day 812: The Influencers - Part 2, The Bad Guys

"Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God."

The power of the influencers is quite awesome in today's business world. Twice last week I heard/read this question:

"Are you best off:

1. Getting 3 minutes on CNN.

2. Getting published in the Sunday Opinion section of the "New York Times" and having your column reach #6 on the most emailed list.

3. Having "a guest post you wrote, published on the blog of someone else who has a large readership?"

And the answer is #3."

According to what I read, having Tim Ferris (author of the Four Hour Work Week) say something good was the only promotion that significantly pushed up the book of author Michael Ellsberg, from #1,295 to #45 on Amazon best seller list.

The power of influencers is here to stay.

What we have to watch for is also the power of the negative influencers. In this age of 140 characters I find it easier to say something negative, be cynical, or pithy than it is to say something good and then say why. If this is true, then we need to watch even more closely what the influencers are saying and feeling about our businesses.

It's sad, but true, that our human nature makes it so easy for us to say something bad about someone else. We do it all the time and then wish we could pull back those words, but it is too late. Negative influence is cancerous and goes around the office too fast. But, we can be the blockers and change that if we desire. We are told in 3 John that "those who do evil prove that they do not know God". Wow. When we don't do or say the right things we are actually telling (and influencing) others that we are ones who don't know God. This is dangerous territory if we understand and realize that our influence can carry far beyond what we think possible. Let's consider and sit with this today and be sure that we aren't getting swept up in the bad stuff that is swirling around us but instead breaking out of the cycle to stand up for what is right and good.

Reference: 3 John 1:11 (New Living Testament)

day 581: Associations

Any good recruiter or hiring manager knows that the best form of recruiting is to get a referral from someone who is really good. If someone who is really good refers them then that means that the person being referred will likely be good too. It is why social sites such as LinkedIn have become so important to recruiters because a social graph is being exposed that can tell us who is associated with whom. It works. Associations with others can have powerful, impacting and long-lasting influences on us. Our parents were always concerned about this weren't they? Who we associated with would have influence and bearing on how we conducted ourselves and behaved, or didn't. Even today, with whom we associate is important as they rub off on us and us on them. If we are with generally up, positive and uplifting attitude-minded people then it becomes really hard to be down when with that crowd. Vice-versa is also true. If we hang and associate with those who see the world and life in negative terms then we can find ourselves being pulled down and becoming just as negative. So, we should choose carefully and deliberately our associations. In Proverbs 22:24 we read; "Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul." There you have it. We need to be very cognizant of the influences upon us if we are to keep the attitude and example that we know we want to keep. Think about this today. Where you are putting yourself in attitudinal harm's way, rethink those associations and consider a change or pattern to ensure that you are not being pulled down. It might be that if you do that, others around you at work start coming to associate with you because you are the uplifting one now.

Reference: Proverbs 22:24 (New Living Testament)