Welcome to the Transformational Leadership Series (TLS). Today we will discuss Leadership and Influence.
Rick Joyner points out in “Leadership: The Power of a Creative Life”, that there are three kinds of people in the world:
1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who watch things happen.
3. Those who wonder what’s happening.
He adds, “Leaders are made from those who know what is happening and are not content to sit on the sidelines of life and watch others determine their affairs. They
recognize opportunities and seize them with boldness”.
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
The U.S. Army Leadership Field Manual defines leadership as, “influencing people—by providing purpose, direction, and motivation—while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.” Today’s posting will focus on influence. In subsequent weeks, we will look at purpose, direction, and motivation.
MECHANICS OF INFLUENCE?
Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines Influence as follows:
In a general sense, influence denotes power whose operation is invisible and known only by its effects, or a power whose cause and operation are unseen. To move by physical power operating by unseen laws or force; to affect. In a cause and effect relationship, the cause and operation of influence is unseen but its effects are evident. What this means is that, what causes followers to follow leaders and the process of being influenced to follow is unseen but the effects are seen.
LEADERSHIP AND INSPIRATION
The cause of influence is inspiration. Influence is derived by inspiring others not controlling them i.e. ordering them about.
The etymology of inspire (v.) is traced back to mid-14c., enspiren, “to fill (the mind, heart, etc., with grace, etc.);” also “to prompt or induce (someone to do something),” from Old French enspirer (13c.), from Latin inspirare “blow into,
To inspire is to “influence or animate with an idea or purpose”.
The process of inspiration is unseen, hence the cause and operation of influence being unseen, but its effects being seen. What inspires followers includes watching the example of their leaders, their words, their values and way of life.
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