We all have influence, and few of us wield it effectively. If you want to maximize your influence, here are nine ways you can do so in your daily life. Most of these aren’t difficult, but do require some thoughtful living:
- Relevance: Make connections with people who work for you, and for whom you work. Ask personal Qs, and remember the details of their lives.
- Wise words: Don’t spout off with your opinion. Proverbs 15: Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps his mouth shut. And express appreciation for everyone you meet.
- Excellence: Excellence honors God, so strive after it. People are attracted to great quality.
- Authenticity. Words matter, so do what you say. Meet commitments. Don’t over-promise.
- Approachability. Reveal, but not too much. Don’t be scripted, be candid.
- Emotion. It is okay to be vulnerable, in fact, this is a winsome quality in a leader. Just don’t go overboard.
- Modeling. Do as I do…you know the power of watching someone live out an admirable life.
- Passion. Passion is contagious, and will pull people along with you toward the goal.
- Conviction. Stand strong, don’t be ambiguous, and exhibit a commitment.
Most popular lists these days are 10 items long. Let me know what I’ve missed here, and I’ll add #10 from the best of your suggestions.
In this Wall Street Journal article (subscription required to read full article) it was noted that most households access 16 television channels, despite the cable industry average offering of more than 100 channels.The reporter suggests that the cable companies need to reduce the number of channels offered, something along the lines of “less is more.”
The reader comments were telling (and you can see all of them without subscribing) and humorous. Several suggested that the number of channels offered isn’t the problem, rather, it is the quality of those channels — and the high price to access them.
I’ve never paid for cable, and don’t watch TV. But what about you? Leave a comment and tell me:
- How many channels do YOU need?
- And in these days of economic uncertainty, have you considered eliminating “pay TV?”
- If so, in favor of what — free (broadcast) TV, web TV, no TV?
You’ll probably agree with the premise of this WSJ piece by Robert Lee Hotz. You know intuitively that this is right. And you may even yearn for what is described:
…Our brain is most actively engaged when our mind is wandering…
The article cites research that supports the benefits of daydreaming, and notes that those who have had historically significant “Aha!” moments discovered something important when they were allowing their minds to wander.
Now, don’t use this research as an excuse for being inattentive and lazy; rather, consider the need in your life for some downtime, some space. That means getting away from the phone/laptop/paperwork and the crush of the routine, and giving your mind permission to sort, ponder and discover.
Related: You might want to get this classic book, Margin, by Dr. Richard Swenson. He illustrates this same kind of principle by referring to ink on a page. Nobody can read a book that has text running from top to bottom, side to side, without any margin. That white space that every book (and indeed, every website) has surrounding the text allows the brain to process and understand. In the same way, we need “margins” in our lives, so we don’t overstimulate and overload.
And, in this audio discussion, Dr. Archibald Hart offers a scientific look at anhedonia, a condition in which an individual is addicted to overstimulation. It is a growing problem, especially amongst younger people who are constantly bombarded by sensory input.
Maybe today will mark the start of something different for you? Turn off the electronics, get away from the calendar and let your mind wander. Who knows, you may discover something really, really big!
Did you know that more than 33 million moms are regularly online? They also are among the most effective word-of-mount fans a company could want. (More details here.)
So what are you doing to capture moms with your online content?
It seems Twitter - and other social media - are being used very effectively by those who are opposing the current regime in Iran. Calls for an election recount, stories of militia brutality, and pleas for help from the West are being disseminated far and wide - despite governmental crackdowns on the flow of information from that beleaguered country.
Here’s a Los Angeles Times piece, and another by new media guru Hugh Hewitt. A story on CNET about the ways Iranians are getting around potential restrictions on their use of Twitter. Read an article about the way Twitter is having to beef up its service to accommodate the flood of information from within Iran. And here’s one of several Iran-related Twitter collections.
And to think that a year ago most people, including myself, were unfamiliar with Twitter. Wonder where it’ll go next?
In less than 24 hours digital broadcast television, as mandated by our government, is a reality. And you’re prepared, right? You have a newer TV set with a built-in digital tuner, or you bought one of those converter boxes for your old analog television?
If not, maybe you have cable or a satellite TV service.
If “none of the above” applies to you, maybe you’ve decided that there’s not much to watch so you don’t care. Although I fall into this group philosophically, I’ll admit that we have a converter, but I’m not really sure why.
When I read reports that 2.5 million households aren’t prepared for this transition, I’m not surprised. Nor am I alarmed…perhaps those folks don’t want broadcast TV. I’m certain they don’t NEED broadcast TV.
Regardless, the timer is in its final hours. This has been one long and expensive conversion. Better be worth all the time and trouble!
There’s a lot to be said for measuring customer satisfaction, but many companies need to refine their use of “decision trees” and other consumer feedback mechanisms. Here’s a good piece about ways to improve the feedback loop - and to make better marketing decisions.
John C. Dvorak has some insights about the RIAA and the continued downward spiral of CD sales. Read it here.
Here’s a rather harsh assessment of the new, improved, bigger, more expensive Kindle DX - views expressed in an open letter to Jeff Bezos. I’m ambivalent, but think I’ll pass on this device. How about you?
