The Power of Positive Influence

We affect each other in our relationships, even at work. Or you could say, especially at work. And each day you bring with you to work a potential to influence other people. You bring the potential to create harmony, whether you know it or not. As a leader, you need to become very aware of how you impact others. Sometimes the things that you say or do to your co-workers affect them in subtle ways. You may not even realize it, but your influence has power.

A recently placed candidate shared her past employment experience which sheds some light on this pattern. She spoke about how her ex-boss rarely said positive comments to his staff, but when he did it was only in private in his office. The time that he spent on the floor of the job site was spent complaining about his employees, publicly bringing attention to their faults in front of their peers, and clients. She was devastated, humiliated, and demoralized. “He never knew how much he influenced all of us, and never understood how damaging his influence was. And then he wonders why morale is so low.”

If you supervise or manage even one or two employees, then you have been given a serious responsibility, and the responsibility for the morale of your team sits squarely on your shoulders. Here are three ways to improve the mood and morale of your staff.

1. Highlight Accomplishment

When an employee does something worthy, bring it to their attention. It’s beneficial to do this regularly and informally. It could be as simple as a comment that recognizes their effort and performance. It’s also great to hold an annual ceremony or quarterly lunch that recognizes their achievements. You can harness the power of social influence to shape the premise of what is accepted as strong performance. Highlight these awards stories in your company newsletter and include the team member’s thoughts and comments who have earned the recognition so they can share what they did to receive the award. This makes a great training moment, and inspires co-workers to stretch beyond their reach.

2. Outlook is Everything

As the leader, it’s important that you keep a positive and optimistic outlook. Your mood is the thermostat of the team’s attitude, and everyone looks to you to see how to gauge it. If you face a grave circumstance within your company or on the job site, offer encouragement and hope to your colleagues and co-workers. If something positive occurs, share the joy and elation as well.

3. Understand Your Influence

Understand how much power your influence really carries. An arrogant rolling of the eyes, a careless word, and a rude remark can point your team in the direction of apathy and eventually the exit door. Each contact that you have with a member of your team will either add to or take away from the interdependent nature of your relationship.

The entire culture of your organization can be shaped and molded through the power of your influence that you wield as a leader. Take care to influence it in a positive way.

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