Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive

coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to

be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today we're talking about the voice

of authority. Sandra was worried about her authority. As an individual contributor, she had been a standout.

Now she was going to lead a team and she wanted to be a great team leader.

She was grateful for the opportunity to discuss her worries with a coach and

authority was our topic of the day.

I like these people, she said. We've all known each other a long time, so I don't know where I get my authority from.

Well, that's an interesting question, Sandra.

I said, where do you get your authority from?

She considered, then gave an uncomfortable shrug,

because I'm the boss?

Because I have the job and they don't?

She squirmed, clearly uncomfortable.

I laughed.

Spoken with authority.

She laughed too. Hardly.

Well, if not authority, I said at least reality.

That is the reality. Sandra, you have the title and they don't.

That may not give you authority with everyone but it will with most.

But what do I say when I think someone could be working harder or I want more transparency or if I think someone is using

excuses reality only gets me so far.

...