Leading By Influence

The dictionary defines autonomy as “the right or condition of self-government.” It is one of the pillars of motivation, essential to a healthy work environment. Autonomy is the ability to make decisions and have a say in the way things are going, it doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want because ultimately you are accountable to someone. A lot of times we think well, if I were in charge, or for the more ambitious, when I’m in charge I’ll have the ability to do things the way I want to do them. There is an idea that when we are in-charge we are completely autonomous, but there is a lot of misunderstanding about what it means to be autonomous and to have authority. What do you think of when you hear the word authority? Dictionary defines it as “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.” Having authority certainly helps with leadership but is not necessary to be effective or good at leading others. You don’t even have to be in a leadership role to be a leader. Even if you have no desire to have authority or be in a management role you can still be a leader. The phrase, “respect the position even if you don’t respect the person” references positional authority. It has to do with the power of a certain title or position not the ability of the person in that position to lead. Influence, on the other hand, is the ability to inspire confidence in others. You don’t have to be in a position of authority to be influential. Influence is respecting the person even if they don’t have the position. Leading by influence starts with you and leading yourself. If you don’t lead yourself well then none of the rest matters. When you start to develop the discipline of self leadership people begin to take notice. The other three work in combination once this process begins. Choosing to be positive, thinking critically, and being active all extend the self leadership beyond just our own lives and into the world around us to lead by influence. Episode Breakdown Self Leadership “Everyone leads something, even if it’s just you” If you aren’t leading yourself then you are subject to whatever emotional state you are in and that can be influenced by your circumstances or those around you. We’ve all had bad bosses or bad leaders, if you haven’t yet eventually, you’ll have one. Not only are they a good example of what not to do, but they can be a great opportunity for self leadership. The four areas where you have control. You control your actions and your attitude. Your boss may control the consequences of your actions but you can choose if those are worth it. You control whether you respond or react to situations. When you react to a situation you do so without control letting your emotions run you. Responding however is tempered and planned. You control your desires and ambitions. Ambition for something better is what got a lot of us to where we are now. In leading yourself you need to take ownership of your own ambition and not wait on others to guide you toward the goals you want. Instead start working toward them now. You control the small choices you make each day. Self leadership is being disciplined in the little things, the day-to-day, the mundane aspects of what you do. It’s being on time, it’s following through with commitments, it’s taking a PluralSight course or reading a book. The small choices you make when no one else is looking impacts how you behave and are perceived by others. Principles of Self Leadership Model followership by showing others around you how to be a good follower. They will see how you respond to a bad boss or how you handle tough deadlines and start to see you as a leader. Moral authority is much more important than positional authority. Drop your expectations about how things should be and focus on the reality of your situati...