You can influence : 4 ways to be influential !

Few days back I got an opportunity of delivering  a lecture in one of the reputed colleges. The topic was regarding preparation of civil services examination. Interacting with aspirants is really very interesting experience, you teach a lot and you learn a lot. Specially question-answers session followed by lecture is very much essential as it directly reflects the impact of lecture. But I have observed that many of the listeners, despite having number of questions in mind, don't ask them, probably out of peer tension. So I always share my email id, cell number with all and surprisingly everytime the number of questions I get through texts, emails are much more than those asked immediately after the lecture. 

Recently I get a very interesting question from one of such audiences. The question reads as follows - " Sir, how can I become influential person in my group?" Initially I laughed a bit but very soon I understood the ingenuity of the question. Isn't it the fact that everyone of us wants to be influential, powerful?

So here I'm sharing the four fold strategy of becoming influential. (Disclaimer- this is not the formula or motivational write up like you can win etc. This is just an attempt to go deeper into the human psychology and formulate some strategy )

1.Be well read and keep your inputs broad based- If you feel that your group , your organisation, your friends should listen and follow you, then you must be very much updated and must know all the important trends in the field concerned. Otherwise you won't be able to contribute positively and give innovative solutions. And in this 'knowledge world', nobody listens to the cliche solutions.

2. Influence yourself - Before you want to influence others, it is essential that you yourself  be convinced by your own thoughts, principles, acts etc. When you yourself gets influenced by your own, take it as an indication that others will certainly be influenced. Many a times, say in a group discussion etc. ,people just talk for the sake of talking and even they are confused about the point they are making. The conviction in your own speech will make your way smoother.

3.Listen, Listen, Talk (LLT) - LLT formula says that any good leader must listen at least double what she speaks. Ironically enough, in the popular parlance it is assumed that one must talk a lot to influence others. In fact majority of the top bureaucrats, leaders, activists talk very little. Listening others will automatically connect you with others and it will create trust about you that you will consider them as well while making decisions in future.

4.Walk the talk - This is the most important stage. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela never wrote big books, never delivered long speeches but still are considered to be the most influential persons. The reason is simply that they walk their talk. 

This is just the broad overall framework and individual discretion is welcome.