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“Leadership is Influence, nothing more, nothing less.” - John C. No leader can ever achieve anything great or long-lasting all alone. Being a great leader is all about having a genuine willingness and a true commitment to lead others to achieve a common vision and goals through positive influence. Once you’ve shifted your attitude, you can get to the business of being a great leader.
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That’s why John emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude for leaders. Think about the last time someone with a negative attitude walked into the room you’re in - you most likely “felt” that negative attitude without even having that person speak one word. Your attitude is contagious and a positive attitude can shift the entire energy of an organization. What matters most when it comes to influence is having a positive attitude. The point is that influence works two ways: positively or negatively. What behavior or words were so impactful to you that you were influenced to become a better person? What about someone who negatively influenced your life? What behavior or words did they model and what effect did that have on you? Maxwell, 2019 Horatio Alger award winner and named the #1 leadership guru as well as author of over 75 best-selling books on leadership, sums up the definition of leadership like this, “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” So, if leadership is influence, you might be asking yourself, “How do I influence others?” Think about someone who positively influenced your life. They are humble – allowing their behavior to communicate their values and their appreciation for their people – and they are vigilant – in promoting the right attitude and belief systems that encourage others to succeed. Their leadership qualities are people-centric, modeling servant leadership behavior and valuing service to others. Some of the top performing companies like Chick-fil-A, Best Buy, UPS, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Ritz Carlton and Southwest Airlines are lead by self-described servant leaders. Rather than epitomizing humility, influence and meeting people where they are at, too many leaders think being a leader means power and authority. Despite its trending status – as well as its undeniable success – most people do not equate leadership to service. Leaders “move up” the ladder in an organization, and, once there, see themselves “above” their team. Here’s the problem, most organizations operate from a hierarchical leadership structure. The heart of leadership is serving others first, before yourself.