Leadership is one of those words that seem to have so many different definitions, each one having a slightly different purpose or weight to it. For instance some think a leader is born, others think they are people who are given the title of leader, others think leaders are those who are the extraverted people who talk the most and that doesn't cover all the definitions many people have.
Well I tend to believe a leader is someone who goes first with others following them toward a destination. So we could say leadership is influence, more specifically Leadership is the ability to obtain followers.
Here are couple of quick truths about Influence:
1.) Everyone Influences Someone
2.) We Never Know Who or How Much WE Influence
3.) Influence is a Skill that CAN be Developed
We are being Influenced by someone and we are Influencing someone, whether we know it or not. Often times we don't even know who we are Influencing or how much we are Influencing them.
Here is an example. Last summer there was this student who was graduating from High School and if I had to bet I hadn't said 50 words to. I knew of him, but I didn't really know him. I wasn't even involved in Student Ministry's at the time and you know what? He invited me to his Graduation Party. I was shocked, blown away is more like it. I was certainly honored that he wanted me to come, but at the same time I had no idea I was Influencing him at all.
This is the power of Influence and chances are you're having an affect on someone right now!
I'll leave you with this quote from the book "Power and Influence" by Robert Dilenschneider where he talks about this idea of the "power triangle" which says this; "The three components of this triangle are communication, recognition, and influence. You start to communicate effectively. This leads to recognition and recognition in turn leads to influence."
We can learn to communicate better and more effectively and that my friends starts us on the road to more recognition and influence, which increases our ability to obtain followers.
* Who are you being Influenced by?
* How does it feel like knowing you are Influencing someone?
* How does knowing you can develop the skills to be a more effective Influencer?
Don't be surprised that someone is watching you, that someone is being Influenced by you. And don't be surprised if one day that someone asks you to come to their "Graduation"...
