Positional vs. Peer Authority: Getting your Team to “Buy-In” to the Mission
Anyone who has been in charge of a team knows the challenge - How do you get the majority of the team to support or, “buy-in” to the mission?
By, Mark Swinger – O2X Leadership Specialist
Anyone who has been in charge of a team knows the challenge- How do you get the majority of the team to support or, “buy-in” to the mission? This is a constant challenge found in any leadership role, and one that leaders of military units, industry, and sports coaches and players are always searching for. We all know that not every mission or task is appealing, yet the mission or task must still get done. Closely related to this is that your team may love the mission, but they may not buy-in to how you as the leader are going about accomplishing it. Additionally to these challenges is that every team we lead or are a part of is made up of different people and personalities. What works for one team may not work for another. While this is one of the harder leadership challenges out there, in it lies the real fun and art of leadership. It can be very rewarding, as there is no better feeling when you get it right and your team will follow you anywhere.
I will be offering some examples and ideas on how to gain buy-in through a brief case study of one of the most famous sports teams in history, along with my experiences from a 22-year career as a Naval Aviator flying F-14 and F/A-18 aircraft.
Let’s start with an Olympic story.
The Miracle on Ice
In 1980, the United States Olympic Men’s ice hockey team won a team gold medal at Lake Placid, NY, completing what is widely known as “The Miracle on Ice”. During this era, the Soviet Union was the dominant force in hockey. They steamrolled every team in their path, to include All-Star teams from the National Hockey League. In reality, the Soviets were professionals playing in an amateur competition at the Olympics, but their status as active officers in the Red Army allowed them to compete as amateurs. The U.S. team was a group of college kids. Outstanding hockey players in their own right, many had won national championships while playing in college. However, many of them had never played with one another before, alongside many of them were rivals to each other during their college and junior hockey days. There was no doubt of their talent as individuals, but could they come together and play as a team?
The coach of the U.S. team was Herb Brooks, who prior to the Olympic Miracle, had coached the University of Minnesota Hockey team to three National Championships. The 2004 movie “Miracle” portrays the Gold Medal team and their journey to that historic win. According to players from the 1980 team, while the film did a good job portraying their story, it did not quite accurately portray Herb’s toughness in the film. This is saying a lot- if you’ve seen the movie (and you should check it out if you haven’t), Herb is ruthless with his players. He drives them to the brink of exhaustion and confusion many times throughout the Olympic campaign, yet the players come together as a team to win.
So how did Herb gain their buy-in?
First, a brief discussion of positional vs. peer authority is warranted:
Positional authority stems from a formal title or rank within an organization, while peer authority, also known as relational or personal authority, is derived from trust, respect, and influence earned through relationships and actions.
Herb Brooks had positional authority as the head coach, and he wasn’t there to make friends. After picking his initial team after tryouts, he said:
“I’m your coach, I’m not your friend. If you’re looking for one of those, talk to the team doc or to Craig (the assistant coach)”.
Herb clearly was not concerned with overstepping his positional authority. But we all know positional authority only goes so far. “Losing the room” is a term thrown around a lot in professional sports these days, typically referencing an out-of-touch head coach who isn’t earning the respect of their players, thus rendering their positional authority moot.
Herb Brooks pursued the classic “break them down and build them back up” strategy, many times to a point where his own staff questioned his actions. During a scene in the movie, assistant coach Craig asks the team doctor what he thought Herb’s plan was. The doctor, who had worked with Herb on past teams, speculated that:
“Maybe if the boys are spending all of their time hating him, they won’t have time to hate each other.”
Herb came dangerously close to losing the locker room, but knew where the line was and didn’t cross it. Misery loves company, and the team started working with one another through peer authority/influence in order to “beat” Herb at his own game to show him they believed they could win as a team playing for something bigger than themselves. Herb gained buy-in from the team through leveraging his positional authority to the max extent possible, while pushing his players to use peer authority to come together as a team.
Which authority works the best?
So which is more important, positional or peer authority? Of course the answer is a somewhat squishy “both”. Rank has its privileges. Putting in the time and being selected for promotion should and does come with positional authority. However, respect must still be earned. It is important to remember that your unit and subordinates are watching. If it is clear you don’t know what you’re doing, the team will be far less likely to follow your lead and will almost certainly fail. Peer authority is much harder to earn. Not only do you have to be credible, you have to earn peer authority in a way that doesn’t turn people off.
Both forms of authority have credibility in common. You must demonstrate competence in order for people to follow you, no matter your rank. Going against Herb Brook’s technique, sprinkling in a little empathy doesn’t hurt either. Knowing when to turn the heat up or down on your peers and/or subordinates is one of the many arts of leadership.
Life in a Fighter Squadron
Both types of authority were the key to organizational success (and failure) during my 6 fighter squadron tours flying the F-14D Tomcat and F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. They were also instrumental during my time with the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels. The airshow team is well known for teamwork and sweating the details, but that doesn’t mean there are no personality conflicts. Like any organization, people butt heads, disagree on things, and have periods of disharmony. The check to all of that was an excellent mix of positional and peer authority that has been integral to the team since its inception in 1946. The Flight Lead, or “Boss” is an experienced fighter pilot with around 20 years of experience. The Boss must be steady in the airplane and receptive to debriefs from subordinates. The #4 (Slot) and #5 (Lead Solo) pilots run the team as the Training Officer and Operations Officer, respectively. Slot and the Lead Solo have some positional authority via their positions within the organization, but they are typically peers with the rest of the team unlike Boss, who is much more senior. It is for this reason that the personality types of applicants are what is scrutinized the most when new pilots apply to the team. They are looking for a good mix of professional but not abrasive, and precise, yet not robotic.
My experience as the Slot pilot was that the best Bosses didn’t say much. They let their subordinates run the team using mostly peer authority, and only stepped in when absolutely necessary to diffuse personality, operational, or training conflicts. Debriefs on the airshow are built upon the foundation of a fleet debrief. They are frank, honest, and sometimes pretty rough. One can get tired of hearing over and over again that they were out of position, late on smoke, or not steady in formation. (While this is tough, it is easier to take than a fleet debrief where a mistake can get you or your wingman killed.) Due to this, peer authority delivered in the right way is crucial. Losing the room with your peers is easy to do, and it is harder to earn back once you lose it.
Learning how to be a better leader
In the end, our responsibility as leaders is to accomplish the mission, and if your team believes and “buys-in” to the mission and your leadership style, your chances of success go way up. Some takeaways:
- Always remember that while positional authority may be absolute, that does not mean buy-in will be absolute. You can still lose the room no matter your rank, experience, or reputation.
- Both positional and peer authority require credibility. If you don’t know what you’re doing, your team will find out quickly and will be unlikely to buy-in to your leadership.
- The best leaders emphasize the imperative of the team concept. Herb Brooks was quoted as saying to his players, “You cannot win on talent alone.” The team comes first and foremost.
- When you have positional authority, enable and encourage your subordinates to use peer authority to drive the team to success. Apply rudder when needed, but be as hands off as possible. Avoid micromanagement: Be clear on what you want done, not how it gets done.
- Be careful about how you use peer authority. Be firm, but empathetic. Don’t judge, but keep the standard you or your superiors set. Make your peer subordinate understand that you’ve been there before and that mistakes happen. Debrief the mistake and fix it for next time. Offer solutions to avoiding repeat mistakes. Conversely, don’t be a pushover. You will gain more respect for holding people to a standard versus letting everything slide.
During my Navy career, I learned how important it is to check the mirror first when assessing my own leadership and whether or not my teams were buying into our mission. Was I enabling my subordinates to lead? Was I allowing them to grow and win? Perhaps more importantly, was I allowing them to fail? Gaining buy-in from our teams is critical to team cohesion. Sound leadership that emphasizes peer authority as a driver to success can make miracles happen, no matter your mission or career field.
References:
- Mizutani, D. (2020, February 23). Legend of Herb Brooks lives on 40 years after Miracle on Ice. Pioneer Press. https://www.twincities.com/2020/02/23/legend-of-herb-brooks-lives-on-40-years-after-miracle-on-ice/
- O’Connor, G. (Director). (2004). Miracle [Film]. Walt Disney Pictures; Mayhem Pictures.