Five Traits To Influence Better

Having the ability to influence others is crucial to achieving our goals and managing our relationships. Over the years, I have learned that there are five essential traits we all need to display to persuade and influence others effectively.

You Have Substance

Your accomplishments, your passion, your expertise, and your experiences build the foundation for your influence. People who are shallow with little substance can never become effective at influencing others. 

You Evoke Trust.

Trust is the currency of your influence. People will follow you only when they trust you. You become trustworthy when your actions align with your commitments and when you walk the talk. Conversely, you lose influence if people do not trust you.

You Are Generous

When you show up with a genuine intention to share and contribute, you automatically acquire the power to influence. The more generous you are, the more influence you radiate.

You Are Persistent.

You can’t become influential overnight. When you show persistence and patience in taking on the ups and downs of life, your influence compounds.

You Inspire

Influence is when you can change how others think and inspire them to take a specific action that you wish them to take. Influence does not come from having more followers on Facebook or Instagram. It comes from having a voice, a message that stands for something, that inspires.

The essence of what I mentioned as five elements of influence was summarized by Aristotle brilliantly in one sentence, “Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.”