The 3 Paths of Influence and Power
Tips for making the world a better place, one step at a time
Let’s talk about our external lives as they revolve around social and business relationships as well as physical “Spaces” and environments.
These relationships are always in flux.
As I’ve got older, I’ve come to understand that people do not remain the same over time, and neither do the spaces they are immersed in.
There are external circumstances and influences that affect them. People often feel that there are rules they should somehow follow to help them connect with others, and yet they don’t know exactly what they should be doing or how they should be doing it. This is why game-based strategic thinking is so important.
Some of us have poor communication skills. Others are intensely focused on our ambitions and personal difficulties and, as a result, we do not know how to stay focused on social responsibilities. What is the key to creating social connection and influence? Common Interests!
What is the key to creating social connection and influence? Common Interests!
When individuals focus on common interests their attention and the interaction between them will naturally flow to present and future interests, and away from perceived obstacles, past regrets, and trauma in the material world as well as in various altered states of consciousness.
Certain types of influence have a magical quality. Like the master musician who can shift your emotions the mentalist who seems to know your thoughts, or the sleight-of-hand artist who can pull a rabbit out of a hat, the master of influence can recognize an individual’s chosen reality — his or her story. With an individual’s or audience’s permission (This is about ethics of course), the person of influence (as well as the Noble Trickster) can divert attention away from this story and bring it elsewhere while the magician in plain sight — yet unseen to the one about to be fooled — changes something in ways that seem unbelievable.
Whether it is moving the hands of a watch, reading someone’s thoughts, sawing a woman in half, making all the cards in a deck appear to be the same card, or making someone have an aversion to cigarettes or overeating, it is all sleight of hand or as my teacher’s always liked to say “a sleight of mind.”
Some people are critical of the use of influence. They feel it is an unethical type of manipulation. However, just as a magician should not be confused with a pickpocket — a person who can make your wallet disappear from your pocket while you are unaware — a true master of influence is no thief or con man. He or she looks to serve, and so in the end, whatever shift that has been created in the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours of a receiver is ultimately to that receiver’s benefit.
Question?
1. Who have been the three biggest influencers in your life?
2. How do you think you are most easily influenced at this time in your life?
3. How do you think you most influence others? (Choose One Below).
a. Charisma? b. Intellect c. Create Intentional Rapport? d. Feed off the greed or envy of others? e. Power?
As we explore the various aspects of power and influence, it is important to remember we all create stories about who we are to give meaning to our experiences. It has been noted that reality is, essentially, the stories we have created. Interestingly, different people will create different stories, though the same event happened at the same time to both of them. This is a reflection of the truth that one person’s reality is another person’s illusion.
To achieve and maintain business success, you must have an understanding of power and influence.
Influence is a general term used to describe any event or process where one entity (be it a person, corporation, government, religion, media organization, etc.) can change either directly or indirectly another entity’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviours. Where there is power, change is precipitated. With human beings, this change will generally take place concerning a belief, an attitude, the possession of physical wealth, and/or the use of influence in its various forms.
Much of what we recognize as power and influence is the understanding and the application of efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. Today, AI can define these more specifically.
Most people seek to be efficient when possible — produce the greatest result, at the lowest cost, with the greatest comfort — and thus are only willing to think enough to meet the minimum thought required in a situation. The ability to create discomfort for such a person will cause them to shift their position. This is the power to stimulate action and is one way in which master influencers do what they do without needing to play around with subconscious trance states or hypnosis techniques. To effectively influence and persuade a person for the long term even if it is in a way in a way they have no interest in being influenced requires the ability to create discomfort for them. When this takes place, they will instinctively move away from said discomfort unless they get pleasure from discomfort. That is a complex conversation for another time..
One of the great skills of the best game theory influencers is that they can observe the non-verbal behaviour of others, particularly those they intend to influence. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to observe from a distance what makes another person uncomfortable.
Our discomfort is often tied to our perceptions of ourselves. A person in possession of real influence knows that we are all limited or empowered not by our experiences alone, but by the stories we create about these experiences. We create different life stories for a variety of reasons, some within our control and others not. We may be personally influenced by our gender, religious beliefs, age, and cultural background. The popular motivational author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia defined six stages in a person’s development. These stages are infancy, childhood adolescence, maturity, intimacy, and old age.
We can explore each of these concerning how we mature emotionally and spiritually.
The 3 Paths of Influence and Power
In all human interactions, there are multiple, isolating, and conflicting areas, as well as shared, compatible points of interest and agreement. We also share areas of general rapport that are ultimately essential elements for creating the type of environment where power and influence may be effectively applied.
The Takeaway
When you observe or study history what you are for the most part studying is the power of persuasion. Persuasion reflects the use of power.
1. Power is the means to force change.
2. One form of persuasion is to deliberately attempt to change an attitude through communication.
3. Those who seek power and influence must be masters of persuasion, for by having this mastery one can change an attitude and by doing so more easily drive behaviour.
This story is an excerpt from my course “How to Become Really Wealthy”
©Lewis Harrison, all rights reserved.
Here are a few positive stories in a similar vein
@LewisCoaches
Before you go…
I am Lewis Harrison, a successful entrepreneur, and advisor to philanthropists. I am also the award-winning author of over twenty books on business, leadership, personal growth, and strategic thinking. For over a decade, I was the producer and host of the show “What’s Up” on NPR-affiliated WIOX FM in New York.
Now, aside from writing on Medium, and connecting personally with my readers, I teach seminars and speak on personal development, and life strategies throughout the world.
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