Learning to lead without authority

In the Tayloristically organized companies of the past, their areas stood largely unconnected next to each other - equal to columns. And each area had its clearly defined field of activity. Employees also had clearly defined tasks that were either defined in their job descriptions or assigned to them by their superiors. Today, this is different - "at least in those companies that provide complex services for their customers," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Georg Kraus from Bruchsal. As a rule, they have a network-like structure. And divisional boundaries and hierarchical levels? "They play an increasingly minor role in everyday work - especially because services are increasingly provided in cross-divisional and often even cross-company teamwork".

Complex structures require a different management style

In such an environment, traditional leadership, which is largely based on disciplinary power conferred by position, often reaches its limits, explains the management consultant Hans-Peter Machwürth, Visselhövede. Instead, so-called lateral leadership is gaining in importance, "which is based on trust and understanding and strives to connect the interests of those involved as far as possible by creating a common framework of thinking." This type of leadership, because disciplinary authority to issue directives is eliminated, must rely on other sources of power - for example

• a high level of personal authority and integrity or
• a proven expertise or
• targeted networking that strengthens its own informal power base.

According to the classic understanding of leadership, the term "lateral leadership" is a contradiction in terms. According to this understanding, leadership is inextricably linked to hierarchical authority. Despite this, lateral leadership is becoming increasingly important in companies. This is shown, among other things, by the study "Alpha Collaboration - Leadership in Transition; Perspectives for the Collaboration of the Future" of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ), Frankfurt.

Challenge: Winning approval

Lateral leadership means more than coordination, emphasizes IFIDZ Director Barbara Liebermeister. Coordination is primarily aimed at "aligning interests, tasks and activities, for example"; leadership, on the other hand, also involves "influencing people and organizations or organizational units so that they think and act in a desired direction.

The central goal of lateral leadership is to achieve one's own or higher-level goals (for example, of the company or project). Making a compromise can be one way to achieve this, explains Hans-Peter Machwürth. Not infrequently, however, the exact opposite is necessary for this - for example, when achieving the desired top results requires a clear decision between several possible solution paths.

In practice, leadership without authority often proves difficult - especially because the people involved in this process usually have (sometimes) divergent views and interests, for example, due to their different functions and positions in the organization. In addition, according to Georg Kraus, when far-reaching and momentous decisions have to be made, there is no one person who can say at some point: "This is how we're going to do it now - that's it; I'm taking responsibility for this." In lateral management, the opinion-forming and decision-making processes are often correspondingly lengthy, "since the approval or at least acceptance of all those involved must be sought.

Lateral leadership can be learned

Nevertheless, the topic of lateral leadership is gaining massive importance in companies. The reasons for this, in addition to the increasingly network-like structure of companies and advancing digitization, are that problem solutions designed in cross-divisional and cross-functional teamwork are becoming more and more complex.

However, the competence to lead laterally does not fall from the sky, it must be developed according to Hans-Peter Machwürth - both

• with experts and specialists who, in their everyday work, are repeatedly faced with the challenge of convincing other people of the advantages or risks of a possible solution due to their specialized knowledge, as well as
• for managers who want to or have to make important decisions as a team because they are dependent on the active support of their employees, other departments or external cooperation partners/service providers for their implementation.

However, it is important to keep in mind: "Lateral leadership requires certain personality traits," emphasizes Barbara Liebermeister. For example

• an appreciative attitude towards other people and
• the willingness to question one's own thinking and behavior.

Because without these basic attitudes, it is neither possible to open up other people's thought models nor to build up a relationship with them characterized by trust in order to achieve the desired effects.

To the author: Ramon Lacher, Darmstadt, is a freelance journalist. He specializes in professional and career topics.