5 Key Actions To Controlling Your Sphere of Influence and Excelling In Life and Business
William Cohen, author of The Art of the Leader , defines leadership as “the art of influencing others to their maximum performance to accomplish any task, objective, or project.”
If you break down the individual roles of any number of Managers, while stripping away the tasks which define and separate one Manager from another, you’ll find that the true objective of every Manager, no matter the work capacity, is to influence others. Positive influence resulting in maximum performance can only be achieved by: 1) recognizing your “sphere of influence,” and 2) remaining the victor rather than the victim of every challenge that comes your way.
Many have heard the phrase “be the victor rather than the victim,” as it has been used for decades. However, it has gained popularity in the corporate world over the last 5 years as more CEO’s and company leaders have recognized that work place temperament has a direct impact on the turnover rate of employees. Negativity effects customer service, and ultimately sales and profitability, as there is always the need to train a newcomer, while seasoned team members turn to a work place with less stress and negative energy.
Let’s look at different scenarios relatable to everyone, in which there is a choice to become the victor or the victim:
-On the way to the office during morning rush traffic, two cars sit side by side in front of you at a green traffic light while exchanging information. The light turns red before you are able to cross the intersection.
-You are the Manager of a retail store in a high traffic mall location and on Christmas Eve two of your key personnel call out sick from work.
-In a hurry during your lunch hour, you visit the drive-thru of a favorite fast food establishment. After returning to the office to consume the meal, you realize that you were given an incorrect order.
While each of the above situations can be a nuisance and may trigger you to lose your cool while expressing yourself audibly, let’s keep in mind that as Managers our role is to influence the team around us into performing at their maximum capacity. With that acknowledged, would it be wise to storm into work cursing the 2 drivers that caused you to arrive 5 minutes late to the office? Concerning the 2 sick employees, should it be broadcasted to team members currently on the clock that you are at rope’s end with call outs? And, how about the drive-thru clerk who gave you the wrong order? Should they and the establishment be cursed for poor customer service and inattention to detail?
Which of the above scenarios can be considered in your sphere of influence? How could you have controlled the environment and events that took place? Obviously, you could have left for work 10 minutes earlier, overstaffed the store with anticipation of call-outs, and checked the drive-thru order before pulling away. However, as the saying goes, “stuff happens.” And truly, there is nothing that could have been physically done in the aforementioned scenarios that would have changed the effect it had on your day once the event took place. Before we discuss ways to remain the victor rather the victim of life’s everyday challenges, let’s define your sphere of influence.
Your sphere of influence can be defined as things within your circle that you can direct, impact, and ultimately control. Your everyday behavior, actions, and reactions to life’s “hiccups,” your attitude when amongst business professionals, your thoughts and temperament concerning the challenges in front of you, as well as the overall mood of those within your environment are examples of things in your inner circle. The state of the economy, a child’s cold, and everything in between are examples of things in your outer circle. In short, the only two things that you can truly control are mood and behavior. This is your sphere of influence. See figure 1.0 below
Here are 5 key actions to controlling your sphere:
* Recognize what you can control. Don’t stress over what you can’t.
* Accept people and circumstances around you for who and what they are.
* Welcome life’s challenges with an open mind and heart, while rewarding yourself whenever you prove victorious over an unexpected obstacle.
* Make sure your behaviors reflect the behaviors expected of others.
* Stop and count to 5 before making a decision.
By controlling your sphere of influence you can remain the victor of all situations. Problem solving will become second nature and easier to accomplish. Each obstacle will be looked at as a chance to learn something new and grow as a person. You’ll fit pro-active routines into your daily life to keep from getting stuck in traffic. The rush to grab-and-dash your lunch will be eliminated, therefore, lessening the chance for an incorrect drive-thru order.
Make the change now! Learn to control your attitude and the temperament of those in your circle and you will soon find yourself moving up any chain that interests you, may it be corporate, social, or financial.
Author:
Anthony Everette Jr.
Life Coach
Anthony@PlatosCoach.com
Figure 1.0: Your Sphere of Influence
