Following the article over the weekend on Authority Points, I got back a few questions. I'll answer them in turn.
How do I build authority points when I'm starting from zero?
I assume you're just starting on the team, not that accessibility starts from zero.
I'd start by being reliable. Show up and deliver without fail on all small commitments. Don't be a dick and do what you say you'll do. If you're just starting out, you'll definitely catch bugs others miss. Take the opportunity to write clear and actionable reports. Then help them fix issues without making them feel blamed. Offer to review their pull requests (PRs) and answer those requests quickly. Your job is to make accessibility less scary and more normal.
One more thing. You'll likely be in plenty of meetings to begin with. Don't speak up to lecture. Do it only when you have something worthwhile to say. Don't assume they don't know about accessibility. And don't assume they do either. Ask.
Authority Points aren't flashy. They're earned through consistency, not heroics.
How do I identify who has the most authority points so I can piggyback on their initiatives?
This is a tricky one. But it all starts with being quiet and paying attention.
Watch who others listen to without them asking for it. Who do people interrupt their work for? Whose ideas make it into roadmaps? Pay attention in meetings and see who speaks and gets immediate action versus who gets nodded at and forgotten. Look at who gets resources allocated to their projects.
These are your players. And they're usually obvious once you start paying attention.
I have three more questions to answer.
Stay tuned!