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How can I give someone permission to do something, go along with their plan even if I do not have the authority to tell them to do so or stop them from doing so anyway.

"You have my permission ..." sounds like the other person needs to ask me first.

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I would argue that you are neither granting permission, nor is it being sought. Rather you are saying that you don't have any particular reasons to try to stop them. Some better ways to say this without invoking the permission/authority angle:

I have no objections (to your plan).

I can see no reason for you to do otherwise.

The preceding two are fairly equivalent to one another in meaning: Nothing in your plan stands out as a reason to not proceed.

Don't let me stand in your way.

Go right ahead.

Likewise, these two are also fairly equivalent to one another. Both mean: go on with your plan.

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  • not a great job of explaining. I like these alternatives the best.
    – Vader
    Mar 14, 2014 at 19:06
  • @Vader Would you like me to add an explanation? I felt that you mostly wanted alternatives.
    – David M
    Mar 14, 2014 at 19:07
  • I think short explanations would be good.
    – Vader
    Mar 14, 2014 at 19:18
  • @Vader I think this is more what you were looking for.
    – David M
    Mar 14, 2014 at 19:33
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Permission necessarily involves authority, so you cannot give permission if you don't have the authority to do so.

However, if you wish to say that you are in agreement with the course of action, a common phrase is:

That's okay by me.

or

That's fine by me.

This indicates that your approval begins and ends with yourself, so that you do not appear to be speaking from a position of authority.

Note that these are colloquial phrases and may not be grammatically correct.

In a formal setting, you can simply express agreement:

I agree with your plan.

or

We are in agreement.

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  • this sounds too much like slang. Is there a way to sound more professional?
    – Vader
    Mar 14, 2014 at 17:15
  • Strictly speaking permission doesn't require authority. I give you my permission to comment on my statement. I have zero authority to enforce that.
    – David M
    Mar 14, 2014 at 17:16
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    @DavidM A common definition of "permission" is "consent; authorization." Doesn't that mean that the one giving consent or authorization has the authority to do so?
    – George Cummins
    Mar 14, 2014 at 17:18
  • Giving meaningless permission is still permission. I've just given you 1000 points, too. They have no meaning or use, but I've just credited them to you.
    – David M
    Mar 14, 2014 at 17:23
  • I'm not sure that meaningless permission and permission are equivalent. I can tell you that I don't mind if you enter the White House, but unless you have an official visitor's pass, you won't be getting in.
    – George Cummins
    Mar 14, 2014 at 17:27

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