Beyond Obedience: Influencing Outcomes Without Formal Authority – Paul McGachey

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/beyond-obedience-influencing-outcomes-without-formal-authority-paul-mcgachey/

How do you support a leader’s mission while still challenging assumptions, offering feedback, and influencing decisions? Paul McGachey explores the often-misunderstood role of strategic followers—people who may not hold the final authority but still have a responsibility to shape outcomes. Drawing from his military experience and research, he examines how courageous influence strengthens organizations when people refuse to become passive observers.

Paul McGachey is a scholar-practitioner with 18 years of experience in the United States military and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education and Human Resources at Colorado State University. His research focuses on followership and scenario planning, a strategic tool that uses multiple possible futures to improve decision-making and organizational action.

You’ll learn:

• How to influence leaders when you do not have formal authority 
• Why speaking up and challenging decisions can be an act of commitment, not opposition 
• How strategic followers build trust with leaders through feedback and results 
• Why passive agreement can weaken organizations and missions 
• How scenario planning helps teams challenge assumptions and prepare for uncertainty 

 
Episode References 

• Robert Kelley, Power of Followership - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Followership-Robert-Kelley/dp/0385413068
• Robert Kelley, “In Praise of Followers,” Harvard Business Review - https://hbr.org/1988/11/in-praise-of-followers
• Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower - https://www.amazon.com/Courageous-Follower-Standing-Our-Leaders/dp/1605092738 

Connect with Paul McGachey

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmcgachey/
• Email: paulmcgachey@gmail.com