True influence begins where force ends.
Force creates counter-force.
Push and people instinctively push back.
What’s worse, when the force stops, the actions stops.
What’s even worse, you’ll never know whether people actually support your ideas.
That’s not really influence, is it?
It’s control.
Well, of course that’s precisely what some managers will find attractive. But if you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re not one of them.
True influence is when people choose to support you. It’s the result of a voluntary shift in belief, behavior, or perspective.
It can happen when
→ you earn their trust so they’re willing to hear you out.
→ you create clarity so they can see it for themselves.
→ you speak to what matters so it resonates deeply.
And then … you step back.
You let them decide.
When they make the choice to act, not because you pushed them,
but because they believed it was the right thing to do …
That’s true influence.
Keep lighting the path!
