Stephanie Ockerman — January 4, 2020 You have a big heart and a lot of determination, and you want to create a better world. That may mean empowering and supporting your team. Perhaps it means challenging policies and systems that are holding people back. And maybe it means creating a compelling vision for your team, your organization, your community, and beyond. Essentially, this is about being a leader.
Leadership is about taking responsibility for your world and growing your impact and influence in your world.
That may sound huge, but it is actually pretty simple. However, simple doesn’t mean easy. Simple means we can utilize practices and continue learning from our successes and our failures.
Your impact and influence starts with how you are showing up.
This applies to every interaction, big or small, online or in-person, random encounters or decades-long relationships. There are 3 steps you can apply in every situation to step into your power to grow your impact and influence.
3 Steps to Grow Your Impact and Influence
Step 1 – Get in alignment with your bigger purpose.
When you show up in alignment with a greater purpose, others will notice. People will sense your passion and commitment to something bigger than yourself, to creating a positive impact on your environment. When they see you are motivated by a greater purpose, trust can grow more easily. People will even start to follow your lead.
Having clarity on your bigger purpose can also help you continue forward when you experience fear, uncertainty, or other resistance (both from external sources or from within).
Step 2 – Check your intentions.
What are the outcomes you want to gain from this conversation? What is the impact you want to have on others? How do you want to feel? Who do you want to be?
These are just a few examples of questions that help you check your intentions.
There is a big difference between going into a conversation wanting to “win” or be “right” versus going into the conversation wanting to better understand each other’s perspective. There is a big difference between wanting people to choose your idea versus wanting to create clarity and alignment around the team’s chosen direction.
We often make assumptions and judgements about other people and situations. I find that when I do this my intentions can easily be influenced in a negative way. So I try to take time to check in with myself and get clear on my intentions. Then I’m ready for Step 3.
Step 3 – Shift your energy to align with your intentions and bigger purpose.
Before engaging, you want to shift your energy to be in alignment with what you want and why it matters.
Sometimes the energy shift can happen by taking 30 seconds to clear your head and remind yourself of your intention and your bigger purpose. You might need to physically shift the energy by getting some fresh air or moving your body. Maybe you need to tell yourself a different story that assumes the most generous thing about the other person.
Perhaps turn on Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off and have yourself a private dance party.
Check in with yourself and see what you need in order to shift your energy and get in alignment.
Keep Practicing
This work is not easy. But there is a simplicity in it. And it is worth doing. Even when I don’t see immediate success with the impact I want to create, I often discover that I created a ripple.
I have no silver bullets nor guarantees of success. But I have found daily and weekly practices to help me stay focused and in alignment, learn about myself and others, and be more resilient. And I have made these available for people who would like just a little bit of support and guidance to grow their impact and influence.
The Scrum Master: Grow Program helps you focus on how you are showing up and implement improvements in your practice. This is a 6-week self-guided online video series that helps you get clear on your purpose and be more present to your intentions and the energy you are bringing. And that’s just in the first two weeks! There is so much more!
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