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What if you could get people to listen, collaborate and take action, even when you have no formal authority over them?
In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, Shruti Rustagi speaks with Soumak Nasker, Country Lead at Publicis Health India, about one of the most valuable and often overlooked leadership skills: influencing without authority.
Drawing from nearly two decades of experience across healthcare, CPG, advertising and technology, Soumak shares practical lessons on building trust, creating alignment and getting people to move toward a shared objective without relying on hierarchy or designation.
The conversation explores why influence starts long before you get a leadership title, and why the first few years of your career are the perfect time to start building this skill.
About Soumak:
Soumak Nasker is the Country Lead for Publicis Health India, with nearly two decades of experience across healthcare, CPG advertising and technology. He has worked with global pharma, healthcare and consumer brands across India and Southeast Asia, specialising in leadership, cross-functional collaboration and influencing without authority.
Timestamps:
01:10 - Meet Shaumak Naskar
01:51 - Why Authority Alone Doesn't Create Influence
03:00 - A Leadership Lesson From Singapore
05:22 - Put the Organisation at the Centre
08:28 - Building Your Social Currency
09:30 - Learning to See Problems Through Their Lens
14:07 - When Influence Goes Wrong
16:33 - From Mandate to Genuine Ownership
18:00 - Stop Making It About You
20:00 - Influencing Senior Leaders Without Authority
22:04 - Bringing Alignment Into the Room
23:26 - The Power of Pre-Binding
24:38 - Why You Should Build This Skill Early
25:00 - Practice Is What Turns Influence Into a Leadership Muscle
If you're a middle manager navigating cross-functional teams, managing stakeholders or trying to make things happen without having formal authority, this episode offers practical ideas you can start applying immediately.
