5 Ways to Grow Your Influence
John Maxwell, a leadership guru, once said “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less”. This observation on leadership creates the question, ok then, “how does one go about growing their influence?”
If you’re interested in the answer to that question, you’re in the right place :) Although influence sounds and feels vague and mystical, I do think there are ways we can grow it. Here’s 5.
1. ELEVATE OTHERS.
Are you leading or lid-ing? Lids are great when you put them on Pyrex or Tupperware…they are brutal when you place them on those you’re leading. Those with the most influence are those who take the most risk on others. They see potential long before anyone else. Influencers expand their stage so that others can play on it.
2. HONE YOUR CRAFT.
Those who grow their influence are honers (Yes I made that word up). These people hone their craft whatever that might be. They know their stuff and this did not come overnight. They are the “overnight success” who has been playing and practicing for 20 years. These Mavens have accumulated knowledge through rigorous preparation and 10,000 hours of repetition.
3. DON’T BE THE BEST LEADER IN EVERY ROOM.
If you are the most accomplished leader in every room you spend time in, you need to find some new rooms. We grow our influence by being around those who have tremendous influence. The truism of “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future” rings true when it comes to growing our influence.
4. BE TRUSTWORTHY.
When a leader delivers on what they promise, influence increases. Show me someone of extraordinary influence and I’ll show you someone who people have grown to trust. Sure you can win people over in a matter of minutes, but influence through trustworthiness, occurs over years not days or months. Rome wasn’t built in a day neither will your trustworthiness. Do the next trustworthy thing.
5. DON’T STOP ON 6.
Influencers never stop on 6. If the mission is to march 7 laps, by God’s grace and by their grit, they will continue until those walls come down. Go the extra lap and go the extra mile for yourself and for those you lead. Our capacity to carry on in the midst of pain and challenge is directly connected to our capacity of influence. This is why many who have the most influence have also endured the most amount of pain. Pain is not your enemy, pain is your ally when it comes to growing your influence. Carry on and don’t stop on 6.