People usually define leadership in various different ways, but if there’s something upon which everybody agrees, it’s definitely the fact that a leader should know how to influence. However, not every leader is born with this ability, and perhaps that’s what makes the difference between successful leaders and average ones.
You’re probably wondering what exactly gives leaders the ability to influence masses of people, and even though the answer to this question may seem redundant, the truth is that their ability to influence is given by their authority. There are several elements that make up a good leader, and most of them are based on authority. If you’re still skeptical, this article will definitely make you change your opinion.
Respect
Leaders are respected by their employees, who do their best to please their bosses. Whenever respect is lost, a leader’s authority decreases remarkably, also affecting his/her ability to influence. However, bear in mind that a true leader earns the respect of his employees instead of commanding it.
Clarity of message
Whenever a leader wants to influence his employees, he creates a very clear message so that it can be understood by everybody. There’s no use in trying to influence somebody through a very complicated speech. Besides, the most elegant way of influencing is by adopting a positive attitude. A good leader knows that these two elements are a guarantee for the success of his message, as long as they’re mixed.
Ability to motivate
A true leader influences by motivating his team members to give their best in order to improve the overall performance. Not all the leaders master this skill, since it implies creating that drive for employees first, then for the mission, leaving themselves at last.
Ability to inspire
Believe it or not, there’s the main difference between inspiration and motivation. Inspiration lasts forever, while motivation is temporary and needs to be injected regularly. However, a good leader should know how to instill both.
Ability to strategize
Leaders cannot influence their employees with weak strategies. That’s why they must have the ability to create well-founded strategies that aren’t only clear, but also realistic. A good strategy is seen differently and has exactly what it takes to influence.
Ability to think of a plan B
Alternate plans are very important even after having decided upon a strategy since they make sure that no change or unexpected shift can cause losses of forwarding momentum. Whenever leaders come up with several alternate plans, their colleagues gain more trust and become easier to influence.
Reputation
It’s obvious that a reputed leader can influence people easier than an average one. A leader position must not be occupied by a good guy, but by someone who is renowned for his/her qualities and that has earned the respect of an entire community.
Resilience
Believe it or not, resilience is one of most important elements that give leaders the ability to influence. They should be able to take it, give it 
back, and find their way out of different situations, regardless of their difficulty. If a leader has no resilience, he/she runs the risk of being replaced in no time.
Persuasion
Persuasion is virtually the highest form of influence. True leaders are experts when it comes to persuading their employees, simply because they know that this element is based not only on confidence and trust but also on safety and risk tolerance.
Stature
The taller a leader stands, the more chances of influencing the others he has. There’s basically an unwritten law related to a leader’s posture, which should be a symbol of self-confidence and authority.
Past experience
Leaders are often judged by their past experiences, which can easily reduce their ability to influence. However, don’t expect true leaders to have a past history filled only with success since failure is also necessary for gaining experience and wisdom.
Ethics
Ethics is very important for leaders, as reputation is influenced by it. A great leader should operate only with high ethical standards if he/she wants to earn people’s respect.
Ability to get over a failure
People fail from time to time, and leaders are no exceptions. However, failure is more painful when experienced by leaders, since they are usually seen as examples by their employees. A good leader should be smart enough to understand that failures are good life lessons, which allow them to grow. Besides, leadership isn’t influenced by an isolated event.
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