#MyWordForToday is #Influence
In my head, I always imagined the word "influence" to be a synonym of catalyst. A catalyst for change in one's immediate environment, organisation, society and culture.
I wrote a post titled "are you a fire-lighter or a fire-fighter". In that post, I said "all of us carry fire in us". Fire, in this context, refers to our core, passion, that stuff that makes us who we are.
I do believe that we all have catalyst(s) that help our fires burn. These people or things are our influences.
Let me use the analogy of how we make popsicle or even ice block using those plastic moulds. Influence is typically a combo of parental, cultural, religious or peer pressure.
These influences help to mould or shape our developments, characters and behaviours into whom we eventually turn out to be.
I was watching a documentary on how eating certain foods can help a mother influence the development of the foetus she is carrying. Those superfoods can help determine the longevity of the life of an unborn child. Influence is powerful.
As with many words, Influence can be positive (fire lighter), or negative (firefighter). I daresay that both the lighter and fighter are essential to our personal growth. We need a combination of adversity and good fortune in our quest for growth.
The caterpillar must struggle to become a butterfly. If it receives external help in that stage of becoming, it may never transform into a butterfly. Ergo, the struggle (read adversity) is important.
I was listening to Susan David's Ted women done in 2017 where she spoke about the "tyranny of positivity".
She said that her culture values "relentless positivity". People are told to remain strong even at the edge of an emotional breakdown.
The downside is that people suppress these negative emotions and are unable develop emotional agility.
What this means is that our experiences, whether good or bad, are not just important, they also influence us.
Our personal development and mental strength depends on how we are to process these.
Fun fact: its no use trying to avoid adversity. It won't ask for permission before invading our lives.
While our parental, societal, cultural and experiential values shape our lives, as we become adults, it behoves us to unlearn every negative programming that may have unduly influenced us.
We should also learn to recognize what is influence from manipulation.
Impactful leadership is one that creates valuable influence. It certainly has nothing to do with the position one holds.
These days, we have social media " influencers" who exert considerable social influence on their followers. Some of them are quite manipulative. These are able to influence impressionable minds.
I will never forget a particular "influential" Nigerian actress who was the brand ambassador for a skin care product company.
Her host while interviewing her at a social event asked what made her skin glow. She inadvertently mentioned a brand other than the one she was an ambassador for.
She was, of course, de-ambassador'ed.
In my view, a person of real influence is one who is a firelighter. A leader who moulds others, and inspires them to bring forth the best in them. He/she does this with empathy and integrity.
In our sphere of influence, we impact others by our words, actions and the way we conduct ourselves.
In fact many times, we influence people without being aware of doing so. I know l has been mentored by people who are unaware of my existence.
In my write-up on leadership, I said that the cool thing about leadership is that it's not "one size does not fit all" and "leadership is not plug and play". It is deliberate, intentional and positively Impactful.
The above also applies to influence.
So, what are you doing to influence your society, the culture of your organisation and even your own brand?
Who and what are you allowing into your circle of influence? Remember the saying that "birds of the same feather flock together".
The value you bring determine your influence. Positive influence is not shallow, it brings with it depth and integrity.
Before I end this piece, let me remind you that if your position carries more weight than your influence, you are wallowing in sycophancy and therefore courting mediocrity.
Be an influencer, not an influenza
Namaste🙏🏽
Bibireosefowora 💌
No comments:
Post a Comment