The R.A.T. Way of Influence

The shortest and surest way of killing off your influencing skill is by nagging and telling! People automatically put up a barrier of resistance of when they are told what to do. If you rely upon positional authority to exert your influence and hoping to get your subordinates to toe the line - of course they will but their actions will not stem from a heart of loyalty. They will only do what you want when you are constantly "on-their-back" and it stresses you out because you will have to micro-manage their actions.

There is a better way. It is the R.A.T. way of influence -

1. Reflect - Spend time to read and reflect upon your own leadership traits and style. Get feedback and invest effort in a process of self-discovery to know yourself better. Without a thorough understanding of what makes you tick and motivates your behavior, you will merely be reacting instead of responding to situations.
2. Action - Then take action on what you have learnt in the reading and reflection process. Taking action does not mean a total transformation, rather the focus is on consistency and repeatability. Many read but not many translates thoughts into habits. A disconnect between thoughts and behavior is simply known as hypocrisy.
3. Teach - Now, you are in a position to teach and to share with others what they should do. Often, we are too eager to teach! However, if you follow the right sequence of Reflect & Action before Teach, then your teaching will be authentic because you would be one who is already walking the talk in an authentic manner. Followers look for authenticity before they commit their allegiance.

So, are you ready to be a part of this influential R.A.T. race?