If there’s anything that you need, or want to achieve, you’ll probably need someone’s help accomplishing it!
Oprah, Richard Branson, James Cameron, Helen Mirren, Roger Federer, Sheryl Sandberg, Brene Brown, Mark Zuckerberg and Lady Gaga have all needed help to be great in business so they can successfully achieve their goals.
So what does being influential mean?
Have you ever done something kind and generous for a complete stranger? Ever wondered why you did it? The way they looked, what they said, the way they made you feel…
What about we flip the coin; now think of a time when you may have gone out of your way not to be helpful to someone. Once again ever wondered why? Chances are they rubbed you up the wrong way somehow so you didn’t want to help them.
What’s interesting to note is both scenes demonstrate influence! Both examples swayed the way you acted, reacted and behaved as a direct reflection of their influence. Now that’s powerful!
How about you? Do you influence people to want to help you, as if you’re a leader of what’s possible to achieve or do you influence people on the opposite spectrum more as a warning of what not to do? Or do you sit somewhere in between?
When I ask my clients why they want to be influential the top three most common replies I hear are:
- I want to make a difference but I’m not sure I have the impact to do so.
- I’m not sure my contribution/influence will be enough
- It’s different for others some people just have ‘it’ but I’m not sure I do because I work hard and still miss out on cool opportunities
You’ll notice all of these statements come from a lack, fear, scarcity and desperation mentality. It’s because they feel like they don’t possess “it”.
If this is you, you’re not alone.
When I was a TV producer, regardless of my status, I used to feel like I didn’t have a voice of influence, that no-one really took notice of what I had to say. Not the people I wanted anyway. That’s when I became curious and started researching the key factors that made someone influential from the inside out.
And I realized in most cases 80% of the trouble was caused by three things that went hand in hand:
- Lack of clarity as to why you want to be influential
- What you want to influence
- Lack of industry credibility meaning you are unsure as to why people should or would listen to you
The other 20% was also caused by three things:
- Poor understanding of who you’ll need to become to be influential
- Poor understanding of the impact your presence already has
- Lack of awareness and rapport to know what results you are in fact achieving.
So let’s ponder the following questions:
Why do you want to be influential and what will being influential give you?
What won’t it give you?
How will you use your influence to positively contribute to those around you, your community and the planet on a whole?
It’s my belief we all want to be someone of influence. Whether it is in the playground of school, life or business. No matter your age, gender, race or religion you want to feel as if you matter and that somehow you make a difference.
A worthy distinction to bare in mind is the level of influence you want. For some of you it might be important to be a person of influence on a grand scale having a world impact where as for others you may be more interested in positively influencing those in your immediate circle – family, friends, community. The scale is not as important as your desire to make a positive contribution.
Julie-Anne combines 22 years experience to share the secrets she’s learnt both on camera and behind the scenes as a Production Manager for the Sydney Olympic games Opening Ceremony and top Television Producer for some of Australia’s favourite TV shows, including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. She’s worked with a roster of who’s who in Australian television and entertainment including Ray Martin, Eddie McGuire, Marcia Hines, Julia Morris and Larry Emdur to name a few.
Now a Master Trainer in NLP, body language and mind-set, Julie-Anne combines travels the world, dedicated to unearthing the art and magic of communication and what it takes to produce the X-Factor appeal and be the star of your life. http://www.bebrilliantnow.com
Julie-Anne’s latest event ‘Your Life As A TV Show: Escape Groundhog Day, direct your future and the star of your life so you can be brilliant now’ is on Saturday 18th July in Melbourne. Check out the details here. https://yourlifeasatvshow.eventbrite.com.au