The Mental Model to Grow Your Influence
Influence, something that we all want. Some openly, some secretly. Some knowingly and some unknowingly. The prospect of influence is something that we can’t deny. It’s human nature.
But the word Influence has a bad rep. Over the years of manipulation, social stigmatization, exertion of unnecessary power, has mostly a mnemonic of a bad side of the influence coin.
Can there be another way? What might be the good side of the influence paradigm?
Can we both improve us, improve others — as well as grow our Influence at the same time?
The Mental Model that I vouch for is what has been suggested by John David Mann and Bob Burg in their famous book “The Go Giver.”
What is the Model?
“The Law of Influence is Determined by Your Ability to Put Other People’s Interest First”
Seems like a great idea. It is hard enough to put other people’s enough first, as we are mostly self-interested. Tom spends his time with his girlfriend not just to Jenna happy, it makes him happy as well.
Or does it?
What if spending time with Jenna only makes Jenna happy, for Tom it doesn’t? Should Tom still continue doing that?
According to our law of influence, it seems so. But I suggest a modification to the law.
“The Law of Influence is Determined by Your Ability to Put Other People’s Interest First, but only if it is a collaboration between the two.”
Why?
Collaborating with people is helpful because, at the end of the day, you are content with it. When you are collaborating,it opens you up to new possibilities. You are already filtering out the people who are just takers.
In an idealistic world, you can be a giver and not expect anything. But in reality, there exists both the giver and the taker in you. Tom and Jenna’s relationship will die young, if they don’t know how to collaborate. Surely, the influence of the giver would increase, but to no vain.
If you take a look at the book “Give and Take” by Adam Grant or the highly coveted “7 habits of the highly effective people” by Dr. Steven Covey, both of them say the same thought, but in different meanings. they both emphasize on how humans can not just give but they need to be reciprocated as well to sustain themselves, whether it is mental or physical, and how thinking win-win translates into synergy and greater impact.
The law of influence along with collaboration introduces you to some incredible people. People that will inspire you to create better, to work harder, to provide the best value you can possibly provide to your partner.
Collaborate. It’s good for the soul.
Let’s talk business this time.
Let’s say I have 1,000 followers and you have 1,000 followers.
We create a podcast together. I share it on my page and tag you. You share it on your page and tag me. What happens?
Together we create an impact on 2,000 people.
Those people will then come over to your page (or from your page to my page), check out the content, and decide whether or not they want to follow — and some do, because they liked what they saw, and are interested in seeing more.
So, what does Collaboration give to the giver?
Not just the ability to put other’s interest first, collaborations are the most effective way to grow your Influence — and your credibility.
Same goes for any industry, any niche, anywhere. It is not a tactic. It is a rule of life. For centuries, whether business, whether academics, whether social work, people have been creating greater impact when the foundation is based on collaboration.
How you do this?
Start small. Start with other people who have similar size followings as you. I regularly do this with my Digging Deep Podcast. I regularly find inspiring people in business, academia, or any kind of venture who are doing great work, and I ask them if they want to collaborate, join me for a exciting conversation about their journey. Many said yes, and that’s how I am eventually growing my work.
You need to aim for who is within a few thousand of you, and then climb your way up.
Makes sense?
Awesome. First order of business: Make a list (Google Docs are great) of people in your niche that are actively growing their followings and have a similar sized audience as you. Then, reach out like crazy. Explain to them the mutual benefit of helping each other grow, and see who responds positively.
Do this consistently with determination. You will grow. I am. Why not you?
