Leadership comes in many forms. You can lead your friends through a hard time in their life, you can lead your family through your faith, and you can lead your coworkers to success with your dedication and hardworking attitude just to name a few. But all types of leadership have ultimately one thing in common. At the very heart of leadership in any form, whether it involves leading friends, family members, peers, or co-workers, is the ability to influence people with grace and dignity. Having the skills to make an impact on others is the one quality that singles out leaders from followers. But just how can you make powerful impacts on other people? Read our three tried-and-true ways to influence people, and then pick the style that works best for your leadership style.
Our Top 3 Tried-and-True Ways to Influence People
Influence through example
This is probably the most common leadership style of all and one of the easiest ways to successfully make impacts on people. Influencing people through your own actions is the most effective way to establish a leadership role in your community. For example, if your goal is to take on more of a leadership role in your career and become leading force in your field, the best way to achieve this goal is to make sure every action and decision you make in your career is done with your leadership goals in mind. Put in the work even everyone else has decided to go home. Make sure your dedication shines through every action that you make. By leading others through your actions, people will immediately notice your leadership skills and look to you for influence.
Influence by helping
Helping others directly is one of the more personal ways to influence people. Mentor someone who is struggling or coach them through a challenging situation if you’ve experienced something similar. Reach out to neighbors, friends, and peers and give them all the advice and help you can give. Your influence and impact on their life will be incomprehensible.
Influence by providing a support system
This one is definitely the least interactive of the three ways to influence people because it doesn’t necessarily require action right way, but it’s equally as effective. Simply letting others know you are there for them if they need your help is a powerful act in itself. Too many times people become lost and confused in their path to success and don’t know who to turn to for help and guidance. Providing a support system and being someone people can lean and rely on should they need it is sometimes the most helpful thing you can do for another person.
Now that you know three of the most effective ways to influence others, choose the one that best supports your leadership style and works in your situation. You never know the difference you can make in the lives of others!
