Influence - a powerful word, which means:
the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others: via Dictionary.com
To be in a position to influence others you have to be regarded as an expert, or have credibility, or at the very least known to have some experience with which to share with others. Add to the 3 things mentioned above, respect and trust.
If you respect someone you are more likely to be influenced by what they say.
Add trust to the equation and you have a better chance of influencing someone.
Let's take the example of a parent who wants to influence their child to do something. You often hear the words "why" especially from a child. In order to influence the child in question if you cannot answer the question "why" you are in a bad position.
If for instance you are teaching a child not to run across the road without taking the steps to ensure they reach the other side of the road safely, you know the reasons why you want them to listen to you. The child will trust you and respect you when you explain how dangerous it is not to look to your left and right, or right and left depending where you are located. If you further explain that being run over by a vehicle can mean they may die or be seriously injured this furthers their understanding of why you are instructing them not to do something.
Taking the word influence and bringing it into the world of social media where everyone is on a quest to influence someone to do something it gets tricky.
Unfortunately, and I have said this before, there are too manyso called experts out there who do not practice what they preach. This bring us back into the trust and respect area, how can you trust someone who tells you to do something that they themselves are not doing?
Trust, respect, knowledge, 3 valuable assets when you want to influence someone. It does seem like I am also repeating the same message over and over again, and that is because I am .Building relationships with others can mean, down the line, you are in a position to influence them.
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