Emotions are communicated through words and actions, always!
Our personal power of influence is great, whether intentional or passive. The impact of our emotions in every way we communicate has power. So how do we harness that power so our influence is constructive and effective?
According to the Center for Creative Leadership, there are Four Keys to successfully strengthen one’s ability to influence others:
Self-Awareness: Understand your behavior’s impact on organizational outcomes. The concept of self-awareness was theorized first by Duval and Wicklund in 1972. Self-awareness means you have a sharp realization of your… strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, emotions and motivations.
Learning Agility: Know when to change course and help others to do so. Agile leaders focus on the needs of others. They acknowledge other people’s perspectives, give them the care they need to meet their work and personal goals, involve them in decisions where appropriate, and build a sense of community within their teams. This leads to higher engagement, more trust, and stronger relationships with team members and other stakeholders.
Influence: Be comfortable persuading, promoting, and delegating. Emotions are contagious! If you’re angry, those around you are likely to adopt your anger. If you’re happy, those around you are likely to adopt happiness. Remember: A negative mind will never give you a positive life! Emit positive energy!
Communication: Effectively communicate goals and inspire trust. How to inspire trust: Recognize that building trust takes hard work: Trust must be earned! Be honest and supportive. Be quiet sometimes, be consistent, model the behavior you seek, and build accountability.
Our society needs optimism! We need to harness our influence to positively impact change!
“Our own way of being has an emotional signature.” Daniel Elfenbein