- Madeline Albright, Former US Secretary of State
Time magazine's April 18, 2012, edition profiled
one hundred of the most influential people in the world. The write-up
included this insight: "Before microphones and television were invented,
a leader had to stand in front of a crowd and bellow. Now she can tweet
a phrase that reaches millions in a flash. Influence was never
easier—or more ephemeral."[1]
Clearly, the nature of influence has changed
with technology. But at its core, influence is still about "the capacity
or power of persons to be a compelling force on or produce effects on
the actions, behaviors, and opinions of others," as Webster's dictionary defines it.
I believe that influencers make a difference by challenging the status quo, provoking new ways of thinking, effecting change, or inspiring others to move forward.
Influencers labor in every type of workplace,
from sound-stages to hospitals. Their jobs range from administrative
assistants and authors to parents and community activists. Sometimes,
they hold
traditional positions of power: they are our most inspired political
leaders, academics whose life's work it is to birth new concepts, bosses
who motivate people and harness resources, and committee chairs who
move projects forward. Just as often, however, influencers don't have
the big title. They are simply people who encourage change and growth
and achievement: the team member who comes up with the great idea, the
middle manager who takes a project to fruition, the colleague who has a
knack for changing the boss's mind, the intern whose favorite restaurant
becomes the new team lunch spot.
The truth is people who use their natural
talents and learned skills to influence others take our world forward
in large and small ways. Some of those people are extroverts, some are
introverts who make a difference through a process I call Quiet
Influence.
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