 Every day I'm blessed by the opportunity to work with a wonderful variety of unique people -- and the cornucopia of needs they bring to the table. They're looking to rectify their situations, solve their problems ... and transform their lives.
The ability to positively influence others leans heavily on the ability to understand them. It's vitally important to be able to anticipate how people will feel and react in any given situation. Please don't misunderstand; this is not the same as telling them what they want to hear. Rather, it's centered on learning their agenda vs. pushing your own. To be given the power of influence -- to make an impact on others -- you have to find out what people want, and then help them get it. This is what motivates them to give up total control and let you lead them.
You can move yourself significantly down the path to becoming a person of influence by asking yourself these questions when meeting people for the first time: - What is their story? From where did they come?
- What is currently their greatest need?
- What are their goals? What do they want to accomplish?
- How can I help?
Stephen Covey offers "Seek first to understand, then to be understood". To understand me, walk a mile in my shoes. While you may not agree with their choices, you must understand their paradigm -- their "window on the world". It's like the crazy mirrors in the Fun House: if your view of the world is warped, so your choices will be also. I find that most people desiring true change honestly want to understand their misperceptions, learn truth and replace them with wiser choices.
Here's the maxim you already know: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. You cannot learn their needs unless you ask. You cannot truly help them unless you know to where it is they want to go. And, you cannot lead them unless they believe you can take them there.
Remember, we all want positive people of influence in our lives. Whose person of influence are you?
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