#leaders – Candid Communications

Who have been the three most influential people in your life? I bet those people came to mind fairly quickly to you.

Can you name the traits that each of them had that got them into that category in your life?

If you are part of this tribe of readers, who are constantly working to improve yourself (like I am), I want to give a fun challenge: Become an influencer in another person’s life. I’m not talking about the social media influencer. Rather, this is about the good, old-fashioned one-on-one influencer that has a deep effect on another for the better.

Influence is one of the most motivating factors in decision making. When you have a major decision to make, what are the influences that drive you to a final decision?

It’s normal to base any big decisions you make on how it will affect your loved ones. In essence, you could say that those closest to you have a lot of influence on the decisions you make in life.

Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.

So, how do you become influential so you can produce your desired effects on the actions, behaviors and opinions of others? Let’s go through some simple strategies now.

Lead by Example

The best way to influence someone is in your own behavior. This can go both ways – good or bad. If you want to influence someone to be positive and do well, you’ll need to be a living example of the behavior you expect.

In your workplace, be someone that others would want to model. That means you should strive to be on time, work diligently and avoid gossiping about others.

Also, be aware of how you spend your time at work. Are you spending it wisely or are you “milking the clock?” If you expect your co-workers or employees to make the most of their time at work, you should be doing the same.

People are led by example and will likely do whatever others around them are doing. If you’re a leader, then you’re the example they’ll follow. Remember, you can exert influence over others by becoming a positive example to model.

Communication is a Key Factor in Influencing

What you say and how you say it is of utmost importance when influencing others.

If you’re condescending or condemning in your speech, others will see you as haughty, arrogant and egotistical. Most likely, they’ll steer away from you. However, when you’re uplifting, encouraging and genuine, others tend to listen and heed what you say.

One way to speak in an encouraging tone is to use your voice as if you’re at dinner with your in-laws. You most likely wouldn’t be harsh or rude when speaking to them; nor would you speak down to them with a condescending tone. You’d use a calm tone of voice and speak pleasantly.

Think of it as using your “salt and pepper” voice. When you ask someone to pass the salt and pepper, are you rude, demanding or harsh? Not likely. You’re probably soft spoken, with a lilt in your voice, which influences the person to immediately pass the salt and pepper to you.

Be Authoritative, Not an Authoritarian

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should lack confidence when you speak, it simply means you are authoritative and not an authoritarian—that you speak with confidence rather than arrogance.

If you want to be an influence in the workplace, you’ll want to lead by example and speak with an encouraging, yet confident tone. In doing so, becoming a powerful influence can prove to be a beneficial and successful experience.

Leadership is a daunting task, and theories abound about how to best lead others. Regardless, you can imagine great leaders share attributes. With the right blend of attributes, you can thrive within any leadership system. Having trained and led over 100 professionals in a span of years, I’ve seen firsthand that it’s possible to develop these characteristics with study, effort and an ample dose of enthusiasm.

Ideas are easy, but it’s the consistent execution that’s challenging. Big ideas require multiple people to bring them to life, and leadership is all about getting everyone on the same page and moving them in the same direction.

Leadership requires attributes you can adopt. Photo by fauxels

Consider developing these qualities that enhance leadership ability:

Communication. I deliberately named my company Candid Communications because I’ve seen the value of open, forthright and candid communications. To effectively communicate your vision to the others in your group, you must be willing to be open, to listen to new ideas and to provide perspective required for others to do their best. Communication skills are paramount to all leaders.
- If you’re looking for a single skill to enhance, communication is a great place to start.

Confidence. Confident people inspire confidence in others. When your team sees your confidence, they believe you know what you’re doing, where you’re going and how to get there. Confidence is contagious and elevates morale. No one else will be confident if you’re not.
- Even when facing setbacks, keep morale high by dealing with it confidently.
Trustworthiness. One of the most important attributes of a great leader is character. People need to trust someone before they will follow them. This is accomplished through honesty, walking the talk and showing respect. Keep your word and follow through.
- It’s challenging for a team to accomplish anything without trust.
Enthusiasm. I mentioned this earlier, but be enthusiastic about the task at hand, your position and the opportunity to lead. You have to act as though no one will exceed your level of enthusiasm. Demonstrate the type of enthusiasm you’d like to see in your team members. Let everyone know you believe in your mission and its importance.
- Because we’re all human, know that sometimes a break is in order to recharge enthusiasm, which can fade under a never-ending workload.
Steadiness. All leaders face obstacles and times of uncertainty. But great leaders weather these situations and demonstrate the steadiness necessary to keep the rest of the team focused. These are the times your team will look to you for strength. Be positive. Be confident. Be a rock.
- It’s natural to have doubts. It’s not effective to share them. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to your spouse, partner or best friend. Keep all negativity out of the workplace.
Focus. It’s easy to become distracted, especially when things go awry. I’ve seen the best path is to ignore the noise and stick to relevant facts. Avoid looking too far ahead (that can paralyze progress, too). Deal with the current situation and maintain your commitment.
- Focus can begin to creep in when projects drag for an extended period of time. Return to your mission statement, values and goals frequently to keep your focus fresh.
Flexibility. Nearly anyone can hold the course, but only great leaders can change course without tipping over the ship. Be open-minded enough to find the elegant solution to the challenges that arise. A few course corrections are the rule rather than the exception.
- Avoid confusing steadfastness with stubbornness. It’s important to realize when it’s time to make some changes.

Regardless of the leadership strategy guiding your company, these attributes can serve you well. They can help you become an admired leader. Why? Because great leaders have developed many of the same attributes. Learning to demonstrate these attributes will enhance your leadership abilities and increase your power and influence at work.

Even with all the enthusiasm you can muster, leadership skills can’t be learned and developed in a day. But bringing an idea into the marketplace requires a leader, so make yourself the obvious choice.