With this year’s Global Day of Influence a celebration of the fact that anyone can become influential, we thought it might be a good idea to share some tips on how you too can influence others to be better versions of themselves. Yes, YOU.
- Build Up Your Network:
You want to make sure that the right people hear what you have to say. Social media and the internet are your friends here – Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn to name a few are excellent platforms that provide you with the opportunity to spread your thoughts and opinions to your audience with ease, be they local or international. Getting your thoughts, ideas, and opinions seen by those you are seeking to influence is a powerful tool.
You also have the opportunity to interact with people you find interesting or important. And at the click of a button, you can even talk to them – do not hesitate to use this! Showing you are interested in what they do and even requesting help will make individuals provide you with opportunities that you will be privileged to.
- Become the Master of Your Field:
Know your stuff. Learn everything you can about your field or sector – and then when you think you’ve done that, start again and learn a whole lot more. Every single sector is constantly evolving, and never has it evolved quicker than during this information age in which we live. The great thing about this digital world is that you have a plethora of ways to learn almost anything – books, YouTube, Podcasts are but a few of the resources, andall of these are useful in developing your skills and knowledge.
Perceived expertise on a subject grants you influence, and it can help you build up a reputation as an expert and even authority on certain subjects. Real expertise is what you actually want to be recognized for though.
Real expertise will come from your successes and your mistakes – you need to own them. When you succeed, don’t just stop there, how could you have done it better? Innovate; make the process for success more efficient; build on your successes. When you fail, don’t chalk it down to a loss. If you understand what went wrong, that’s a mistake you won’t make again!
- Keep Up with the Times:
You need to keep up to date with what’s going on if you want to influence people – different audiences have different interests, and to influence them effectively, you need to speak their language. You need to be able to talk about everything from the end of Britney Spears’ conservatorship to the issues at stake with the upcoming Libyan Presidential Elections.
You also want to give yourself the chance to share your opinions on these relevant subjects – strong or otherwise. These “insights” of yours will be what draws people to listen to you as they want to know what you think – either to justify their own thoughts, or to challenge your point of view.
By knowing who you are talking to and talking to them in this opinionated and engaging manner, you will keep your core audience hooked and always looking forward to what you have to say next.
- Maintain Your Integrity and Honesty:
None of these tips will work if you aren’t truthful (both to yourself and others) in the way you conduct yourself and your business. It may seem evident to most, but there are many who don’t; how else do you think we end up with so-called “spin-doctors”, corrupt government officials and “profits-before-people” business leaders?
Sure, you can make a quick buck by lying and cheating your way through your career, but that doesn’t last, and it not only hinders, but also hurts the progress of human society and your own progress.
Your credibility is essential to maintaining your influence; you want to be seen as a peer by your colleagues and friends, and you may want to be an inspiration to those around you and those who look up to you. By mastering what you do and sharing your honest story with others, you can become a leader in whatever you aspire to do. This is what builds your credibility.
And the ONE thing that you never want to lose is your credibility, because you’ll never get it back. The best way to keep it is by always being honest!
Now you’ve got these four tips, why don’t you go and use them? Go make the world a better place!