5 Useful Strategies to Increase Your Influence

To be influential is the dream of many people who understand that they have a purpose or a gift they can use to make a difference in the world. Some wish to have some form of power to reap the benefits that come with it. There is nothing wrong with that. Most of us think that much of what it means to be influential. However, a positive influence should go beyond such dreams to include how we impact the lives of our families, friends, and other acquaintances.

What if you already are influential but want to do more with your life and exert more influence? Is there anything wrong with wanting more in that regard? Certainly not. If you feel like you can do more with your life than you currently are doing, you probably are not living life to the fullest. You know you have it in you to do more and are not satisfied with the status quo. What better ways are there to get fulfillment than doing what gives more meaning to your life? As you offer yourself to do something meaningful, you open your life to more meaningful things. You attract positivity, gain respect and favor while you also learn and grow. Your job is to ensure that you handle the attention well and remember you are not a deity. Otherwise, the fall will have an impact you will never forget.

You can try the following to increase your influence;

1. Keep learning and be well-read

Learn, learn, and learn. There is a common saying that; 'A fool thinks of himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool'. If you want to improve the way you inspire others, you need to understand that you can never outsmart the universe. Your followers will soon know so much of what you have to offer and, you might sooner or later become predictable. What then will be the reason for them to keep following. Learn new but relevant things, stay alert for upcoming trends, improve your skillset, and be willing to learn from and with others. Reading increases our knowledge and understanding of various topics. It also opens up our minds to be receptive to more information. If you stop learning, you will soon become outdated and irrelevant.

2. Know yourself

If you do not know who you are and what you stand for, it will be easier for you to keep shifting your standpoint and sway to whatever direction the wind is blowing. You will not have confidence in your choices because you won't have much connection with them. Leading and inspiring requires one to be steadfast. There must be something setting you apart from the rest. Also, there should be solid reasons to believe in it for others to see you as worthy of following.

3. Learn to pause and listen

Communication is one of the most effective ways to persuade people and connect with them. However, it is imbalanced and incomplete without listening. If you do not take time to listen to your followers, you risk losing them regardless of how well-spoken you are. Your content is relevant to them only as it is relatable to them and answers their questions. Times, situations, and people change. Although you may not always need to change too, you need to learn to listen and seek ways to stay relevant to your followers. What they wanted a few months or years back changes as things around them change. People in different setups yearn to have their voices heard. Even where you are not ready to offer them solutions to their grievances, showing that you listened and understood gives the impression that you value them. You can become their go-to person that way.

4. Develop inner strength

Inner strength, in this case, refers to psychological independence and mental health. You can better influence others when you are mentally stable. Inner strength improves your thought process and how you handle issues. It also protects you from manipulations from those who might seek to push their agenda through your influence. More importantly, mental strength gives you the ability to engage peacefully and productively with your subordinates, colleagues, and opponents too. When you possess inner strength, you know better how to choose your battles and how much energy to invest in them.

5. Believe in other people

Those who struggle to believe in others limit their influence. They tend to want to do everything by themselves and supervise more than is necessary to get things done "the best way possible". If you do this as a leader, you need to know that it denies others a chance to grow. You need to trust that others can do what you want, the way you want it, and even better. Allowing your followers to use their skills, prove themselves and also do something more challenging elevates them.

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