Influence and Inspiration 2/21/10

Influence is when one person's words or actions affect another person's words or actions. We influence others by just doing what's right and responsible; by doing this others will see you and want to be like you. You can't demand influence though because a person will only follow by will, which is why you must first earn their respect. Influence is very critical to leadership because you can only lead if people follow, and people will only follow if you influence their lives. You can influence people by being yourself, but if you want to be a positive influence then you must do what's right. Others will notice and will follow, whether you know it or not. Everyday I can earn influence from my teammates by making positive choices (not drinking, drugs, etc.), keeping my grades up, and keep up the positive attitude that I have on the court in school too. And as John Maxwell said, "No matter what anybody else may tell you, remember that leadership is influence-nothing more, nothing less."