Genuine Influence: How Authentic Leadership Transforms Compliance into Commitment
Leaders are influential.
Their influence can be observed at home, at work, or in other activities involving relationships. Some have more influence than others, as measured by the number of people they impact.
However, we will increase our impact when we understand how to leverage genuine influence.
A manager I worked for was well liked in the organization. Not because she was friendly with everyone, but because she demonstrated genuine influence. We all wanted to work for her because she cared for her organization, was authentic, led by example, and did not compromise on her principles.
She was truly a charismatic executive with presence who listened well, empowered us to take risks, leverage our diverse skills and capabilities, and developed a healthy organizational culture. It was no wonder her organization constantly delivered superior results for the company.
Leaders like my manager understand that when someone is influential, others want to follow them. They know influence motivates and inspires others. They also know how to leverage their influence genuinely.
Influence Defined
Power and influence are two different elements.
Influence, which is based on relationships, is the ability to motivate and inspire others to take action. Power, on the other hand, is based on positional authority used to force, manipulate, or intimidate others to action.
Influence is not by force or fear. In other words, it’s not pushed onto someone. Instead, there is a magnetic pull. It operates by quiet, transformative impact on others. That’s why people of influence attract others.
Influence can be a force for good, shaping hearts and minds to do great things. Influence can also be destructive, leading others to do bad things and even progress to failure. What erodes genuine influence? Bad character.
Genuine influence goes a step further than general influence by adding ethical and relational elements.
This is developed through authenticity and credibility, which build trust. While power results in short-term compliance, genuine influence yields long-term commitment.
Why It Matters to Have Genuine Influence
Let’s investigate a few reasons why genuine influence matters.
- Develops deep human connections. The best leaders develop and nurture effective relationships. These relationships enable them to succeed.
- Increases trust and credibility. A good character is the foundation of genuine influence. This drives trust and increases credibility.
- Creates lasting positive impact on others. Genuine influence causes us to positively impact others at their core through our behaviors such as active listening and empathy. One influential leader I knew could make you feel important just by his active listening.
- Extends our reach through others. Leaders deliver results through others. When we are genuinely influential, we can motivate even more to get more done. That makes genuine influence a multiplier.
- Builds a positive legacy. A leader with genuine influence is not driven by the number of people they impress, but by the lives they impact. Our proteges will be inspired to carry our legacy and impact many others well beyond our tenure. Genuine influence is long-lasting.
Genuine influence matters. Not only because of your current impact but the legacy you are developing.
Traits of positive influence
People with genuine influence usually demonstrate the following few key traits.
- Servant leadership – The greatest leader who walked the face of this earth, Jesus, had all power, yet He washed His disciples’ feet. Servant leaders are authentic and genuinely care about those they influence. They understand the power of serving and the power of leading from the heart. These leaders are inspirational.
- Being Salt (Matt 5:13-16). Being salt means adding good value. Effective leaders don’t use their influence for self-gain but to do what is right for everyone. This not only refers to contributing to core business results but also to developing a healthy culture where people feel heard and respected. This only comes through trust. Trust is developed through the ability to listen actively, show compassion, and empathize. Value is measured in both business and people results.
- Being a light – We are to be a light. People of influence lead, intentionally or not. Those who demonstrate genuine influence understand that others expect them to light the path and provide guidance and direction based on their knowledge and lived experience. These leaders are not only able to bring clarity from complexities, but also energize a demotivated team.
- Using words – We should never underestimate the impact of our words. Words matter. It becomes increasingly important to eliminate phrases and sayings that limit effective leadership if we want to leverage the power of our genuine influence. Words have life. A well-placed encouragement could ignite a personal mission in someone hampered by fear. Conversely, poorly given feedback that shatters the emotions of a vulnerable person can scar their life for decades. People may forget what you say but will always remember how you made them feel.
- Living a good, exemplary life. That means doing what is right, treating others well, taking responsibility for our mistakes, helping others, and constantly growing and developing. An exemplary life is one of integrity where our private character matches our public behaviors, and is aligned with our words. Sometimes, it calls for a little personal sacrifice, for example, choosing to be kind, rather than allowing ego to drive us to be right.
The traits of genuine influence go beyond what you get from it. It’s focused on your lasting positive impact on others because genuine influence puts others first.
A leader may have influence through their position, expertise, or even their platform. However, while people may comply with that leader’s directive … for a short while, they will be fully committed and trust the person with genuine influence who is leading them.
Empowered Leader Reflection
Are people following you because of your position, or are they being inspired and motivated by your genuine influence?
If this resonates with you, please share your thoughts below, and forward to someone you know could benefit from it.
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