“The best efforts of a fine person is felt after
we have left their presence.”
We all exert influence, but do we always choose to use it for good?
In today’s rapidly changing world, with fast-paced lifestyles and busy workplaces, it is not unusual to occasionally feel a little down and out. The problem of course, is that this can cause negative results in terms of your productivity. But one of the simplest ways to help bring yourself back “up” is to use your influence to motivate others.
The first and most valuable step in gaining influence and power, especially in your workplace is to be certain that you are an asset and not a liability to your organization. John Maxwell calls it, “adding value.” Do you add value? To your team mates? To your organization? And, no, I don’t mean for you to just become a brown-noser to your group leader or manager. But, make yourself a valuable asset by focusing on some of the tasks that you can do well, as well as those thatare most valuable to the organization as a whole. This step basically means that you focus on your job and getting it done exceptionally well. This hard work will garner for you the reputation of being a positive role model, someone to reach out to and to look up to. It may even lead to job promotions or better career opportunities.
Your next step is to make yourself more helpful and valuable to more people within your organization. You can accomplish this by going the extra mile while providing real service or working on a project. As you continue down this path yor influence over others will naturally and organically expand. You will also grow the network of people who consider you a valuable part of their work as well.
The third step is for you to seek more opportunities for career advancement and growth by looking for opportunities to advance your level of learning and acquiring new skills and expertise.
As your personal and professional growth continue, you will want to do a better job of managing what you do, expanding scope and learning to use your influence appropriately. This means that you will have to learn how to win people over on a regular basis. How do you do that?
1. Exemplify. First of all set the example. Be that guy or girl. If you set the example of doing a good job or performing beyond the minimal expectations, people will begin to look up to you and want to follow your example. You establish your reputation and credibility by always being the person they expect you to be.
2. Follow instructions. You need to be able to follow instructions with little or no supervision. This is one sure way for you to create an impression of reliability with your peers, your managers, and also with your subordinates.
3. Surpass expectations. Third, whenever you are working on something, make sure that you exceed expectations by trying your hardest and ensuring that your focus is fixed on making things work effectively and efficiently. This has the additional benefit of motivating others to try their hardest as well.
4. Act like an adult. Always behave maturely in front of everybody. Always have your game face on. As a professional, you are expected to always display professional demeanor. Not only are you setting the bar for level-headedness, but you are also contributing to an environment where everyone feels supported.
5. Be positive. Lastly, always display a positive mental attitude. There will always be occasions where other people exhibit negative vibes or a depressing mood, but you can often break the ice by displaying a positive attitude.
Everyone has a bad day every now and then. But you can usually lift yourself and others by leveraging your influence to motivate others to do better.
Thoughts?
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/royalolive/3861469251/sizes/z/in/photostream/
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