How to Drive Influence as a PM Without Authority in Hybrid or Remote Environments

Let’s face it: when you’re leading cross-functional work as a project or program manager, but

you're not the person handing out performance reviews or pay rises, "authority" is often more theoretical than real. Now layer on hybrid or fully remote environments, where you're managing timelines, personalities, and executive expectations from a tiny tile on a Zoom call, and the challenge becomes even more real.

So, how do you get things done, align stakeholders, and move high-stakes projects forward when you're not even in the room and often not in the chain of command?

You drive influence instead of leaning on authority. And in today's distributed work environment, mastering that skill is no longer optional. It's the difference between being seen as a helpful coordinator and being trusted as a strategic leader.

Why It Matters

Remote and hybrid work structures are here to stay, especially in healthcare, technology, and the public sector. However, many organizations haven't fully adapted their leadership development, project planning, or team structures to support influence-based roles within a distributed model. That creates gaps:

• Decision-making gets stuck.
• Stakeholders disengage.
• Timelines slip.
• The PM gets frustrated and feels invisible.

The truth is, remote work makes power less visible and influence more critical. And for those of us driving outcomes across departments and org charts, understanding how to build and maintain influence across space, time zones, and attention spans is now a leadership must-have, not a nice-to-have.

The Context: What You’re Actually Up Against

When you’re a remote or hybrid PM, here’s what you’re navigating:

• You’re not in the casual hallway convos.
• Your updates compete with Slack pings, urgent emails, and twelve other meetings.
• You might be leading a project team of people who have never met you in person, and they report to someone else.

You need tools, rituals, and communication tactics that deliver results beyond their weight.

Here's What Works:

1. Use Tech to Be Present When You’re Not There

• Asynchronous Standups: Use tools like Range or Geekbot to run check-ins in Slack. Keeps momentum without another meeting.
• Loom Videos: Instead of sending lengthy write-ups, record a 3-minute Loom video walking through your slide deck or update. Humanizes the messenger.
• Miro Boards: Ideal for visual decision-making when in-person whiteboarding is not possible.
• Shared Execution Hubs: Centralize status docs in Asana, ClickUp, or Monday with clear owners, timelines, and blockers. Bonus if it’s pretty.

These tools close the visibility gap. They let stakeholders see the work in motion, even if you're three time zones away.

2. Establish Cultural Rituals That Make People Care

Culture doesn’t need to mean T-shirts and happy hours. In remote teams, culture shows up in:

• How you kick off a project: Do you clarify roles and define what "done" looks like?
• How wins are celebrated: Quick Slack shoutouts? A slide in the all-hands? Make people feel seen.
• How accountability happens: No passive-aggressive "just circling back" emails. Use shared dashboards and name timelines openly.

Pro Tip: Create a "Project Preamble" template. Outline team norms, communication expectations, and escalation paths. Frame it as protecting everyone’s time and clarity, rather than as a compliance document.

3. Build Executive Visibility Without Being Obnoxious

You’re not just managing up, you're managing out. Executives and sponsors need to feel confident in your leadership, even if you’re not on-site.

Try this:

• Bi-weekly Executive Summaries: One-page bullet format. What happened? What’s next? What’s needed? Keep it high-level.
• Sponsor Spotlights: Invite execs to "bless the kickoff" or close a project with a thank-you. Makes them visible and connected.
• Pre-Wiring Decisions: Send a preview of the meeting agenda before the meeting. "Here’s what we’re leaning toward based on feedback. Would love your gut check."

These small moves help you build capital without overstepping.

4. Strengthen Your Influence Muscles

• Ask Better Questions: Instead of "Can we do X?" ask, "What would need to be true for us to move forward with X?"
• Show the System View: Help others see how their piece fits the whole. People support what they help build.
• Name What’s Missing: If engagement drops, name it. "Hey, I’m sensing we’re losing momentum here. Do we need to revisit priorities or clarify ownership?"

Trust doesn’t come from authority; it comes from consistency, clarity, and respect. Your influence builds each time you demonstrate that under pressure.

Final Thought

You don’t need to sit in the corner office or carry a VP title to lead big work. Especially now, when org charts are flatter, teams are distributed, and results matter more than where you log in from.

Driving influence without authority is about craft. It's a practice. And when you do it well, you not only move projects forward, you make people feel seen, aligned, and part of something that matters.

Remote or not, that's what real leadership looks like.