“Leadership is not about, titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”
-John C. Maxwell
Whether or not we realize it, we are in fact all leaders. Leaders of an organization. Leaders amongst our colleagues. Leaders within our homes. As author and speaker John C. Maxwell points out in today’s quote leaderships is not about titles, positions and flowcharts. It’s about one life influencing another. Titles are not forever and neither are positions. Flowcharts quickly become obsolete as it is replaced with new data. Almost everything has an expiration date, as do we all. However the influence we can have on someone else can have everlasting staying power. It stays with that person who you have influenced and has the potential to help others that they connect with in the process.
Influence relies on clarity with the message you are trying to convey and patience in letting the process run its course. It requires a high level of trust that is not given but rather earned. Again this takes time. When you allow them to be heard it lays down the necessary groundwork for your influence to be received more openly. In the end influence isn’t about winning, it is about solving problems. We want to make the lives of others better and further foster the relationships we currently have and will have. And influence is what helps to lead this towards this goal.
What does this quote mean to you and how can you apply today’s message towards developing your relationship skills?