Influential leadership is more than just a title or a position; it is a way of guiding and inspiring others by leading by example. What I love about this topic is it applies to life in general, whether it’s your family, community, or profession—you get to choose how you want to represent yourself, inspire others, and lead by example.
So often we take what we learn in leadership development and work hard on applying it to our professional environment, but what about life? Nothing reminded me more of this than when I told my son to get off his phone and his reply was, “Why can you always be on your phone, but I can’t?” In the moment, I wanted to reply with “because I am the boss and I know what is best for you,” or “because I am doing something important.” One thing I have learned about myself is that through all my experiences and degrees, I know the information, but the application does not always happen in the moment, especially when your kid snaps back at you with a comment like that!
What I love about The Riverbend Group is we create experiences and utilize Action-Based Learning® during our programs, which means we set you up for the application, not just the information. Thankfully, when my son made that point, I realized the influence I was putting out was what he was adopting, therefore he did not quite understand why I was saying one thing yet doing another. In that moment, I had to take accountability for my action and tell him, “You know what, you are right.” I had to be the example, and if what I am asking him to do is possible, it means I had followed my own lead. Thanks to Riverbend’s Accountability Circles workshop, I had the tools to create a solution by first looking at myself, others, and the processes in place before I jumped into my excuses.
This made me think about influential leadership in a way that becomes more than just words; it becomes consistent actions. There are so many factors that play a part in being an authentic, impactful leader personally and professionally and has allowed me to pause and view it more as the legacy I am creating and the impression I am leaving with everyone I interact with. It raises the deeper question of—what do I want to be known for? The reality is, I am teaching my son what adulting looks like, just like leaders are paving the way for the individuals that interact with them and teaching them what leading looks like. We build a reputation with others by the way we consistently show up.
In my opinion, the key to influential leadership comes down to consistency in a few simple things: Vision, Communication, and Actions. We want to be intentional and conscious of the moments when people are not looking just as much as the moments when they are. While we are all human and have off days, our reputation is built on what people see as consistent.
Below are some of the consistencies I believe play a factor and illustrate what influential leadership looks like and how it can make a difference in shaping your brand:
- Vision and Purpose: Influential leaders have a clear vision of where they want to go and why it matters. They articulate this vision in a way that resonates with others, igniting passion and commitment. Their vision is not just about a goal; it is about creating a vision of what it looks like and feels like to live out the goal. Everything I have ever succeeded at started with me envisioning what success looked like, felt like, breaking it down to identify where I am now compared to where I want to be, and identifying the actions that needed to take place by me to get there. It has never failed me; sure, along the way tweaks will be made, but overall, when the vision is clear, you have something to build from.
- Communication: Effective communication is at the heart of influential leadership. Leaders who can convey their ideas clearly, listen actively, and inspire through their words can build strong connections and motivate others to action. Communication is how you give and receive interactions verbally and nonverbally. It is about being present in the moment enough to listen to others with the intent to understand and not just respond, which can often break down walls of defense and insecurity and create opportunities that offer space to be innovative, collaborative, and real. Listening is a huge part of influential leadership because it shows you care about the other person enough to listen and be open to what they have to say.
The way we deliver our communication is equally important, whether it is through email or verbally, through the phone or in person, the way we deliver communication can make or break the way others interpret what we say. They say that what others interpret in communication is only 7% of the words used, 38% tone, and 55% body language. To learn more about this topic in depth, I would highly recommend inquiring about The Riverbend Group’s Results-Centered Communication workshop.
To be influential, we must communicate in a way that people hear us and interpret what was said the way we intended for it to be heard. Influential leaders do this well, which is what makes them so inspiring. People want to follow, want to listen, and trust them completely.
- Actions: Just like my son called me out, saying one thing and doing another, even if you have a perfectly good excuse, can appear conflicting and confuse people; likely, it will not leave the lasting impression you were hoping for; likely the exact opposite. Actions tie everything together; it is how we respond vs. react in situations and the consistency with the way we behave or show up.
I have started asking myself regularly, if my son was watching every move I made, would that be the example I want to give him? I want him to have a clear perspective and be a positive role model for him. It will always be the best because he is my son. My co-workers, clients, friends, and community deserve the same respect, so I really aim to give myself the pause I need to ask myself that question before I act. I could always get better, but it’s my accountability trick that works for me.
At the end of the day, people are going to follow people they respect and find genuine. They are going to be inspired by the way one holds themselves, what drives them, how they respond, interact, and the trust built with consistency. When we are consistent, we show what is possible, and people want that. I love the Influential Leadership workshop we offer because it allows us to gain perspective on how we think we are showing up versus how we may be perceived. No one is perfect at it, but this workshop certainly gets us moving towards progression! We know content is readily available nearly everywhere you look; it is powerful to see content come to life, discuss perspectives, and hold space for discussion and action-based learning to bring everything to life. Most of our clients will say about their experiences with The Riverbend Group that when they walk away from any of our workshops, they are not only inspired, but they are also equipped to apply what they heard and make the necessary tweaks to implement and practice.