How do you lead people who do not report to you?

• A. Lead through the people they do report to, providing individual attention.
• B. Directly manage them as if they report to you.
• C. Ignore their reporting structure and set goals unilaterally.
• D. Only communicate via emails.

Answer: (A)

Leading people who don’t report to you rests on influence through their actual manager. Collaborate with the person who does have day-to-day responsibility for them, and support that manager in guiding the individual toward shared goals. You gain credibility by presenting clear objectives, offering resources, and providing feedback that the manager can relay and act on. This approach respects the reporting structure, keeps lines of authority intact, and reduces friction while still driving results across teams.

Contrast that with trying to direct them as if they were your own reports—this can create conflict, undermine the manager, and blur accountability. Setting goals unilaterally without the manager’s input can derail alignment and confuse priorities. Relying only on email misses the human element needed to understand needs, provide timely coaching, and build trust.