The Next Level Leader w/ David Fung

Authority Isn't Influence: David Fung on Leading Change, Building Trust, and Why Great Leaders Are Great Teammates First

Ever gotten a promotion and expected people to finally listen to you? Executive coach David Fung joins Jon Harris to explain why authority without influence is just dictatorship, and breaks down the science-backed framework leaders need to build trust, drive change, and stop leading alone.

David Fung left a 23-year career in tech, including years in high-pressure technical sales, to become a leadership and executive coach. He now works with executives and executive teams navigating major transitions, helping them lead through chaos in their personal lives, work lives, and team dynamics.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why authority without influence is dictatorship, and what true influence actually requires

The 3 elements of influence: connection, credibility, and relevance

Why great leaders must be great teammates before they can lead others well

The 3-part science of change: vision, dissatisfaction, and willingness

Jack Welch's approach to leading change: what it is, why it's happening, and what's in it for them

Why "leadership is lonely" is a myth, and how to build community as a senior leader

How self-leadership and modeling vulnerability build trust for after-action reviews

Why AI is disrupting outdated processes and spreadsheets before it disrupts leadership jobs

Connect with David Fung:

Website: https://coachfulcoaching.com/

Social Media Links:

https://www.youtube.com/@coachfulcoaching

https://www.instagram.com/coachfulcoaching/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfung2/

Hosted by Jon Harris on The Next Level Leader Podcast, bringing you practical tools and methodologies from top leadership voices to help you take your leadership to the next level.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome, and why leadership coaches collaborate instead of compete

01:51 David Fung's path from 23 years in tech to executive coaching

04:04 What athletes and top salespeople teach us about competition and community

08:06 The myth of the "lone wolf" leader

09:58 Why giving first builds trust and reciprocity

12:11 Debunking the myth that "leadership is lonely"

14:01 Authority vs. influence: why authority alone is dictatorship

14:53 The 3 elements of influence: connection, credibility, relevance

20:05 Jack Welch's rule for leading change

21:00 Why organizations resist change: the science of safety

22:46 The 3-part theory of change: vision, dissatisfaction, willingness

26:24 Reading the moment: The First 90 Days and matching your leadership style

30:00 "We've faced change before": lessons from COVID, 9/11, and 2008

31:56 Where AI is really disrupting work (hint: it's not leadership jobs yet)

37:42 Why leaders should run after-action reviews like military and sports teams

38:06 Self-leadership: modeling vulnerability before asking for feedback

44:19 "To influence others, you have to show you can be influenced by them"

47:25 Final advice: start with self-leadership

Subscribe to The Next Level Leader Podcast for more conversations with top leadership voices, and leave a review if this episode helped you level up!