Influence without Authority

Leaders lead by communicating their ideas clearly. We drive alignment through data and insights. We create an environment where knowledge trumps position.

Back to the universal principles

Calibration

Under, just right, over.

Situation	Under	Just Right	Over
A team you do not manage	Escalates to their boss as the first move.	Writes the idea, the evidence, and what you need, and asks them to decide.	Works the room until a reluctant yes appears, and the evidence was never the point.
Leading with title	Opens with who you are instead of what you know.	Opens with the insight and lets the argument carry the ask.	Hides a weak argument behind a humble tone and still expects the title to finish it.
A writeup versus a meeting	Calls a meeting because you have not made the idea clear yet.	Sends a short writeup first, and uses the meeting only for the decision.	Sends a long document and treats silence as alignment.
Data against a senior view	Buries the data because the senior person has already spoken.	Shows the data, says what decision it supports, and accepts the call if they still disagree for a stated reason.	Uses the data as a weapon and keeps score after the decision.
An insight nobody can use	Mentions it once in a channel and moves on.	States the insight, who it is for, and the decision it should change.	Campaigns for the insight after the decision has gone another way.
Knowledge versus position	Defers because you are junior, even when you have the fact.	Puts the fact in front of the decision and does not pretend the org chart is the evidence.	Treats every position as illegitimate and will not follow a decision you lost.

Further reading

Sources and essays on this principle.

Coupang Leadership Principles
The published wording of this principle.
coupang.jobs