no request attached.How to build authentic workplace relationships without feeling like you are playing office politics.Your Action StepThink of one person on another team whose support you are likely to need within the next six months.This week, reach out with no ask attached. Ask what their team is focused on this quarter, what they are navigating, or where their priorities are changing. Listen for a way your work may connect to theirs—or a small way you can be helpful first.The goal is not to manufacture a relationship. It is to understand their world before you need something from them. When a future request arises, you will be approaching them as a colleague with shared context rather than as a stranger asking them to move your work ahead of theirs.Who This Episode Is ForThis episode is for high-performing women in middle management and senior management who:Lead projects that depend on other teams, peers, or stakeholders.Work in matrixed organizations or cross-functional environments.Need to influence colleagues without direct authority.Are frustrated when another team will not prioritize an important initiative.Want to build stronger workplace relationships while staying grounded in integrity and substance.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow do you influence people who don’t report to you?Build the relationship before you need the favor. Learn what the person and their team are accountable for, look for a way to support their priorities, connect your request to goals they already care about, and recognize their contribution publicly. Influence without authority comes from trust, relevance, and reciprocity—not pressure.Why won’t another team prioritize my project?Usually, it is not personal. Teams are measured on their own goals, deadlines, and performance metrics. If your request does not clearly support their priorities—or if they do not know you well enough to understand the broader value—it will compete with their existing work and may remain low on their list.How do you get cross-functional buy-in without authority?Start by understanding the other team’s priorities. Then frame your request around shared outcomes, not only your deadline or project need. Make the work easier to say yes to, be specific about what is required, and build goodwill before and after the ask.Does escalating to your manager help move a cross-team project forward?Escalation can create short-term movement, particularly when leaders need to resolve a true priority conflict. But using it as the default approach can damage peer relationships and create resentment. First, try direct conversation, shared-priority framing, and collaboration. Escalate when the conflict is genuinely about organizational priorities that require leadership alignment.Is relationship-building at work the same as office politics?No. Unproductive office politics substitutes connection for competence. Healthy relationship-building helps competent work move through a complex organization. It means understanding colleagues’ goals, building trust, sharing credit, and creating the conditions for effective collaboration.Mentioned in This EpisodeEpisode 188: How to Negotiate What You’re Worth Without Undermining Yourself or OverexplainingEpisode 190: Passed Over for a Promotion? The First 90 Days Matter MostEpisode 192: New Manager? Your First 30 Days to Build Visibility and TrustReady to Go Deeper?If an important cross-functional project is stalled and you need a practical strategy to gain buy-in without damaging relationships, a Leadership Strategy Call can help.In this complimentary 30-minute conversation, Kele will look at the team or stakeholder you need to influence, what they may care about, and how to move your project forward while protecting the relationship.Book your free Leadership Strategy CallAbout Kele BeltonKele Belton is a communication and leadership coach, facilitator, and consultant—and the host of Communicate to Lead. She helps high-performing women in middle and senior management move from being essential but invisible to being seen, sponsored, and promoted.Through The Tailored Approach, Kele helps leaders build executive presence, communicate strategically, navigate workplace dynamics, and create the visibility and influence needed for career advancement.Connect With KeleLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-beltonInstagram: @thetailoredapproachWebsite: thetailoredapproach.comBook a Leadership Strategy Call: Schedule here