How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others
“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” ~ William Arthur Ward
A few weeks back I asked for some suggestions regarding the topics that we cover on this blog. I had quite a few suggestions for us to go through a book on the topic of leadership. We have chosen the book, Becoming a Person of Influence: How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others, by John Maxwell. This week will be an introduction of the book to give you time this week to go out and find a copy to read along. We will cover a chapter each week, which will take us through ten weeks total.
BILLY GRAHAM
DENNIS RODMAN
BILL CLINTON
CLINT EASTWOOD
ADOLF HITLER
SAINT AUGUSTINE
TODD SIMMONS
MOTHER TERESA
Can you guess what these folks have in common? All of these people listed have had an influence on people, maybe even on you personally. They have influence thousands, some millions of people in our community and world - some positive, others negative.
QUICK REFLECTION:
- If you were to make a personal list of people who have influenced you, both positively and negatively, who would make your list? Would it be for positive or negative reasons?
- Think of the people who are in your life currently or in your past. Would your name be on their list as someone who influenced them? Would it be for positive or negative influences?
Whether you want to embrace this truth or not, you do have influence on people. The focus of the next few weeks is on answering this question, “How can I positively impact the lives of others?”
John Maxwell lists four steps or levels of influence:
Step One: Model
- People are influenced by what they see, how they see you living.
- If one perceives that you are positive and trustworthy and have admirable qualities, then they will seek you as an influencer in their lives.
Step Two: Motivate
- Motivational influencers encourage people and communicate on an emotional level.
- This process does two things:
- It creates a bridge between you and them.
- It builds up their confidence and self-worth.
Step Three: Mentor
- Pouring your life into other people and helping them reach their potential.
- Helping others overcome obstacles and showing them how to grow personally and professionally.
- Helping them to achieve a new level of living.
Step Four: Multiply
- Helping others influence others.
- This requires unselfishness, generosity, commitment, and time.
- Very rarely do relationships reach this level because of the amount of intentionality required.
If you want to find out if you are currently a positive influence on other people, simply ask yourself, “Do I add value to other people's lives?” Your influence may be to thousands of people or maybe just 2-3 co-workers – the number is irrelevant. If you have had a negative influence in the past, you can turn that around and make your impact a positive one. If your influence has been low, you can increase and become more of a person of influence who helps others.
Here are the ten attributes that a person of influence has:
Integrity with People
Nurtures Other People
Faith in People
Listens to People
Understands People
Enlarges People
Navigates for Other People
Connects with People
Empowers People
Reproduces Other Influencers
Do you want to be someone who has a positive influence on those in your home, in your office, and in your community? Would you like these people to be able to say that their life is better and maybe more fulfilling - because you are apart of it? Join us as we dig into this great resource these next few weeks. I think you will be glad you did, and so will those closest to you!
Next week will discuss the chapter, “Integrity with People.” I encourage you to buy this book and read through it with us these next 10 weeks. Here are two links to buy Becoming a Person of Influence by John Maxwell online: