Influence To Win

‘Influence’ as I define it refers to the impact any individual has on another. For me, it’s been my “parents”. Both of them have influenced me and created a lasting impact in my professional and personal life. My father inculcated in me the values of integrity, trust, hardwork, commitment & dedication which helped me as a professional in my corporate life. My mother taught me the importance of having a strong value system, being able to stand up, understanding the nuances of balancing many roles of your life and to be brave and strong. Their influence has definitely impacted the way I handle relationships in my life, ability to communicate and express myself and achieve what goals I have set for myself.

So why is influence important? What role does it play in your life? How does it shape you as an individual?

1. Influence cannot be taught. You learn by seeing others’ behaviors.
2. It is action oriented and based on life experiences.
3. Quite often, subtle and indirect.
4. Based on achievements and role models you create and aspire to emulate.
5. You can be influenced by many people and it may be need based.

Thus, as a mother, I always think about whether I am the positive influence on my son which will then later in his youth have an impact on his life. As an educator and trainer, it’s important that I indirectly create an impact on my students and participants and influence them to choose the right path.

It’s not only about who I influence but also who I am influenced by. If I surround myself with positive vibes, I would always have people to look up to and get influenced. The reason this life skill is more relevant in the our current life is because we are getting engulfed by technology and it is only this hidden dimension to communication that will help us win .

Be it in our personal life or professional life, I have noticed that the skills to ‘influence’ has helped me understand people better, be empathetic to situations, create a feeling of trust amongst people who matter to me, have a long lasting bond with people and impact others.