Daily Influence

When we overreact we create obstacles that can become huge pitfalls. Both positive and negative reactions can be overdone and cause for others to perceive what is not true or contextual; be mindful of how you react.

We each have our specific areas of influence. Taking them for granted is a pitfall. When we are a perceived leader, we can overstep our bounds and create pitfalls. When we are the perceived subordinate, we can fail to participate because we feel our influence is minimized, taking away from the benefit of our input.

When we micromanage, we risk focusing on things that may not actually be as influential to success as we individually feel they are. One of the sayings I have for this type of action is "Stepping over dollars to pick up dimes."   We are often too focused on the little nuances that are inconsequential to the overall outcome, we just perceive them as wrong or different, so we try to control...

Another pitfall in our life is delegation. This one is more difficult because delegation on its own is not a pitfall, it is when we delegate without being SMART (Specific, Measured, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) in whatever we are delegating, that we create potential pitfalls for ourselves and others.

We begin our dive into (I)individual Pitfalls. These are the challenges we find ourselves in through our words and actions. The first pitfall we discuss is when we Assume (Ass - U - Me). Yes, when we make assumptions we risk making an ass out of ourselves and anyone else who goes along with our decision to take something as truth or possible without actually understanding the true nature of whatev...

Most humans don't think too far ahead about the responsibility they have for all their actions; or as we like to say, your influence. One of our missions is to elevate this understanding in individuals and help them to better appreciate their importance and the responsibility they have wherever or whatever their area of influence is.

Being a positive influence and a positive leader requires that one is fair and objective through challenging issues. Emotions are important and should not be disregarded, but keeping them in check when leading others through difficult times can be the difference between success and further challenges.

How we listen is important. Do you listen to learn or do you listen to react?  What type of listener are you?  Being a responsible leader means you must be able to listen, and that means listening to more than just words. 

Honesty is something we all strive to be known for; and yet, we all lie.  Understanding the different types of lies we tell and why it's important to understanding how we can remain a responsible influence.  

Establishing a work life balance is the best way to build a responsible leadership foundation for oneself. 

Being consistent is one of the best ways to build responsible teams.   

We all make mistakes. Own them and use them as an opportunity in your areas of influence.  

What happens when we fail to be responsible for our influence on our leadership? Listen as we look at the consequences of failure and the opportunity it holds. 

Understanding our influence allows us to understand that we are all leaders at different times within our areas of influence.  Listen as we define leadership in a different context.  

Understanding (I)individual responsibility can confuse many.  Our responsibility extends each time we influence. This is why we believe our influence is our biggest responsibility.  

Gregg shares her perspective on being Mindful, and it's an amazing perspective that has served her and those she influences well!

We revisit our biggest chapter issue from book one; Individual Influence, Find the I in Team...Slow Down.  This episode offers Gregg's perspective, which can add context because each of us faces different challenges in the 'go too fast' world we live in.  

Gregg continues to share her insight as she discusses her journey to being a Positive Influence, and what that looks like. Gregg has a journey we all can relate to!

Today, we introduce Gregg Koleno to the podcast.  Gregg is one of our partners at IA Business Advisors and leads our consulting operations in Illinois and Delaware.   Gregg is an active member of the Schaumburg Business Association and has recently been nominated Female Member of the Year for her work with the SBA and, specifically, in the empowerment of women in business.  

We have spent the last 7 days talking about values.  Values are built on a foundation of many things. We talked about Accountability, Humility, Trust, Stability, Kindness, Structure and Respect as the most important ingredients in building and maintaining trust within our areas of influence. 

What are values worth without respect? Respect is earned. And most of the time, the influence of our values support getting respect. We discuss the correlation between earning, keeping and losing respect as values can get challenged.

Values require structure.  When we have structure, we can build on that and we have something to measure with.  Structure also supports those times when our values are challenged. If you have built structure into your value system, you can have checks and balances.  

Some leaders fear that being kind will diminish their power or authority. Nope.  Being kind is one of the most powerful values we can have as humans. It sets a positive tone for all things.  Come listen to how kindness can be used, even in chaos and disappointment, to uplift and support a positive area of influence.  

Another key aspect of having values is stability.  Unless our value is instability, having and providing stability to yourself and your team within your area of influence is critical.  We discuss Maslow Hierarchy and how it can be used to provide stability in areas of influence.  Come listen to how stability is providing foundation for values in positive areas of influence.  

We begin our discussion about values and the first topic is Trust.  Trust can take a long time to earn and can be lost in a moment. Come listen and learn how to understand trust in your area of influence.