How to Gain Influence

In the age of social media, the essence of influence is debatable. However, at the heart of influence is people. The art of influence means that you can compel people to alter their thoughts, beliefs, and actions. An influential person has the power to change people’s lives (positively or negatively), and it is a big responsibility that should not be taken for granted. So, how do you gain influence with people? Here are four simple principles that I have applied and found effective.

Integrity with People: To grow your influence with people, always deliver on your brand promise. Deliver on who you say you are. I am an executive coach, not a cardiothoracic surgeon. If you come to me for heart surgery, you will be disappointed – I am not skilled at it and therefore have no credibility in that field. But I have integrity working with leaders as an executive coach. Here, good delivery is guaranteed, and I have proven tangible results. Can people count on you to consistently deliver value professionally and personally? If yes, that’s the kind of integrity that births influence.

Believe in People: In society, we deal with much negativity and oppression, and consequently, people need to know that someone truly sees and believes in them. So, if you genuinely believe in people, you will gain influence with them. You believe in people when you can see the greatness within them; furthermore, your thoughts, words, and actions prove that you genuinely believe they have all it takes to succeed.

Listen to People: If you are not interested in people, you can’t influence them, and one sign of interest is listening. When you listen to people, you hear their values, beliefs, pains, fears, interests, etc. It would help you to identify common grounds on which you can effectively connect with them. However, you forgo all these data if you don’t listen first. Generally, people open up to (and trust) you when they see that you’re genuinely interested in them by the way you listen. If that’s not an influence, I don’t know what is.

Grow People: Those who help others succeed wield great influence. If you’re genuinely committed to lifting people and helping them win in life, they will be drawn to you. Exerting influence is not about taking from people but giving them value. It is about creating an environment that allows people to grow and flourish. Are people growing and becoming better because of you? If yes, that’s influence.

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