Whether you work with two people or 2,000 people, influence is a key leadership skill. Some might even say influence is synonymous with leadership. In this episode, Akua helps you recognize the importance of leveraging your influence and the role of self-reflection and communication in the process.

This episode is for you if you're a first-time manager, an established leader, or just feeling invisible in your current work environment.

Listen as Akua dives into the four pillars of influence: power, emotions, acumen, and non-verbal signals/visuals. You'll learn about each and identify one pillar you may want to improve upon to take your leadership skills to the next level.

Highlights in this episode:

• Akua talks about the ways to increase your power, including being able to adapt, empathize, and be open to listening.
• Learn the difference between the power approach and the influence approach and why good leaders know when to use which.
• Strong leadership requires empathy; one way to practice is to cultivate your own self-awareness.
• To wield influence, one must be able to apply skills and knowledge effectively and in the right way, i.e., acumen.
• Realize you are always communicating, even if you're not talking.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Ep 71: A Remarkable 2022 and What’s Up Next
• Five Steps to Become More Confident and Assertive
• Power versus Influence
• Understand the 4 Components of Influence
• What Great Leaders Know About Influence
• Influencing Styles and How to Use Them

If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.

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Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking