Expanding Your Circle of Influence
Everyone, Thank you for attending FountainBlue's May 12 When She Speaks program, on the topic of 'Expanding Your Circle of Influence'. Please join me in thanking our esteemed panelists and our hosts at Cisco.
Our dynamic, diverse and inspiring panel spoke eloquently on the topic of influence. Below is a summary of their thoughts and recommendations.
Be fully your authentic self, and invite and support others to do the same.
Be self-aware enough to know your values, your intentions, your personal purpose. Then choose to work with the people, projects, and solutions which are in alignment.
Encourage, support and reward others you touch to reach for this alignment.
Communicate and Connect with Boldness and Courage.
Stand up, speak up, take the space and think/speak/act not just for yourself, but for the people you touch, and the people who follow after you.
Be open and vulnerable and listen deeply with the intent to understand not just what's communicated, but also the implications of the communication - like the motivations of the speakers, like the message about the product, team or organization.
Pave a path for those around you, those who follow you.
Walk with intention and courage in order to forge a path for others. At times, this means you have to break the mold or swim against the tide.
Respect the people who supported you along the way by paying it forward, mentoring, sponsoring and supporting select others to be more influential in specific ways.
Strategically grow your impact and influence, for the benefit of all.
While you're inviting and collecting input, err on the side of action so that you can impact and influence a specific goal/intent/milestone in measurable ways.
Choose to be prepared, to communicate well, to execute well, in collaboration with trusted others, to deliver the measurable impact for eager customers and stakeholders.
Work the relationships and the network and keep increasing and improving your personal network of trusted other as well as the broader ecosystem.
The bottom line for all influencers, no matter your role or impact, is to manage and project a positive energy forward with intention. This means that we must each choose to be the vitamin rather than the germ, and choose to filter the energy impacting us, so that you can deliver positive energy to the causes which align to our values, our purpose, and our intentions.