Recently, I was at a conference in which Phil Cooke spoke. I had heard of Phil before, but I didn’t know a lot about him. He’s actually a writer, producer, media consultant, and perhaps the Christian media’s biggest critic. Although, he’s quick to point out, he criticizes because he loves.
On the third day of the conference, Phil talked about six qualities every great influencer has. Check out the list and see how you stack up.
- Influencers have ambition.
Ambition, a strong desire to achieve something. I think most of us have ambition, yet sometimes life has a way of beating it out of us. Before we know it we’re spending our time sitting on the couch watching Netflix and eating cheese puffs. Influencers push through the pull of becoming average.
- Influencers are ruthless about their time.
God has given each of us 24 hours a day, no more, no less. Influencers have a way of making the most out of the time they’ve been given. They’re not sleeping in, and they’re not spending their time playing video games, they’re trying to impact the world.
- Influencers establish a creative routine.
Creative and routine may not be two words you’d expect to see together, but the fact is those who accomplish the most are those who do the same thing day after day. Influencers find out what works for them, then they stick to a schedule.
- Influencers develop a real skill.
Just as Seth Godin wrote in his book The Dip, influencers realize it’s better to be the best at one thing, than it is to be average at a bunch of different things. Once they find out what their one thing is, they spend their time developing that skill.
- Influencers take responsibility.
The world is full of people who can point out how they’ve been done wrong, or who did them wrong. Many of them never get over this. Influencers on the other hand don’t cast blame anywhere else except themselves. They own it, then they move on and are better for it.
- Influencers know how to focus.
The amount of information available to you on any given day is incredible. Many of us spend hours online or in front of our tv. Lack of focus, leads to a lack of influence. Those making a difference are those who can focus on what’s most important.
I’d love to know your thoughts on this list and how your influencing those around you. Let us know in the comments below, and if you haven’t already make sure to subscribe to the blog to get tips on church growth, leadership, and more delivered straight to your inbox.
