What happens when the power structure you see is not the one that matters?
Moving into a new role, team, project or department, or even starting a relocation assignment can be deeply disorienting when the ‘rules’ of influence suddenly seem to change. You may understand the formal hierarchy on paper, yet still find decisions happening elsewhere, unexpected people shaping outcomes, or apparently informal teams operating with strong underlying power structures.
In this episode, I explore how Cultural Intelligence can help you observe those invisible power lines, with examples where the organisation chart, job titles and meeting structures did not tell the full story of how influence and decision-making really worked.
What you will learn in this episode:
- Why visible informality does not always mean low hierarchy
- How Cultural Intelligence can help when familiar professional ‘rules’ shift
- Why the organisation chart is not the same as the influence map
- How to identify the hidden power lines
- A practical approach to invisible power
- Navigating decisions that happen outside the meeting structures
What could you ask to make the invisible power lines clearer in your workplace?
Resources:
- Talk to Victoria about your team’s leadership development: https://culturecuppa.com/contact/
- Listen to the audiobook, Become a Global Leader: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Become-a-Global-Leader-Audiobook/B0HGYF1LHR
- Read the print book/ e-book: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
- Follow Victoria on LinkedIn for more global leadership, strategic communication and Cultural Intelligence insights: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
Watch the video of this Episode here:
Power and Hierarchy across Cultures: https://youtu.be/Nui7mPlVU8o
Read this Episode’s Blog post here:
How to Navigate Invisible Power with Cultural Intelligence: https://culturecuppa.com/how-to-navigate-invisible-power-with-cultural-intelligence/
