Influence

Influence is something that we’re constantly participating in. We’re either influencing others or we’re being influenced by others. Recently, my colleague Lindsay shared some insights from one of her favourite books “Captivate” by Vanessa Van Edwards.

She shared that the reality is that we’re influenced all the time by other people’s energy.  We also influence others in the room by our energy.  What kind of energy do you want to be remembered for?

We know people who make us feel alive, excited, and refreshed. We also dread visits with those who make us feel edgy, irritable, and somehow like we’ve just run a marathon!  Energy influences relationships but there are some other factors when you consider positive influence.

In High Performance Coaching ™ we look at three key areas of influence and they are based on how positive influencers impact us.

They teach us how to think

There’s a very important distinction here and that is positive influencers teach us HOW to think, not what to think! A famous opening statement of Earl Nightingale’s “The Strangest Secret” begins this way….

Not long ago, Albert Schweitzer, the great Doctor and Nobel Prize winner was being interviewed in London and a reporter asked him, “Doctor, what’s wrong with men today?”

The great doctor was silent a moment, and then he said, “Men simply don’t think!”

Of course, this was written decades ago but describes most men and women today.  We don’t take time to think critically. We follow the masses, we’re often too complacent to form our own opinions and we end up following the crowd instead of trailblazing our own way.

Follow influencers who ask you probing questions vs. pounding the “right information” in to your brains.  Respect leaders who give you an opportunity to question and come to your own conclusions. Avoid leaders and influencers who discredit or penalize others for having a differing opinion.  Be conscious that those you follow encourage you to think for yourself.

They Challenge us

Great leaders and positive influencers should hold you to a high degree of accountability. They should expect excellence from you and when you and I are falling short of excellence, they hold our feet to the fire. They remind us of how we have been successful in the past, they encourage us to think and dream bigger and they challenge us to commit to change!

They Behave a Role Models

Positive influencers adopt a role model mentality. Are they perfect? Absolutely not. We all have our weaknesses and shortcomings.  We’re human and we’re all on our unique path with lots of hurdles along the way. Look for influencers who model excellence, truth, and deliver their message with love instead of ego or with an iron first. Look for role models who are willing to admit when they’re wrong, try again and live with intention.

Who needs you as a positive role model in their life today? How can you challenge them to grow while offering them a different perspective and curious mind with open-ended questions?