Influencing without Authority: Insights from the room
What the Influence Index revealed about leadership and influence
On 30 April 2026, more than 480 leaders from across the Queensland public service and public purpose community gathered to explore one of the most practical challenges in modern leadership: how to influence without formal authority. The Influence Index, a live in-room pulse survey, gave us a real-time snapshot of how they experience it.
The 2026 IPAA Queensland Chief Executive and Emerging Leaders Breakfast brought together more than 480 attendees to explore influencing without formal authority in complex systems.
A feature of the morning was the Influence Index, a live in-room pulse survey designed to capture how people experience influence, where they feel constrained, and what helps senior and emerging leaders work more effectively together.
More than 395 attendees took part, with responses split between senior leaders (63.4%) and emerging leaders (36.6%). The results offer a useful snapshot of the opportunities and challenges facing leaders, and a prompt for practical conversations back in the workplace.
Here are our top three takeaways.
Differences in experience shapes how influence is exercised
Senior leaders reported greater confidence in influencing decisions, with an average score of 3.5 out of 5, compared with 2.78 out of 5 for emerging leaders. They also reported feeling more heard when suggesting ideas, scoring 4.02 out of 5, compared with 3.67 out of 5 for emerging leaders.
These differences are not unexpected. Confidence in influence tends to develop over time and is shaped not only by experience, but also by organisational context — including how ideas are received, how contributions are acknowledged, and whether emerging voices are given space to engage and build confidence.
Navigating how new ideas progress through systems
For both senior and emerging leaders, navigating how new ideas move through large and complex systems was identified as a common challenge. This was noted by 50% of senior leaders and 34% of emerging leaders. Emerging leaders also highlighted challenges in accessing decision makers and in shaping ideas in ways that resonate, each identified by 23% of respondents.
That senior leaders reported similar experiences is a useful insight. It suggests this is less about role or seniority, and more about the shared reality of working in interconnected systems where ideas are tested, refined and balanced against multiple considerations. Responding to this calls for ongoing attention to clarity, dialogue and the conditions that support constructive engagement at all levels.
Trust, delegation and advocacy are what good support looks like
Emerging leaders said they feel most supported when they are trusted with meaningful responsibilities (49%) and when their ideas are advocated for and included in decision-making processes (28%). Senior leaders echoed this, with 48% highlighting the importance of delegation and 30% identifying the need to advocate for emerging talent.
The alignment here is encouraging. Both groups recognise that trust, delegation and sponsorship are the practical building blocks of a culture where influence can flourish.
What this means in practice
The results highlight that supporting emerging leaders to influence without formal authority is a shared responsibility.
For senior leaders, there is an opportunity to create more meaningful pathways for emerging leaders to contribute, test ideas and build confidence. This includes delegating with trust, sponsoring good ideas, and making space for the voices of emerging leaders in decision-making.
For emerging leaders, the challenge is to keep building the craft of influence, as our keynote Tarang Chawla shared on the day. That craft includes understanding the system, communicating with clarity, seeking feedback, and presenting ideas in ways that are practical, evidence-based and aligned to public purpose.
When senior and emerging leaders work together with trust, clarity and intention, they can help break down barriers, strengthen collaboration and support better outcomes for Queensland communities.
Continue the conversation
To support further reflection and action, you might like to explore the following resources:
- The foundations of trust | IPAA Queensland
- Collaboration Connect: Collaborating in government launches | Queensland Government
- Building inclusion: An evidence-based model of inclusive leadership | Diversity Council Australia
A recording of the event will be available soon through the IPAA Queensland member portal.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversation and helped shape the insights from the room. We encourage you to share these findings with your teams and continue the discussion on how leaders at all levels can influence with purpose, credibility and impact.
IPAA Queensland’s individual members can watch the entire event recording on the members portal.