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Management Material
Welcome to Management Material.
My name is Catherine Van Der Laan. I started my career at the bottom as an assistant and worked my way up to become the boss’s boss in 8 years. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that what got you to where you are now won’t get you to where you want to be.
This podcast is for top performers who want to be amazing managers. I’ve coached lots of talented people to get them from entry-level to recognized top performers to new managers to seasoned executives. I challenge deeply held beliefs and change how people see the world.
Management is all about leadership. The best managers were developed leaders long before they had any direct reports.
Here's one thing that most people won't tell you: Management is a skill. Management is a skill you can learn, just like the hard skills that got you to where you are now.
Management Material is about developing you into the best manager you can be. Let’s turn YOU into management material.
Management Material
Influencing without Authority: Change People’s Opinions by Showing You Care
When I was a junior product manager, just starting out, I had to learn to get consensus on projects before the company would sign off on them and before the team would start working on them.
It was a two-stage process: Get sign-off from the higher-ups and get sign-off from the team that would be working on it.
Here was the catch: Nobody worked for me. I had no authority over anyone at all, just a head on my shoulders, some data analysis and visualization skills, and a big mouth that wanted to tell people what to do.
It didn’t always work out.
So, I had to learn… how do you influence people, change their opinions and their behaviors, when you don’t have any place in the hierarchy and nothing to threaten them with?
There’s no hint of them losing their jobs if they disagree with you and that’s a good thing!
Can you imagine an immature person firing a project manager because he or she didn’t get what they wanted? I can imagine it, but it’s not a pretty picture.
Anyway, I learned that it’s really not too difficult to influence without authority. It comes down to you having showing three basic characteristics:
1. You CARE about the person you're talking to and trying to persuade.
2. You CARE about your customers and the people you're trying to help.
3. You CARE about the company you work for, their bottom line and their strategy.
Let's get into what caring looks like in practice in this podcast episode.
Book a complimentary management coaching conversation at https://calendly.com/catherine-vanderlaan/free-60-minute-leadership-consultation
Email me at catherine@managementmaterialcoaching.com to ask a question or get in touch.
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Find out more about Management and Leadership Coaching at https://managementmaterialcoaching.com/