I see "influencers" everywhere

Take a look in the mirror and you will see an "influencer" too. In one way or another all of us influence other people every day throughout our lives. In our modern tech-enhanced world the potential scale and reach of influence has taken on epic proportions. But what does this have to do with leading a team of people? Turn back to the mirror. Who does that person looking back at you have the potential to influence every day? Is your influence intended or unintended? Is it uplifting or disheartening?

Obviously, we influence our partner, our children, other family members, and friends. We even influence strangers who might see us pick up some discarded litter in the street on our way to work and bin it, and think to themselves, "I should do that too." And then you get to work...you have hours of influence ahead of you, both intended and unintended.

As an "official", titled leader of people our power to influence is hugely magnified. We need to see this as a significant responsibility. I don't just mean in our capacity to demonstrate a high work ethic or our alignment with the corporate values and vision. I mean the potential we have to influence people's experience of life at work through how we behave, speak and engage with them. The best corporate gift you can ever give your people is a workplace and a team that uplifts them, that makes their day and inspires them to come back tomorrow because it feels good.

Some "small but big" things that will help us positively influence our team environment:

• Acknowledge our team members every day, greet them and ask them how they are (even when we are not okay). Employees may not mention it when team leaders do this, but they most definitely notice when they don't.

• Avoid disparaging others to our team members, most of them won't feel comfortable with this, they need us to be leading the way in developing and nurturing positive relationships.

• Don't pretend we're perfect and that nothing ever bothers us and by that I'm not suggesting we bare our souls and voice every self-doubt or lingering worry we've ever had. Team members will feel more affinity with us and less pressured to appear perfect themselves if they know we know we're "only human".

• Do what we say we are going to do! Sounds simple but it's surprising how many leaders do not do this consistently well. A leader that day-in and day-out follows through and does what they say they are going to do, and also gets back to people, creates an environment where people feel valued and secure. When people feel like this, they can put their focus and energy into getting the job done.

"Leadership is influence." - John Maxwell