9 Habits Of Profoundly Influential People

Not so long ago (about one month actually), our country had the pleasure of hosting one of the most influential people in the world, the POTUS. President Barrack Obama’s visit nearly brought Kenya to a standstill. The last time I had witnessed such rigorous cleaning and organization was while I was in high school as we made arrangements for visiting days and PTA meetings. LOL, story for another day.

 

President Obama’s eloquence, sense of humor, counsel, value for women empowerment and great mastery of the subject matters being discussed kept everyone keen and interested in everything he had to say. His quotes and punchlines made for great status updates and tweets which were liked, retweeted and shared for days to come. He commanded a following and an audience, without a doubt and it is no wonder most of us had a sense of ‘What now? Who are we? We weren’t ready! What next?’ after we saw his plane depart that Sunday evening.

The realization that we would be left with the same leaders who make the headlines for not so good reasons and mediocre choice of words was all too real. I came across an article by +Travis Bradberry  about some of the habits profoundly influential people possess shortly after his visit and upon reading it, I could fathom exactly where we go wrong. I thought I should share it on here and you too can make some cross references and draw conclusions of your own. Also, see whether you make the cut as well {originally posted here}

1.       They think for themselves

Influential people aren’t buffeted by the latest trends or public opinion. They form their opinions carefully based on facts. They’re more than willing to change their mind when the facts support it, but they aren’t influenced by what other people think, only by what they know.

 

2.       They are graciously disruptive

Influential people are never satisfied with the status quo. They are the ones who constantly ask, “What if?” and “Why not?” They are not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, and they don’t disrupt things for the sake of being disruptive; they do it to make things better.

 

3.       They inspire conversation

When influential people speak, conversations spread like ripples in a pond. And those ripples are multidirectional; influencers inspire everyone around them to explore new ideas and think differently about their work.

 

4.       They leverage their networks

Influential people know how to make lasting connections. Not only do they know a lot of people, they get to know their connections’ connections as well. More importantly, they add value to everyone in their network. They share advice and know how, and they make connections between people who should get to know each other.

5.       They focus only on what really matters

Influential people aren’t distracted by trivialities. They are able to cut through the static and the clutter, they focus on what matters and point it out to everyone else. They speak only when they have something important to say, and they never bore people with idle banter.

6.       They welcome disagreement

Influential people don’t react emotionally and defensively to dissenting opinions – they welcome them. They are humble enough to know that they don’t know everything and that someone else might have seen something that they missed. And if that person is right, they embrace the idea whole heartedly because they care more about end results than about being right.

 

7.       They are proactive

Influential people do not wait for things like new ideas and new technologies to find them; they seek those things out. These early adopters always want to anticipate what’s next. They are influential because they always see what’s coming, and they see what’s coming because they intentionally look for it. Then they spread the word.

 

8.       They respond rather than react

If someone criticizes an influential person for making a mistake, or if someone else makes a critical mistake, influential people don’t react immediately and emotionally. They wait. They think. And they deliver an appropriate response. Influential people know how important relationships are, and they won’t let an emotional overreaction harm theirs. They also know that emotions are contagious, and overreacting has a negative influence on everyone around them.

 

9.       They believe

Influential people always expect the best. They believe in their own power to achieve their dreams, and they believe that others share that same power. They believe that nothing is out of reach and that belief inspires those that are around them to stretch for their own goals. They firmly believe that one person can change the world.

 

Bringing It All Together

To increase your influence you need to freely share your dexterities and insights, and you must be passionate in your pursuit of a greater future.

Are you influential? What other qualities do you believe make one influential. Feel free to share your thoughts. As always, a pleasure to have your audience. Have a nice afternoon!

#HappyDays