There are many factors in life that help to mould who we are as people. Some of them are environmental, some come from our own experiences, but sometimes it can be the acts of others that influence us both positively and negatively. But what does it mean to be a positive influence? Are people born with traits that make them inherently positive influences or is it something that can be learnt?
Influences
Various aspects of your life will mould you in some way, with any number of people influencing you and your decisions, whether it is consciously or subconsciously. People who could fill this role could range anywhere from parents, teachers and public figures to friends and siblings. Sometimes with friends it can be more akin to peer pressure so in some cases you may be negatively influenced into doing things you feel uncomfortable with, although in some cases the opposite might be true. Parents and teachers can offer guidance and point you in the right direction as you grow up, whilst your bosses take on that role when you move into the workplace.
Positive influence traits
When looking at positive influences it is important to think about what we see in these people that cause us to follow their lead. Are there any specific attributes that would make someone seem like a more positive influence than others and how would we define them? Below we have detailed some traits that lend themselves to influential leaders.
- Effective communication — This helps to understand what is going on around you but with effective communication someone who is a positive influence will know what to say at the right time. They also know how to get a positive reaction out of people with well thought out responses
- Open mindedness — Being willing to accept different ideas to your own can be of great benefit as others sometimes have a greater insight than you do. This gives you the ability to see things from another perspective and be more adaptable
- Optimism — Having a positive outlook and ‘seeing the glass half full’ can help to positively influence others, whether it is in business or your personal life. By being optimistic, people around you are more likely to persevere and work harder
- Honesty — Being honest with yourself and others shows that you are more open with others and means that people are more likely to trust you. It works the other way too as you are far more likely to trust and be associated with people who display honesty compared to those who are dishonest. If you feel someone is being deceitful, it could negatively influence decision making and how other people are perceived as you can never be sure if there is an ulterior motive in play
- Humility — Being willing to accept criticism or accept when you might be wrong can help you to be a positive influence. Showing that you can accept others’ opinions will help in the long run as people will be more willing to offer ideas and be more collaborative in future
Potential impact
Your influences, whether they are positive or negative, will impact on your life in some way. It could be something purely superficial, such as which brand of clothing to buy, but someone will have influenced that decision somewhere along the line. Positive influences can have that impact on our lives, guiding us in our decision making in the hope it serves us well. Think back to when you were at school and you would go to a careers advisor to ask for advice. In this scenario, the careers advisor will hopefully influence your decision about what you do when you leave school ,offering advice on what the best course of action would be. This kind of influence could be positive as it could point you in the right direction for your future. The same could go for your parents as they will try to nurture traditional positive values throughout your childhood in the hope it will have some impact on your path in life. Couple this with your experiences at schools with your teachers and some of the habits that are picked up from friends, as well as what you teach them, then there are an abundance of influences that affect your life.
In conclusion
People are not just born as positive influences but more formed by their experiences. Parents and teachers do have a role to play as people will copy behaviours that they have observed and it is through this that people start to have an impact. These are the people that you tend to look towards whenever you need help or advice as they have had such a positive role in shaping your life that you inherently trust them.
Written by Scott Fitzpatrick
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