Becoming a Person of Influence

Here is the definition of "influence" I'm using for the sake of this article.

Influence — the ability to create positivie change in ourselves and others.

Maybe you believe that you don't have what it takes to become a person of influence. That it's beyond your capabilities. Perhaps because of one of these reasons:

? You don't know the right people.

? You don't have the right skills.

? You don't have the right experience.

? You're just not wired that way.

But these are nothing more than fundamental limitations. They're just what's holding you back today.

Are there obstacles to overcome once you decide to become a person of influence? Yes, of course, but with the right motivation and plan, you can beat all the obstacles.

Even if you believe you're starting from a very disadvantaged place, you can still use the power of influence to succeed in your workplace and life.

The Obstacles to Becoming a Person of Influence

There are fewer obstacles than you think. Some roadblocks you think exist are outside your control, such as your competition. So, there's no point in worrying about anything that you can't control.

There are only two real obstacles preventing you from becoming a person of influence.

The first is your limiting beliefs. The most significant limiting belief is they believe . . . "life is fair!"

Maybe you believe that you deserve to be influential.

In our minds, sometimes we think that all we have to do is perform well at work and be kind; sooner or later, we'll eventually gain the influence we want. Unfortunately, this isn't true.

By believing life is fair, you ignore the facts. It may comfort you at night to believe it will happen if I keep my head down, do my job to the best of my ability, and treat people kindly.

When you believe the world works in a fair manner, you’re allowing yourself to falsely believe that you have control over the world by being acting and being fair.

The other significant obstacle is YOU. Assuming you're like 99% of the population, your worst enemy is yourself. You'd accomplish many amazing things if you could get out of your own way.

The level of influence you have in your life is no exception. You could become an incredibly influential powerhouse, but you persist in creating obstacles for yourself.

Most of us naturally avoid Struggle and Confrontation. The struggle is uncomfortable; it is confrontational, and anytime you struggle, you could fail. And who wants to fail, right?

Like everyone else, you want to feel good and have a high opinion of yourself, so avoiding struggle and failure is natural.

Unfortunately, learning, growing, and gaining influence requires struggle.

Everyone has a unique way of viewing themself and protecting their image at all costs. If you see yourself as a "nice person," you tend to do nice things for people.

So, here's the question. Do you see yourself as becoming a person of influence, someone destined to create positive change in your own life as well as those around you? Because if you can't see it, you won't believe it, and it won't become a part of who you are.

But the opposite is just as true. If you can imagine yourself becoming a person of influence both professionally and personally, then you'll start believing it. And once you believe you can and start putting some actions to that belief, BOOM, you are on your way.

Let's look at some characteristics of a person with influence.

The Personal Characteristics You Must Cultivate to Gain Influence

You must be willing to tolerate both conflict and discomfort. The average person is reluctant to deal with conflict because it makes them uncomfortable. Difficult people and circumstances are viewed as something to avoid at all costs.

If you can learn to tolerate conflict and discomfort, it creates a huge advantage for you. That doesn’t mean that you must be overly aggressive and disrespectful. In fact, just the opposite.

It means you must be willing to state your case and hold your ground passionately, which means risking uncomfortable situations. Learn to do this, and you will start to become more influential.

You must be Confident. Having confidence has several advantages. You'll often have to deal with others who don't know your reputation, job title, or accomplishments. They'll take cues from your level of confidence.

Confidence is essential to influence because it magnifies your ability to lead and influence others. Consider your coworkers who lack self-confidence. How are they treated? How are their careers going?

You must Focus and Specialize. It's easier to increase your level of influence if you're highly knowledgeable in your field. The more focused your area of expertise, the easier it is to become the go-to person.

Focus also includes your daily activities. Are you focusing on what's important? Do you start each day with a short list of priorities you are going to accomplish?

Determine what 20% of your activities create 80% of your results, and focus on those activities.

Focus is such a rare commodity today that you can gain incredible influence simply by harnessing your focus daily.

You must be able to read others accurately. How well do you know those around you? Can you predict how they'll react to a particular request? Can you tell with a high degree of accuracy how someone is responding to you? Can you read the emotions of others? Reading people and reading between the lines is an essential skill if you want to influence others.

You must keep your eyes open for unique opportunities. Your department may need someone to liaise with another department. This is an excellent opportunity to make new connections, fill a special role, and gain insight.

You can also create your opportunities. What improvements can you make at work? How can you provide a solution that simultaneously helps you and everyone around you?

You must be known as being Firm but Fair. Being firm influences who people believe you are. When you're a tough cookie, people would rather join you than oppose you. Psychologists believe this is due to the desire to avoid confrontation. Most people avoid it at all costs.

Remember that people tend to forgive quickly. It's human nature to forgive. Avoid worrying about stepping on a few toes. If you genuinely care about people and their success, they will forgive you for being firm, and you will gain their respect and influence.

Firmness suggests you have the ability to make the tough decisions even when met with a little push back.

You must be willing to take a few risks and break a few rules — for the right reasons. Those who follow all the rules rarely get into trouble, but they rarely excel, either. Have you ever looked through a stack of resumes when hiring someone? They all look the same after a while.

The same is true of employees. When a boss looks at his employees, his overwhelming opinion is that they're all essentially the same. No one stands out. Be a standout; be willing to take a few risks.

Start putting these ideas into action today. Be courageous and firm enough to stand out and risk a little confrontation. Those who want to blend in don't become influential. Your willingness to go to bat for what is right is an essential component. Be brave!

Conclusion

Even if you're starting your first job, you can build influence. These strategies are easy to implement — with focus, confidence, and practice.

Does creating a life that's influential sound appealing to you? Have you tried it? If you're going to be at work all day anyway, you might as well step up and become a person of influence for yourself and those around you.

The benefits of becoming a person of influence go beyond the workplace. It carries over into your personal life, as well. People want to be around influencers.

To start, look at your situation and create a plan. What skills do you need? What resources do you currently have at your disposal? What is your path to becoming influential?

You've heard the statement, Be the change you want in the world! Influence — is the power to create change in yourself and others.