2. 4 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
INFLUENCER
THESE FOUR KEY CHARACTERISTICS DISTINGUISH SOMEONE AS A PERSON OF
INFLUENCE:
1. THEY ARE INTENTIONAL.
• YOU CAN SPOT SOMEONE WHO IS DELIBERATE BY HOW READY FOR ACTION THEY ARE
IN THEIR WORK AND LIFE.
• THEY PRIORITIZE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THROUGHOUT THE DAY USING EFFICIENT
SCHEDULING AND KEEPING THEIR SIGHTS ON A LONG-TERM VIEW. THEY ALSO CHOOSE
THEIR WORD WITH CARE — WHEN IT COMES TO INFLUENCING, WORDS MATTER.
• THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS WITH RESEARCH AND COLLABORATE WITH
OTHERS TO OFFER THEIR BEST IN A GIVEN SITUATION. AND THEY DO THIS
CONSISTENTLY BY PRACTICING THESE BEHAVIORS ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH A DAILY
ROUTINE.
3. 2. THEY CONNECT.
• WHEN YOU COME INTO THE SPACE OF SOMEONE WHO IS INFLUENTIAL, YOU ARE INCLUDED.
SOMETIMES YOU ARE ASKED QUESTIONS, OTHER TIMES YOU’RE OFFERED FEEDBACK, ALL TO
BRING YOU INTO THE LOOP – THE CIRCLE OF TRUST
• THIS CONNECTION REMINDS YOU THAT WHILE THEY ARE LEADING THE EFFORT, THEY DO NOT
CHOOSE TO DO IT ALONE. THIS IS WHY YOU ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO WANT TO COLLABORATE
WITH THEM AND EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT YOU MIGHT ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
3. THEY ARE RESILIENT.
• THE INFLUENTIAL PERSON IS AWARE THAT THINGS DON’T ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED. WHEN THE
UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, THEY ARE READY TO DIG IN AND FIND NEW WAYS TO MANAGE A SITUATION.
THEY ARE ALSO WILLING TO SHARE THIS NEW STRATEGY WITH THEIR TEAM.
• BY TAKING CALCULATED RISKS AND REVEALING WHAT THEY ARE FACING, YOU KNOW THEY ARE
THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL. THE CHALLENGES ARE NOT DEBILITATING, RATHER THEY OFFER THE
PERSON OF INFLUENCE A CHANCE TO REFRAME, REBOOT, AND COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN OF
ACTION.
4. THEY ARE LIFE-LONG LEARNERS.
• IN THE PRESENCE OF A PERSON OF INFLUENCE, YOU’RE KEENLY AWARE THAT THEY ARE ONE STEP
AHEAD BECAUSE OF HOW THEY CONSTANTLY CHOOSE TO GROW AND LEARN. THEY NEVER TELL
YOU THEY’VE ARRIVED, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING THAT WILL INTEREST THEM
AROUND THE CORNER.
• IT IS THIS PASSION FOR GROWTH THAT DRAWS YOU TO TAKE THAT NEXT COURSE, STAY UP LATE TO
MASTER A PROGRAM, OR READ A FASCINATING BOOK ON YOUR BUSINESS. YOU ARE DRAWN TO
THEIR LEVEL OF ENTHUSIASM AS YOU SEE THE IMPACT OF LEARNING FOR THE SAKE OF LEARNING.
4. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BECOMING MORE
INFLUENTIAL AT WORK
• LISTEN WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
• LISTENING WELL IS ALL ABOUT YOUR STATE OF MIND. WHEN YOU LISTEN, YOU ARE PRESENT. PAY ATTENTION TO
WHAT SOMEONE IS SAYING AND NOT TO WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY. IN FACT, PRACTICE REPEATING THE LAST
SENTENCE, OR PART OF THE SENTENCE, THE OTHER PERSON SAYS. THIS REPETITION HELPS ESTABLISH A
CONNECTION BECAUSE THE OTHER PERSON FEELS HEARD — YOU ARE LISTENING.
• OR PARAPHRASE — “I HEARD YOU SAY….” -- TO CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU
CARE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND. THEN IF THERE’S ANY CONFUSION YOU WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY, AND YOU CAN
REQUEST CLARIFICATION. BEING LISTENED TO IS RARE ENOUGH THAT DOING SO GENUINELY IS LIKELY TO RAISE
YOUR INFLUENCE WITH THE PERSON YOU LISTEN TO.
• ACT WITH INTEGRITY.
• WHEN YOUR ACTIONS STEM FROM A CORE VALUE OF INTEGRITY, YOU ARE ALIGNED WITH YOUR WHOLE SELF AND
COHERENT. FROM THE LATIN “INTEGER,” A PERSON WITH INTEGRITY IS WHOLE AND COMPLETE. ACTING WITH
INTEGRITY MEANS THAT YOU BRING YOURSELF WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE: AT WORK, HOME, IN THE
CHECKOUT LINE. YOU RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT YOU DO HAS AN IMPACT ON THOSE AROUND YOU.
• IN ADDITION, YOU ARE THE SAME PERSON, RECOGNIZABLE REGARDLESS OF SETTING. INTEGRITY ALSO IMPLIES
COHERENCE BETWEEN YOUR VALUES, YOUR ACTIONS, YOUR WORDS — IRRESPECTIVE OF CONTEXT.
5. • Do what you say you’re going to do.
• If your goal is to get others to count on you, honor your commitments. When you say you’ll have a
response by tomorrow at 9 am, have it in their inbox before that time. Should something prevent you
from following through, let someone know that you’re on it and when you’ll be able to respond. When
others feel that you are dependable, you become a reliable presence.
• Give others a voice.
• As much as you’d like to share your ideas, pause and ask for someone else to introduce or share a
suggestion. Making sure those around you are heard and understood gives them the freedom to say
what they want to say. You empower others by offering them this opportunity, and they will feel included
in the process.
• Take care of yourself.
• In order to be present and lead the way for others to follow, check in with yourself on a regular basis.
This involves physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Are you exercising and eating well? How about
regulating your emotions? Who are the people you turn to when you need to talk? Do you take the time
to be mindful and pause for reflection? When your needs are being met, you are far more likely to be
aware of the needs of those around you.
• Be relevant with your skills.
• Being influential means staying up to date with the latest developments in your industry. You are ready to
pivot, if necessary when it’s time to make changes. You are also, observably, aware of the change and
embrace the constant of change.
• Holding fast to the “way things are done” or “I know best” is not a recipe for influence in today’s
workplace. Observing trends and forecasts, you adapt and reinforce what you know and what you need
to know. You’re cognizant of practices that can make your business stronger and more competitive.
6. • STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS.
• REMOVING YOURSELF FROM MINOR ISSUES AND COMPETITION SETS YOU APART
AS A PERSON OF INFLUENCE. THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE MUCH MORE INTERESTED
IN KNOWING WHAT MAKES OTHERS TICK SO THEY CAN PERFORM BETTER AND
MORE EFFECTIVELY. YOU DIRECT STRATEGIC STEPS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR TEAM
TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DO YOUR WORK IN A MANNER THAT DEMONSTRATES
EXCEPTIONAL STANDARDS.
• ENGAGE WITH OTHERS.
• IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE INTERESTED IN WHERE YOU’RE HEADED, YOU WILL DO
WHAT IT TAKES TO RELATE TO THEM IN AN AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL WAY. YOU
KNOW THE NAMES AND TENDENCIES OF THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH ON EVERY
LEVEL AND FIND WAYS TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THEM. YOU TACKLE OBSTACLES
AS A GROUP AND CELEBRATE WINS TOGETHER. YOU ARE TRANSPARENT ENOUGH
THAT THOSE AROUND YOU FEEL AS IF THEY KNOW YOU, TOO