Why is Influence Important as a Leader?

Understanding why influence is important may seem obvious: you want other people to think or act as you do. But becoming an influential leader is much more than getting people to do what you want. To make a lasting impact, you need to show them the personal benefits they will gain by changing their way of thinking.Understanding some additional ideas on why influence is importance can assist you on the path you take to building your influence as a leader. Here are three further looks at the importance of influence in leadership.

Making a Difference

Ask most people what they want to accomplish as a leader and inevitably you will get some variation of, ‘I want to make a difference.’ It would be almost impossible to achieve that outcome if you cannot effectively influence other people’s ways of thinking or acting. The law of inertia states that that bodies in motion tend to stay in motion and those at rest, tend to stay at rest. Influence is the action that starts and maintains that motion. Leaders that influence help those that are standing to move and encourage and propel forward those already actively engaged.

Influence Doesn’t Require a Title

As mentioned in the previous article, What is Influence, one’s title has little to nothing to do with what influence is all about. Regardless of your position within an organization or your community, you can influence others. In the article Why Influence Matters, author Mike Myatt expands on the ideas that influence does not come from titles or layers within an organization.

Build a Community for Your Message

You want to build commitments beyond the surface level. You want people to stick with you even in the most challenging of times. In order to have that level of influence, you must continually be building your connections with them. It is during those difficult times that you will need their support and encouragement the most to stay on track and carry you forward.Remember as a servant leader you are there to serve others and help them become the hero of their own story - it is not about you or your personal journey. That said, building a strong group of followers to your cause absolutely becomes critical to your own story and desired outcomes. It is far more satisfying to find your way to your finish line with a group than to be solo. Being an influential leader can ensure you achieve that.Those that have the most impact as an influencer do not rely on a position or title for their influence. They build groups of people that can carry their message to others. The message can carry far and wide when influence is utilized effectively. In today’s world, we have so many opportunities to reach more people than ever before. The importance of influence is demonstrated through establishing your credibility, refining your message, and passionately sharing it with others to spread your message.In the next article, we will explore ways you can develop your influence skills as a leader.What are some additional thoughts you have on the importance of influence? Share your ideas in the comments section.Photo by Natalie Pedigo on Unsplash