5 Ways to Grow Your Influence
John Maxwell once said of leadership that “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”
If that’s true and I believe it is, a great question then is how do we grow our influence? This week I’m highlighting the book H3 Leadership by Brad Lomenick. I love this book and I love taking other leaders through this book. H3 Leadership spells out many ways you can grow your influence so grab a copy HERE and read it this summer.
As ole Jonny P thinks about influence and how you and I can grow it, these 5 practices come to mind:
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 others. Those with the most influence are those who take the most risks on others. They see potential long before anyone else does and they let others stretch their wings in leadership. 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 worked for it, and worked hard. They are the “overnight success” who have 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. Put yourself around others who stretch you and challenge you to grow. Be around people who make you better!
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 months and years. Rome like trustworthiness wasn’t and isn’t built in a day.
5. DON’T STOP ON 6.
In Joshua 6, we learn how God promised the People of Israel victory over Jericho if they would march around the city walls for 6 days, then 7 times on the 7th day. On the 7th day, after the 7th march around the city, the walls fell and the Israelites were victorious. This is what influencers do! Influencers never stop on 6. If the mission is to march 7 laps, by God’s grace and their grit, they will continue until those walls come down. Go the extra lap and go the extra mile for the good of those you lead and for the glory of God. This is why many who have the most influence have also endured the most pain. Make pain your ally, carry on and don’t stop on 6.