Why Managing Across Is Harder Than Managing Down (And How Curious Leaders Build Influence)

In this episode of People Are the Worst, Lindsey and Lucy continue their Leadership Intelligence series by exploring a leadership challenge many managers underestimate: managing across.

Unlike managing direct reports, managing peers comes with no formal authority. No one technically has to listen to you, follow your lead, or prioritize your work. Influence becomes the only real currency.

That is where leading with curiosity becomes a powerful leadership skill.

Rather than relying on hierarchy or positional power, curious leaders ask better questions, invite ideas, and create space for collaboration. By approaching cross functional relationships with curiosity instead of control, leaders build trust, uncover better insights, and move work forward even when they cannot dictate outcomes.

In this conversation, Lindsey highlights why managing across can feel harder than managing down and why influence, not authority, becomes the defining leadership capability in modern organizations.

If you have ever struggled to align peers, navigate cross functional work, or get buy in without formal authority, this episode offers a mindset shift that can transform how you lead across teams.

Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode.

Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/

Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/

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