Surviving the Matrix

As leaders in pharma, we spend much of our time navigating a matrixed environment, facing the challenge of moving work forward with people outside of our reporting structure. You may actually spend more time in this setting than with your direct reports.

Influence becomes more powerful than authority in this context. Pushing harder may create results in the short term, but it can also trigger resistance. Real leadership invites people to choose commitment, not simply obey direction.

Influence often starts with curiosity. Before you make the case, understand the person. Before you push for alignment, map the relationships. Before you call for action, create conditions where people feel respected enough to think openly, share insights, and ask questions.

When you need to mobilize others, pause and ask:

• Who has informal influence in this situation?

• What matters most to the people I need to engage?

• Where would a private conversation create more alignment than a public debate?

• Is this the right moment to act, or would better timing reduce defensiveness?

Think of an initiative where you need support from people who don’t report to you. This week, instead of asking, “How do I get them to agree?” Start by asking, “What would help them want to engage?”

That shift changes the conversation—and often, the outcome.