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“Think twice before you speak because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.”
~ Napoleon Hill
Influence and Impact Intensifies Positively Outrageous Service®
Don’t you love being the Sheriff! Where you walk into that situation where what you say and what you do is just right!
You’re on! Your timing is perfect. You walk away from that situation, “did anybody hear me? I was amazing!” You’re a person of influence.
I think it happens all the time. You come in with guns a-blazing with superb solutions, or is the real impact and influence made in the conversations and the connection?
We all want to be influential, where we have the opportunities, where we are instrumental in moving things forward. 
Having that level of impact and influence on the person in front of you leads to world-class customer experiences — Positively Outrageous Service. Service excellence boosts sales. Serving one another creates a united world-class team that creatively works together despite the craziness of our days.
What is it that makes us influential?
Aren’t there times when we miss opportunities that really could have taken us to the next level or taking that experience to the person in front of us through the roof? For instance, when you’re in that situation that you heard 50 times already that day, but you have to go through it one more time.
“Caller Number 108! Can I help you?”
Maybe you’re working with somebody who is having a bad day – and they say through gritted teeth, “yeeeees, I am on board, and I’m a team player.”
Or maybe you’re in that situation where you’re moving the solution a little too fast.
“You know what we should do is …”,
“No”
“Let’s do this.”
“I don’t think you’re hearing what I’m saying”
“Actually, the way I would handle that is this …”
“I don’t think you know my situation …”
Why don’t we …”
Sometimes we think being a person of influence is just having the solution. But you know, when we ride into that situation, and we’re shooting out ideas all the time doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re effective or that we’re influential.
We all work with people who, when they walk into a room, the lights get brighter.
“Love you, love you, love you!”
And then there are some people that when they walk out the lights get brighter.
Think about the time when you were in front of somebody that did their job well; a face-to-face moment, a telephone moment when you were glad you were talking to that specific person. Why did you like that person? Was it because they had the big guns and all the answers? Was it because of their approach? Was it because of their heart? Was it because of the way they made you feel about you?
Consider this, the person that you’re dealing with works behind their eyeballs. They don’t get a chance to see themselves. All they know about themselves and the impact they’re having is from the input they’re getting from the outside world.
The first place we start as a person of influence is to understand that I significantly impact how you see me. The quicker I can let you know that I am for you, that I am actually on your side, the faster we’re going to get past defensiveness and move to a solution. Making a conscious choice to have a heart for somebody is not just an attitude it’s also an approach. It shows up in your tone of voice. It shows up in your face. It shows up in your body language. It shows up in that word that you choose to say.
- Ask yourself, where is my heart in this issue?
- What is my heart towards the person in front of me?
- How am I expressing that to them?
Your Challenge
To get to the heart of real influence, I want you to pay attention to how you’re coming across this week. I want you to go out of your way to have a positively outrageous impact on everyone you meet. The lights get brighter when you enter a room.
Find five people, one a day, to influence. Do something or say something that enhances their self-esteem. Something they’re not expecting that’s positively outrageous. Utilize the three principles of Positively Outrageous Service – any combination of:
- Random and unexpected (from their point of view),
- Out of proportion to the circumstances.
- Playful or fun.
Here’s the secret message. The target should not know that you’re doing it!
“Yes, I’m about to enhance your self-esteem, here’s what I’m about to say!”
– No! Don’t give away the secret mission — do it!
For example, “Here’s what I heard you did that I think is special.”
Bonus Tip: tell them the impact that their behavior or actions had on another.
That would make a nice note to leave on somebody’s desk.
“I know you’re working hard, and I saw it – and this is the impact that you’re having.”
At the heart of being a person of influence is the desire to impact those around you. Why not start with those you work with – with those you live with.
And we invite you to have much fun with this mission.
I know we all want to be that person of influence. We all want to be that hero — to be that good Sheriff — that person that has a tangible impact on the people around us.
Go out of your way to own that influence and
elevate the impact of your Positively Outrageous Service to others!
