AMA: Adobe Director, Adobe Sales Academy, Jessica Holmes on Influencing without Authority

Sales stakeholders can come from any department within an organization and as the company grows, their input is key to sales success. A few examples may be: 1. Product Teams: aligning sales strategies with new offerings and/or customer feedback 2. Marketing: greater integration for cohesive messaging and lead gen 3. Customer success: ensuring client satisfaction and retention 4. External partners: distributors, resellers, support partners can help expand market reach The best method to building and maintaining relationships with your stakeholders is to regularly communicate with them. Show appreciation for their support, inform them of changes, address their concerns and involve them in key decisions that may impact their area of the business. Creating trust and consistent communication will help build, or strengthen, your relationships.

To influence across functions and teams, you need to first understand their goals and align your objectives with theirs. It's much easier to ask for help from others if you're helping them reach their own goals. To be successful, you'll need to: 1. Understand Their Goals: Align your objectives with theirs. 2. Communicate Benefits: Highlight how your project benefits them. 3. Be Adaptable: Tailor your approach to different audiences.

It's best when the collaboration/ideation stage is done as a step towards an outcome, but oftentimes we need to make that pivot from collaborating to leading. Here's what I've found works best: 1. Define Roles & Tasks: Ensure everyone understands their roles & responsibilities. Use the RACI method to start and take into account the team member's skillset, strengths and interests. 2. Set Clear Milestones: Align on deadlines and specific goals that allow each project member to succeed in their role/task. 3. Communicate Expectations: Make sure everyone knows and is in agreement with #1 and #2, then determine how you'll communicate any issues or roadblocks 4. Provide Support: Check in regularly- be a resource and offer assistance, as needed, to hit the milestones.

To establish credibility and trust, you need to demonstrate your ability and reliability in your actions - consistently. Communicate openly and honestly and show empathy and consideration for other's perspectives while demonstrating your own knowledge and skills. People will trust you if your actions follow your words and you're honest in your communication.

My suggestion is to reframe your thinking from "managing people" to collaborating with people who don't report to you. As leaders, we should manage processes and not people. The simplest way to work with others, both those who may or may not report directly to you, is to build strong relationships built on respect and communication. Fostering collaboration is key by first ensuring you're aligned on the project's goals, then be sure to include them in the decision making process, or acknowledging their contributions to the work.

Oftentimes, conflict exists because we aren't listening or are unwilling to consider another person's perspective. I've found the best way to resolve conflict between team members is to actively listen to understand each party's viewpoint while remaining neutral to avoid taking sides, and encourage communication to find common ground or goal. You may find the right answer lies somewhere in the middle of both parties.