Influence Leadership

Influence and Leadership

There can be no leadership without influence, because influencing is how leaders lead.: "There is a profound difference between management and leadership and both are important. 'To manage' means 'to bring about, to accomplish, to have charge of or responsibility for, to conduct.' 'Leading' is 'influencing, guiding in direction, course, action, opinion.'" They add that "an essential factor in leadership is the capacity to influence."

Managers also use influence, of course, because only a fraction of managerial work can actually be accomplished through control and the use of authority. The aim of both managers and leaders is to accomplish an organization's goals. Managers do it

through 

By definitions, Influencing is a necessary skill for anyone in business, whether a person is amanager or a salesperson. The ability to bring others to your way of thinking without force or coercion is important in business. Other definition is, Influence is the power to have an important effect on someone or something. If someone influences someone else, they are changing a person or thing in an indirect but important way.

We've all heard the John Maxwell saying "leadership is influence." Easier said than done, right? The real challenge is figuring out how to do it! Well, here's a clue: Get others to respond emphatically to your leadership. When you do, you're influencing. Plans, organization, processes, task assignments, measurements, and so on, but they must also direct people and manage their performance, and you can't manage people solely through command-and-control methods. People are human beings, not machines, mechanical parts, or assembly lines. They respond best when they are treated like human beings, they work best when they have a voice in how the work is done, and they remain loyal and engaged when they feel respected, trusted, well informed, and cared for. That's why the best managers also lead, and they lead through the social and emotional approaches to influencing, not just the rational approaches. There's a quote saying the "leadership is not about tittles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another" by John C. Maxwell

Leaders lead by mobilizing people around a compelling vision of the future, by inspiring them to follow in the leader's footsteps. They show people what's possible and motivate them to make those possibilities real. They energize and focus people in ways that fulfill their dreams, give them a sense of purpose, and leave them with a profound sense of accomplishment when the work is done. The best leaders are teachers, mentors, and role models--and they accomplish the vast majority of their work through influence, not authority.

Let's get practical. It is empowering others to achieve their goals, bringing out the best in people, putting their needs ahead of your own (as a leader), and helping them develop. Think of the multiple ways these things can be done every day.

We call this servant leadership--one of the highest platforms to launch you toward influencing others. And it's great for your bottom line too, says a bunch of research.

The behaviors that lead to influence, as written about by thought-leaders like Adam Grant, Dan Pink, and Simon Sinek, point back to character. It is who you are, not what you do. It is a choice, not a prescribed process or to-do list.

Are you looking for influence in leading and making decisions? I submit the following as your road map for success:

1. Gain the trust of others.

The foundation for everything related to your leadership has to be built on trust. In his phenomenal book The Speed Of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey says that a team with high trust will produce results faster and at lower cost. Conventional thinking says that people have to earn trust first, right? But it has been found that, in healthy organizations, leaders with a servant mindset are willing to give trust to their followers first, and they give it as a gift even before it's earned.

2. Let go of your ego.

An unhealthy ego can be a liability on the performance of the business. Ask the late Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron. A leader with a healthy ego is one who has mastered the paradoxical balance of personal humility with confidence and fierce resolve. This is a leader (in a Jim Collins "Level 5" way) you want to follow because he or she is safe.

3. Demonstrate competence.

In traditional, top-down hierarchies, bosses at the top of the fo

Sure, a strong character in service to others is crucial to get people from the neck up. But trust goes out the proverbial window if you can't demonstrate knowledge and expertise in your particular field or industry that will carry the vision forward. That includes the ability to communicate that vision, so followers are actively engaged in pursuing it. Competence builds confidence in your people. And their confidence in you, the leader, will ultimately deliver excellence.

4. Inspire others to find their voice.od chain will lay out a vision, then use power and control to move people to carry out the vision. In today's social economy, leaders will cast a company vision and enroll their followers to express their voice as co-creators and co-contributors to the vision. The fear is pumped out of the room and people are liberated and empowered to collaborate, innovate, and engage.

5. Develop a cultural identity.

Companies like Google, Zappos, TDIndustries, and HubSpot have distinctive corporate identities that attract great employees. You'll find these corporate cultures usually centered around giving employees ownership over decisions (shared leadership), authenticity (open communication, expression of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives) and the building of community (collaboration, diversity, inclusion).

In conclusion, leadership is not about showing your power by controlling people, but it also about how you influencing the others as the influence lead you to a great leadership. Whenever you become leader, Remeber! Be influenced.