Influence is a powerful tool
Anytime you get in a new position, especially one where you know/ feel that you are at the bottom, your ability to influence is important. You are the new guy, with new responsibilities, and ideas. Trying to get people to listen to you, even when it is in their best interest, is difficult, and the challenge of getting people to act can feel even harder.
When things don’t work, and people don’t listen, then you get frustrated. Frustration without purpose leads directly to apathy, which is an awful place.
So how do I gain influence?
Listen. That’s all, if you want to wield influence, listen.
We spend most of our lives hearing people, waiting for our chance to speak, and deferring to our ego. Listening is the exact opposite of that.
We are a problem laced society, one that loves to talk.When we aren’t feeling listened to, we get louder when we can, or harder if we can’t. This cycles into a bad place where no one listens to spare feelings, and people have to scream to get through.
It’s almost a super power when you learn how to listen, because people need it so much. By demonstrating that you cut against that, and taking the time to listen to people, people become willing to follow you. Not only that, you learn that person that much more, enabling you to become a better problem solver.
Problem solvers that people follow become leaders.
Closing
Great leaders serve, and one of the greatest tools in their arsenal is the ability to listen. Think about how you work, when your needs get met, and you feel listened too, don’t you work harder? Staying late, getting in early, and making that extra call aren’t hard when you get connected, and following someone who you like.
All of that starts with that leader’s ability to gain influence, which starts at listening.