Do you ever think much about your circle of influence?
If you’re scratching your head at the phrase “circle of influence”, then that probably answers my question.
Let’s start there.
When you sign up to be an entrepreneur, then you also accept the role of a leader. It’s a package deal, sister.
But before you freak out over the idea of leading anyone to do anything, I want you to think about leadership in a way that might differ from the perspective you have.
When you think about what it means to be a leader, you probably imagine a bossy Betsy telling other people where to go, what to do, and how to do it. I get it. Most of us grew up in a culture that connected leadership to a position or a title of “power”.
Leadership is really about influence and the reason people choose to follow you in the first place.
So my next question for you is this.
Who are YOU influencing? Who are the people within your circle of influence?
No matter where you are in the stage of your business, one extremely powerful skill you should always be working on is expanding your circle of influence.
You do this by intentionally connecting and networking with others.
Now, this doesn’t come naturally for most of us… thus the word “intentional”. So in order to grow and develop as an entrepreneur (AKA leader), you must expand your relationships beyond your current areas of expertise, strengths, experiences, etc.
Establishing connections with a diverse group of people will accelerate your ability to grow and develop.
John Maxwell, the leader of all leaders, shares some helpful tips for building and expanding your circle of influence.
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- Join communities of like interest – Whether it’s in person or online, find where people who share your interests are gathering and join them. Try connecting in places like masterminds, Facebook groups, the chamber of commerce, community associations, etc.
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- Be curious – When in conversation with new connections, make it about them, not about you. You are more appealing to others when they feel value in your presence.
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- Be teachable – Enter into these new friendships and relationships with an eagerness to learn from others. Coming across like you know it all is a big turnoff and will hinder any connections you try to make. Ask questions with the intent to listen.
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- Be relatable – Humility is a character trait that doesn’t get a lot of media coverage these days. When you are humble and teachable, others can easily relate to you. People crave authenticity. Give them what they want.
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- Be generous – Have a grateful, abundant mindset and give generously to others. Be willing to share your time, thoughts, ideas, energy, resources, etc. with others to help them grow and develop.
You think (and say) you are too busy to invest in new relationships, but if you want to grow as a leader and entrepreneur and develop your influence, you can’t afford not to spend that time networking and connecting.
Check out my book, The Essentials, for everything you need to know about making it as a network marketer.
XO,