Influencer... the power to change

by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com

Influencer, the power to change anything, is by many authors (Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler). Their claim to fame is Crucial Conversations and much of Influencer is a continuation of that conversation. Their concept is summarized very well on their website, so a peruse there is beneficial... with principles, examples outlined in quickfast read form. For a quick view
http://www.influencerbook.com/

We all think, observe, draw conclusions and act. To change the world we must change how people behave. We all need to see ourselves as influencers. The way to do this is by focusing on vital behaviors, find these and you are on the road to influence. Find what people do, give them reasons to change what they do.

Use personal, social and structural motivation, add to this mix "abilities" for doing each... change begins. Simply put, discover a few vital behaviors, change those, and "problems will topple like a house of cards."

Their recommendations come out of indepth studies by the five authors.
How do people change their minds.
--people choose their behaviors based on what they think will happen to them as a result.
--many thoughts are incomplete and inaccurate.
--two questions must be answered. "Is it worth it? Can they do the thing?" (So you have motivation with developed abilities. Once they want to, have reasons to, they need to "be able to do" the right things.)
--when it comes to resistant problems, verbal persuasion rarely works.
--the great persuader is personal experience.
--create a surrogate (place to practice) for actual experience.

Stories are great persuaders for changing minds. They increase understanding (with the personal experiences shared and that which others relate to), believing happens as you validate your expertise or right to talk about it. They then plug into emotions. Stories transport a person from critic to the role of participant... to empathize with you.

The six sources of influence to master are personal motivation (1) and ability (2), social motivation (3) and ability (4), and structural motivation (5) and ability (6).

The authors summarize it like this:
At the personal level, connect vital behaviors to intrinsic motives as well as coaching the specifics of each behavior through deliberate practice.
At the group level, social influence has the power to influence, motivate and enable target behaviors.
At the structural level, top performers attach appropriate reward structures, creating a system, process, machinery to support the vital behaviors.

The authors elaborate more, and it is an elaboration. Influencer is not something you hurry through. Here's just a few of their proverbial thoughts on these areas to muse.

Personal Motivation. Make the undesirable desirable.
Immersing in activity can neutralize displeasure. Connect value systems to activity, and show long-term value, reconnect to sense of morality. Motivation's origin is internal. We want to do well, be proud, feel we have accomplished something.

Personal ability. Surpass our limits.
Knowing content and doing it (well and consistently well) are two different things. Skill requires doing it with strategic, deliberate practice within self-discipline. It's the skill in practice that makes perfect with short intervals (baby steps) between feedback (correction or reassurance). Be clear, specific, attainable with emotion management.

Social Motivation. Harness Peer Pressure.
Spend time with formal leaders who influence many... those socially connected and respected. Stimulate public discussion on what needs changed. It's okay to speak out on what's wrong and propose a better way. Social influence can transform negative behaviors. "Give away credit every change you get, there's always plenty left for you."

Social Ability. Find strength in numbers.
Use social capital. The profound enabling power of an essential network of relationships. Groups of varied intellectual levels often perform better than any one individual. Turn "me" problems into "we" problems and social capital will resolve persistent, resistant behaviors. Interdependence shares ideas, lends a hand, collaborates. Our abilities to work in concert gives high yields to social capital.

Structural Motivation. Design rewards and demand accountability.
Reward "vital behaviors" not just results. When wrong behaviors are persistent a wise choice of punishment is appropriate... but you must do this carefully. Punish only when all else fails. And let people know the arrow is coming before you release the bow string.

Structural Ability. Change the environment.
These are non-human influences, tangibles, organizations, and relationships of space that encourage human interaction. Enable behavior to work best where structure, process, procedures open up the way.

You must address all six sources of influence when designing an influence strategy. Stop thinking of influence tools as a buffet, and recognize them as a comprehensive approach to creating systematic, widespread, and lasting change. They all interrelate which requires a unique recipe for each place influence is projected.

Their website has worksheets, a blog of others deliberating practicing the influence skill and more on vital behaviors and strategies for them.
http://www.influencerbook.com/

Those who are servants of the Most High God are established with influence of the Highest level... of Supernatural proportions.

Jesus said God will give us anything we ask for, for building fruit that lasts (John 15:16). When it comes to building His Kingdom, He gives us the influence to do it as well. He said it in the Psalms who are influential. "They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor." (Psalm 112:9, NLT)

This is for all who live to serve His purposes. This influence is through the induction of Spirit in our inner beings. The Holy Spirit comes to live in us and among us. When Jesus said that when we pray we should focus on cleaning our own inner being and come closer to Him. When we do clean our inner being we naturally come closer to Him. We don't have anything standing in our way, which allows the connection to Spirit to be purer, cleaner, not polluted by outside sources.
This purity of flow is where the power is released through us unhindered.

We are also protected.
No one could harm Him until His mission was completed. He influenced many to carry it on until it continued to total completion. Everyone we coach or develop or influence, becomes better than us. Jesus said we were to be better, more influential than Him. Those we influence become more influential than we are. He promised to us the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit He operated under. He said it had the greatest influence of all. This influence is Spiritual. It touches hearts of those we pray for, outside of our direct contact with that person. It convicts people to change their ways when we direct influence in Spirit toward them. It removes the impurities from other lives that we send the Holy Spirit to in our prayers and through the channel of Spirit of Christ.

We are to be the influencers.
"You must influence them; do not let them influence you! (Jeremiah 15:19, NLT)

Spirit moves through all things and transcends all matter and things that could stand in its way. It is the genuine mountain mover. Come to the Kingdom power. It is not words, intellectual arguments and thoughts that persuade people, change and convict hearts. It is Spirit power that changes people.

We have personal access to His Spirit, that lives in and through us. It is only the Holy Spirit that faithfully responds to our calls to Him. Call to God's Spirit and He will rescue, respond to you.

"Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, "Aha! We've got him now!" But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The Lord is great!" As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay." (Psalm 40:13-17, NLT)

He helps the poor and needy to give them His Power, the Greatest Power of Influence. Regardless of your position on earth, He can give you the Influence from Above... the Supernatural Power of Spirit. He can influence those of great position on earth, those with great wealth, those of great influence in their constituency.

Spirit controls the most powerful.
Spirit is the ultimate power, that influences all other powers.
We have this at our beckoning call.

"He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord's delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and blessed your children within your walls. He sends peace across your nation and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat. He sends his orders to the world— how swiftly his word flies! He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold? Then, at his command, it all melts. He sends his winds, and the ice thaws." (Psalm 147:10-18, NLT)

He answers prayers with power that exceeds man's... to change minds, transform behaviors, renovate cultures. The Holy Spirit is the great Renewer of all things.
The Influencer of influencers is the Holy Spirit.

You can transport into this power. We can rest in this, remain kind and loving even to hostile situations. We flow in His Power for forging ahead for us, for His calling in our lives, for the great pleasures within His Spirit.

He grants the cries of our hearts... success, influence comes through Spirit Power
that's at work in us and for our behalf.