Seven Influence Traits

We have for too long now believed that influence is the practice of what we “do” to people. We persuade them. We negotiate with them. We manipulate them. We intimidate them. We coerce them. We feel if we get them to do what we want, we are influential.

However, these are external actions. While they may influence others, they don’t make us, at the core, influencers. 

The goal of every leader is to be influential, not by merely using tactics but as an expression of who they actually are.   The good news is that real influence - being influential - can be cultivated, learned, and enhanced. Essentially, becoming influential is a process.

Roughly half of all employees don’t trust their leader. That statistic is rather shocking when we consider trust is the foundational piece of any working relationship.

Distrust leads to expensive and sometimes terminal problems. A recent Harvard Business Review poll revealed that the terms most used to describe an environment where trust is lacking as “stressful,” “threatening,” “divisive,” “unproductive,” and “tense.” When asked how a high-trust work environment feels, the participants most frequently say “fun,” “supportive,” “motivating,” “productive,” and “comfortable.”

Trustworthiness is the ability for others to confidently rely on you when they are in a position of vulnerability.

Here are 7 practical ways to increase trust.

How do we discover if someone is the right person, possessing the needed potential to grow fully and move the entire team toward the vision or dream? This is the vital question of leadership and influence. Being able to accurately predict potential and to realize that potential ensures right-fit high-potential talent that creates real competitive advantage in employer branding, engagement and retention, and business performance at minimal cost.

Through examining how servant leadership is tied to each of the Keller Seven Influence Traits® and strengthening each of these traits, a crucial step will be taken in creating a healthy culture of servant leaders.