Search results for: influence
The Influence of a Father
This Sunday being Father’s Day, my team requested that I write a blog post on the word “father.” While that may seem like an obvious idea, there’s a deeper meaning to that word for me personally—since 2017, the word “father” has been my life word. You see, for years—decades, really—I have prayed for and selected…
Read MoreMark Cole: How to Grow Your Influence
If your life in any way connects with other people, you are an influencer. My good friend Tim Elmore shared an amazing statistic with me several years ago that I’ve never forgotten. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence 10,000 people during his or her lifetime. Everyone influences someone! That means the question we…
Read MoreMaking the Most of Influence in Motion
As a leader, you’re already aware that your ability to positively influence another person is the central component of your leadership. So you understand that influence matters to leaders. But how do you measure your influence? By the number of people who work for you? By the number of followers you have on Twitter? By…
Read MoreThe key to gaining influence is earning it, not borrowing it
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Leadership is influence — nothing more, nothing less. The more I speak to leaders of all stripes, the more I’m reminded of the truth of this statement. No matter who you are, no matter where you serve, if you have influence with people, you can lead them.…
Read MoreBlindness to Blessings Impairs Our Influence
An immigrant shopkeeper’s son came to see him one day. Observing the disorganization of his father’s shop, the son complained, “Dad, I don’t understand how you run this store. You keep your accounts payable in a cigar box. Your accounts receivable are on a spindle. All your cash is in the register. You never know…
Read MorePied Pipers or Team Leaders: What Do Influencers Look Like in Your Organization?
The ranks of leadership are teeming with pied pipers—charismatic leaders whose magnetic personalities and extraordinary abilities draw a following of admirers. However, the goal of leadership isn’t to attract an entourage who will boost your ego, but to develop a team of leaders who will advance the vision of your organization. To develop the leaders…
Read More7 Factors that Influence Influence
“True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time-either to increase your level of influence with others or to undermine it.”1 Leadership is influence. Just because someone has a title, doesn’t…
Read MoreHow Leaders Gain Influence: Actions
Influence doesn’t come to us instantaneously; it increases gradually. Nor does influence develop by accident. Instead, it grows as we purposefully take action to earn the trust and win the respect of others. In this post, I outline five actions essential for anyone aspiring to gain influence in their family, community, or workplace. 1) An…
Read MoreHow Leaders Gain Influence: Attitudes
A lot of people come to me confounded by their inability to drive positive outcomes in their organization. They have brilliant plans and excellent practices for leading their teams, and yet they are not experiencing success. How can these leaders be doing the right things but still be getting the wrong results? The reason is…
Read MoreInfluence Insights from the Life of Jackie Robinson
“A life is not [significant] except in the impact it has on other lives.”~ Jackie Robinson The recent film, 42, tells the story of Jackie Robinson becoming the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. The talent, bravery, and poise he displayed helped to bring about the desegregation of professional sports in the United States.…
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