TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP SERIES (TLS 57)

Solomon Appiah

ISA 58:12 JUNE 11, 2018

Welcome to the Transformational Leadership Series (TLS). Today we will discuss

Leadership and Influence.

Rick Joyner points out in “Leadership: The Power of a Creative Life”, that there
are three kinds of people in the world:

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP SERIES

1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who watch things happen.
3. Those who wonder what’s happening.

He adds, “Leaders are made from those who know what is happening and are not
content to sit on the sidelines of life and watch others determine their affairs. They
recognize opportunities and seize them with boldness”.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
The U.S. Army Leadership Field Manual defines leadership as, “influencing
people—by providing purpose, direction, and motivation—while operating to
accomplish the mission and improving the organization.” Today’s posting will
focus on influence. In subsequent weeks, we will look at purpose, direction, and
motivation.

MECHANICS OF INFLUENCE?

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines Influence as follows:

In a general sense, influence denotes power whose operation is invisible and

known only by its effects, or a power whose cause and operation are unseen.

To move by physical power operating by unseen laws or force; to affect.

In a cause and effect relationship, the cause and operation of influence is unseen
but its effects are evident. What this means is that, what causes followers to follow
leaders and the process of being influenced to follow is unseen but the effects are
seen.

LEADERSHIP AND INSPIRATION

The cause of influence is inspiration. Influence is derived by inspiring others not

controlling them i.e. ordering them about.

The etymology of inspire (v.) is traced back to mid-14c., enspiren, "to fill (the
mind, heart, etc., with grace, etc.);" also "to prompt or induce (someone to do
something)," from Old French enspirer (13c.), from Latin inspirare "blow into,

To inspire is to "influence or animate with an idea or purpose".

The process of inspiration is unseen, hence the cause and operation of influence
being unseen, but its effects being seen. What inspires followers includes watching
the example of their leaders, their words, their values and way of life.