The Gift of Influence: Creating Life-Changing and Lasting Impact in Your Everyday Interactions

by Tommy Spaulding

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Heart-Led Leader comes an empowering manifesto on how to use influence to “make a real difference in the lives of those you interact with at work, in your home, and wherever you may roam” (Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager )

“Tommy Spaulding has such a profound gift for storytelling and for collecting wonderful people and experiences.”—Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers

Researchers estimate that the average person will influence up to eighty thousand people over the course of their lifetime—or 2.8 people daily. That’s a stadium full of people each of us affects in ways positive or negative, sometimes without our realizing. What if we paid attention to this fact? Would we live differently? Would we lead differently? Would we put down our phones and be more present with the people in front of us?

Tommy Spaulding believes the answer is yes. In this compelling and deeply personal book, Spaulding explores how we can be more mindful and effective in wielding the influence that each of us has over others—in our careers, our everyday interactions, and the relationships we cultivate throughout our lives. Sharing stories from exceptional leaders—from entrepreneurs who have made an impact far beyond their businesses to a teacher who changed the lives of thirty-six students with a simple classroom lesson—Spaulding gives us a simple recipe for leading a life that matters, including 

• the power of asking “What’s your story?”
• the secret to turning transactions into true interactions
• showing up meaningfully for people in need instead of saying “Let me know how I can help.”

For business leaders, educators, parents—everyone who works with people— The Gift of Influence is an essential read on the daily actions that add up to a meaningful life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership, Personal Growth

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[BookOfCinz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think they should have changed the title for this one. This book is basically a collection of stories about people doing good deeds, which is fine but.... not the book I signed up to read.

[Patrick Tullis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please do not waste money on this book. It’s just the author telling stories about his life and all the wonderful people. There is barely anything at all in this book about leadership. It could be boiled down into a 2 page pamphlet. The author’s theory is that being kind and helping others will give you a happy, fulfilling life. I believe that to be true but you don’t need a two hundred page book to extrapolate that theory.
The author and people in the book seem lovely and I hold no ill will towards them. However, this book is not worth your time or money.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gift of Influence is about understanding the power we have— in every interaction and situation—to make a difference, and then how we can do so positively and meaningfully. Driven by heartwarming and inspiring stories, readers realize their power of influence to create change in their communities, social spheres, and other individual lives. A lasting and positive influence, Spaulding explains, is the legacy we leave.

My biggest takeaways are:

* The image of 80,000 people in a stadium—all of them people you’ve influenced in interactions big and small—and how they are receiving you in a final goodbye.
* The newfound desire to write thank you notes.
* Make someone’s day, knowing that it is a power we all have.
* The intention to make someone smile.
* Look for opportunities to be kind and do so without expecting anything in return.
* Write down every promise you make to people and keep them.
* Be intentional and specific about helping others who are going through a difficult time.
* Invest time in someone and be consistent about it.
* Use words responsibly.
* Relationships are the key to a happy life.


I recommend to readers who have ever read a self-help book that was super formal and/or impartial and didn’t exactly enjoy it. Well, this book is for those that cry reading books like Chicken Soup for the Soul or never forget an anecdote. If you are looking for a quick read that may change your perspective or habits in life for the better, this is a great one.

[Tony Almodovar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tommy Spaulding is masterful in his book laying out what it takes to be an influential figure personally and professionally. Really it comes down to serving others without expecting anything in return and we all have the ability to make a difference if we choose to.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. Self-aggrandizing memoirs but not a guidance book.

[Kevin Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interest, Investment, Intent

[linsie thielke · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was my first experience with a book like this but I was so pleased. I think this is a book that honestly everyone would benefit from reading. realistically this would probably be a 4.5 because I could only read one or two chapters at a time before it felt like I was reading the same thing over and over. overall I felt like I gained some new perspectives and learned a lot from this book.

[Jake Jex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four core traits: the ability to Lift, Embrace, Act, and Devote themselves to others, to LEAD

Interest, investment, and intent = three i’s of influence

It’s not about being the best player, it’s about being the best person.
He’ll make the weakest player realize that they are strong

Embracing means seeing and valuing someone for more than the service they provide you

Be curious about other people, but never ask anything in return

Be an Angel investor. Be willing to invest time and effort into others without expecting anything in return. The gift of influence lasts forever

Make someone’s day: find someone that you would normally transact with and make their day unforgettable with a simple gesture, genuine interaction

Everyday has the power to dramatically influence the life of a random stranger, choose to use it

Everyday someone is counting on you to simply show up, even if you aren’t at your best. You can show someone you really love them when you choose to show up for them

Follow through on your promises. You don’t have to go above and beyond just stay true to your word and take responsibility for your words

When you give money, when you volunteer your time, as soon as you tell someone about it, it’s no longer a gift, it’s a tax deduction.

Let others brag about your generosity
Sometimes the most important sacrifice you can make is your pride.

A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.

Leaders eat last

You can’t live and positively influence the lives of others unless you love and positively influence yourself

If everything is important then nothing is

[Danielle Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s kind of giving Bob Goff, not as much my favorite though. Favorite quotes:
“Be curious about other people, but never ask for anything in return. Your endgame should never be self serving.”
“True influencers are obsessively interested in the people around them”
“If you just keep showing up, whether you set a record or not, you stand out - because people can count on you. Just show up.”
“If you aren’t present in the lives of others, how can you expect to have a positive influence on them?”

[Allison Gahafer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. And the overall premise I did like.

The one thing I didn’t like, all the stories that had to do with the author, with his actions. It felt like he was telling story after story about his great works and influence.

I would have preferred a collection of stories of others, how influence looks in the lives of many.

[Jim Cummings · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book started off good but I got really tired of it after about 100 pages. The author just kept talking about himself the whole time and it felt like there was an “I” or “me” in every other sentence. Just couldn’t do it anymore after 100 pages.

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very performative and very “me” focused.

[Joyal James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you think the eighty thousand people in your stadium will remember how you successfully won them over to your way of thinking? Probably not. They’ll be cheering because you helped them become better parents, spouses, siblings, managers, and leaders. They’ll remember how you inspired them to become better human beings. They’ll remember the times when you loved and served them. They will be cheering because you authentically invested in them. It took me half a lifetime to understand that it’s not what you can get out of those eighty thousand people—it’s what you give to those eighty thousand people.

I started to cry. I told Tate that in his nine years, I’d never been prouder of him. “Remember when you asked me what it means to be a captain?” I said. “It’s not about being the best player; it’s about being the best person. You helped the weakest player on your team realize he was strong.”

Mahatma Gandhi once said that “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

“Sure, some people start nonprofits and donate buildings for the world to see. Maybe they have a great legacy, maybe they don’t. But you’ve poured everything into our relationship. You’ve literally changed my life. You’ve had more of an influence on me than any other person on the planet. That is legacy. Leaving a legacy means you’ve made the life of another person better. I would never have started my charity and helped all those kids if you hadn’t supported me every step of the way. You invested in me, and all the good I’ve done is as much your legacy as it is mine.”

Imagine walking down the street knowing that at any moment, you could dramatically influence the life of a complete stranger. Everyone has this power, if only we choose to use it. Here’s a great way to start small: give a stranger a compliment.

They follow the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who once said, “A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” These leaders plant seeds and cultivate sprawling influence trees. They may go on to great accomplishments themselves, but they measure their success by how well they develop future leaders. And their legacy never stops growing.

A few years ago, a friend of mine—we’ll call her Sue for privacy—told me an unbelievable love story that speaks to the heart of influence. She got engaged to her college sweetheart—we’ll call him Mark—right after they graduated. The following fall she enrolled at Harvard Business School. She had a grueling course load, and during the semester she became close with a classmate, Dave. They spent long hours together studying for exams, doing group projects, and sharing late-night meals. Soon Sue and Dave were something more than friends; they were having an emotional affair. Wracked with guilt, Sue finally came clean to Mark. Most guys would get angry and maybe scream terrible words. Maybe they’d break off the engagement or try to beat the other guy up. Instead, this is what Mark said: “He really must be a special guy if you have feelings for him. I’d like to meet him. Why don’t you invite him over for dinner?” I literally gasped when she told me that. Mark swallowed his pride and made his rawest, most heartfelt intention clear: he wanted Sue to be happy, no matter what—even if that meant her being with someone else. As you can probably imagine, the dinner was awkward. Yet Mark was a total gentleman—calm, polite, and understanding. Dave, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was rude, arrogant, and cocky. By the end of the night, Sue realized she had made a terrible mistake, and she fell in love again with the humble man whose reaction to her missteps was to be kind. Fast-forward twenty-five years, and Sue and Mark are happily married with a beautiful family. When I heard this story, I couldn’t help but think back all those years ago to my dinner with my host family in Bratislava, when I learned that sometimes leaders must literally eat last. But Mark showed me what it looks like to “eat last” in a bigger sense. In the end, Mark is a guy who could put Sue’s interests above his own, even when every instinct was screaming at him to do the opposite, even when it was unfair. He ate last of the dish of pride and sacrificed his ego when it mattered most. And it was that indelible influence that created one of the most rock-solid marriages I’ve ever known.

You can’t love and positively influence the lives of others until you love and learn to care for yourself. What if we applied that lesson to life? What if we spent a little more time prioritizing our own needs so that we might better serve others in the future? It might sound counterintuitive and even selfish, but imagine a life in which you have more time, more happiness, and more energy to make a greater impact on the lives of others.

[Jaron Dunford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes from The Gift of Influence:

I heard about a recent study showing that the average person will influence 80,000 people in their lives positively or negatively.

I heard about a recent study showing that the average person will influence 80,000 people in their lives positively or negatively. If you divide 80,000 by the average life expectancy 78 years you get 1025 people impacted per year or 2.8 daily every single day two or three people are filtering into your stadium and preparing to cheer you on Boo you off the field or sit there trying to figure out who you are you can choose to be a good influence or you can choose to be a bad one it's that simple will your stadium be filled with 80,000 cheers or jeers. the choice is yours.

Do you think the 80,000 people in your stadium will remember how successful you won them over to your way of thinking? Probably not. They'll be cheering because you helped them become better parents spouses siblings managers and leaders. They remember how you inspired them to become better human beings. They'll remember the times when you loved and served them. They'll be cheering because you authentically invested in them. It took me half a lifetime to understand that it's not what you get out of those 80,000 people it's what you give to those 80,000 people.

Lead stands for lift, embrace, act, and devote.

Being a captain on the team is not about being the best player, it's about being the best person.

I've learned three things about curiosity over the years:
#1 everyone has a story.
#2 people are willing to share their story if asked in authentic way.
#3 to have a positive influence on the lives of others, we need to take the time to learn about them.

Turn transactions into interactions

Kindness isn't normal period is that what we've become? The hundreds of people who walked by helga balled her eyes out probably wouldn't consider themselves unkind. They have families and jobs, and they do good things every single day for the people they love. But a stranger crying alone in the airport? We look away and keep walking. Ever since that experience, Houston has been on the lookout for helgas for the little opportunities that surround me every day to practice making kindness my default setting.

Every time I speak I start off with the same question from my audience, who wants to have a negative influence on the lives of others? Not a single person has ever raised their hand period of course not what kind of jerk tries to be a bad boss. Fantastic i tell my audience period you want to be a good leader that's the first step period you get to decide that you want to be a positive influence at every level of your organization period unfortunately that's about where your choices end period you get to decide the kind of influence you want to have on others comma but you don't get to decide the influence you do have on others. Your followers decide.

The brain is like Velcro for negative negative experiences, but Teflon for positive experience. Doctor John gottman and Robert Levinson from the 1970s found that for every negative interaction a relationship requires 5 positive ones to make up for it.

Tina works at a Hospice center caring for terminally ill cancer patients. When I asked Tina the most important thing she learned in her work, she paused for a few minutes before explaining that many of her patients have no family left. She takes tremendous pride and pride in bathing them helping them dress and tending to their medical needs. But her most important lesson came from listening to their stories and simply being a witness to their final days. The most important thing I've learned Tina continued is 3 questions my patients all ask:
Was I loved?
Did I love back?
Did I make a contribution.
These are the questions my patients ask me over and over. That is their legacy, and it is my job to learn as much about them as i can and reassure them and bring them peace before they pass on you have no idea how grateful i am to them. I can ask myself these questions now while there's still time left to make a difference.

[John Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gift of Influence, by Tommy Spaulding; Currency: New York; $27.00 hardback

Life can be problematic at best. Such difficulties can be greatly alleviated if you are, or work for, a 'servant-leader'. This concept is outstandingly illustrated in ‘The Gift of Influence’. Tommy Spaulding, founder and president of his eponymous Leadership Institute, and formerly CEO of ‘Up with People’, captures first your imagination. He explains how our lives could be so much better if certain principles of leadership were followed. Then he shows how the world can truly be remade a better place, with a different understanding of what leadership means, indeed what servant-leadership entails. We see a new way to influence and thus motivate people for concrete, lasting good.
Spaulding can tell a story. To illustrate his points, he draws on a plethora of captivating examples. The reason his proposals ring true is that we've all experienced his examples. He demonstrates how to 'Create Life-Changing and Lasting Impact in Your Everyday Interactions.' We see what can come of a leadership mentality that sees people not as objects, but as fellow beings requiring respect. How does this happen in our everyday lives?
Spaulding tells of the nine-year-old little league player who became 'Captain' of his team. He was selected not because he was biggest and best, but because he helped the least able, weakest player on his team to believe in himself. What a start to young lives the coach made in this case! It is enough to make a reader cry. Realize too that everyone has a story. The guy who cleans the stadium after the game is as valuable as the football star who throws the winning touchdown. Do we ever take the time to introduce ourselves to these maintenance and cleaning people? After all, these are the very folks we almost 'see through' when we are going to a game. How much our attention to them and 'their story' would mean to make them feel alive, wanted, and valued.
Gandhi is quoted as saying, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." How true, no? We discover the idea, and follow it through in our real everyday lives. It is then we intend, and choose consciously to become a servant leader. Then we invest the time and effort it takes to do so. It's not all about me, but what I can do for others.
We aren't left with abstract ideas. We are told about Spaulding's Aunt Lorelee. She became a nun. She wanted to dedicate her lives to caring for others. Her initiative, drive, and attention to the least of those she encountered led to a career as teacher of poor girls in impoverished, war-torn Liberia. There she taught those without hope to see themselves as of value to the world; such that they too could and should learn to read and write. Confronted by revolutionaries at her school one day, she stood between her girls and the armed teenage thugs and said if they wanted to murder the children, they'd have to shoot her first. After a tense standoff, they left without firing a shot. Spaulding recalled her boundless energy spent not on herself, but on others; including, later in life, her mother with dementia.
Employing terms to make his points clear and memorable, Spaulding will reward the reader with insights on how to win in life. When we see ourselves as a conduit to the raising up of others, we see the world in a different way. We see it as a true servant leader.

[Sergio Salvador · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Gift of Influence" adopts an informal, anecdotal approach built around illustrative examples rather than empirical data. While this narrative format limits the book’s academic rigour, it succeeds in imparting wisdom through thoughtful storytelling that resonates strongly.

The authors merit praise for covering the oft-ignored ethics of influence. By emphasising principled means of positively impacting others, the book steers readers away from manipulative or coercive techniques. The thoughtful lessons on character help strike a commendable balance between focusing on personal growth and using one’s influence to drive broader change. Many will find the relatable personal stories effective vehicles for conveying practical insights on developing critical skills of influence. The tips culled from real-world anecdotes prove both digestible and memorable, aiding readers in internalising the lessons. For those able to see past the predominantly American cultural references, there is much of value within these pages.

However, readers seeking research-backed evidence or data quantifying the impact of the methods discussed will need to look elsewhere. The informal narrative approach favours readability over rigour. While undeniably engaging and reader-friendly, this narrative format also suffers from limitations common among similar offerings by American business authors. While co-author Spaulding makes a well-intentioned effort to incorporate perspectives beyond U.S. borders, the majority of case studies retain a distinctly American context. For international audiences, some references may alienate more than resonate. For instance, deeming the musical organization Up With People as "world famous" based largely -although not solely- on their performance at the Super Bowl, a quintessentially American event, seems a stretch for those outside the States.

In summary, “The Gift of Influence” succeeds as an engaging and educational primer for becoming a more ethical, effective influencer. The story-driven format has limitations, but imparts real wisdom just the same. Those who embrace the accessible anecdotal approach will find their ability to positively influence others enriched by the thoughtful guidance within.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 love concept; execution less so

Feel good stories of benefits of being kind and how that influences (in a good way as influence has taken on a somewhat manipulative connotation) people. Author begins with a compelling story of how he is on a plane with turbulence and starts praying –– for the plane to crash so his family would get a nice insurance settlement and he could have a dignified death without anyone knowing how painful his life had become. He had issues with his wife’s ex (was granted a lifetime restraining order against the ex), was being sued for royalties by former business partner and was bleeding red with a sub sandwich franchise he had bought.

His wife gives him 50 letters written by 50 different people whose lives he influenced. Apparently, the average person will influence 80,000 people in their lives, positively or negatively.

The book is not long, but surprisingly it does get a little repetitive. I started off loving it, and predicting it would be one of my favorite books ever. The story of the teacher who has each student write one nice thing about each other student and how those students kept such lists for their whole lives (including the kid who died in the Vietnam War and who kept the list folded up in his helmet) made me cry.

He goes through the critical aspects:
interest what’s your story & making a connection instead of completing a transaction, make kindness normal
investment keep your promises. Instead of saying if there’s anything I can do, say here’s what I like to do for you. Or I’m running out to the store later today. What do you need and when should I bring it by? Or If it’s OK with you, I’d love to stop by to give you a hug. When is a good time? Be specific. Be direct.

Do what you have to make your kids feel, from the second they come out of the womb until they graduate from college and start their lives, they are 100% loved unconditionally. No matter what they do. They will test you in every possible way. They will bring you to the edge. But you must love them, and most important, they must know that you love them. No matter what. That’s it.

and intent. Must come from positive intent. Are you choosing to lead for recognition, money, praise or approval? Or is it because you truly want to serve others and see them succeed?
Vince Lombardi v Bill Walsh and his tree of coaches.
Engaged Sue and Marc. Sue goes to HBS and meets Dave & confesses. Mark tells her he must be a special guy if you have feelings for him. I’d like to meet him. Why don’t you invite him for dinner? And Mark= total gentleman; Dave rude & arrogant. Sue fell in love again with the humble man whose reaction to her missteps was to be kind.

Ben Franklin borrowing the book i.e. asking for help.

Importance of relationships which are the secret to a long healthy life.

Three questions:
Was I loved? Did I love back? Did I make a contribution?

But somehow the author made it a little too transactional i.e. being kind because you get something even though he insisted that’s not the reason to do it. I also felt it was a bit of a humble brag.

[Erica Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

LEAD=Lift, Embrace, Act, Devote

4 i’s of influence= interest, investment, intent, I

Keep promises. Doing what you say is more important than saying what you do!

If your vision never extends beyond your own periphery, you have nothing.

Legacy comes to leaders when they see it in terms of how many people they developed into leaders— and how many people surpassed them. Why? Great leaders prepare and pave the way for successors.

The ability to help people around me self-actualize their goals underlines the single aspect of my abilities and the label I value most— teacher. -Bill Walsh

A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. -Elenor Roosevelt

You get to decide the influence you want to have on others— but you don’t get to decide the influence you do have on others. Do you think you’re a good influence on your team?

Who are you asking for help from today? If your instinct is to say “no one”, remember that sometimes the greatest compliment you can give another person is to honor them by asking for their help.

You can’t love and positively influence the lives of others unless you love and positively influence yourself.

[Mario Brescia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The gift of influence is a book that speaks about stories of leadership and people surrounding the author that have been leaders before. The gift of influence shares its lessons in the form of stories that the author or people surrounding the author have experienced. I gave this book a 3/5 because sometimes the stories were not relatable, and I felt like the chapter was a waste because I didn't end up learning anything in that chapter. Some of the stories we're impactful, and I loved the statistic that we influence around 80,000 people in our lives.
I wish this book could have made the lessons that it taught clearer and in a more concise way, not just with a story. I would recommend this book to anybody that is a leader or wants to learn interesting things about leadership, and other people with leadership experiences in their lives. This book has made me realize the importance of leadership and the gift that is influence, and how important it is to make an impact in each person's life.

[Lynda · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of the book was intriguing - how do you make a lasting impact on the people we encounter in our lives?

However, execution of the topic was not done well. This book is the perfect example of what not to do when your 7th grade teacher tells you to “show don’t tell” in your writing. The book contains a lot of anecdotes about people who positively influenced the author but he doesn't do a thorough analysis of why it did. The author also doesn’t relate it back to how the reader can use it as a tool for improving leadership or people skills.

There are also a lot of stories that are hard to relate to - he mentions multiple stories of his CEO friends and how they moved the author. A lot of anecdotes are more so about how to be a good person and hardly ties into the 5 lessons that each chapter covers.

[Christopher Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose this book is technically a 'self-help' book in a broad sense of the category, but I consider it more of a deeply philosophical memoir of sorts. Tommy, in this book, reflects upon a number of experiences in his life in a deeply personal way and draws out principles from these experiences by which he thinks that humans can achieve a happier life. I actually think the least interesting part of this book is when he brings in psychological studies to backup the principles he is trying to draw from his personal accounts - they are compelling enough in and of themselves without the need for psychological backing. Overall, a great book, and if more people followed the principles Tommy here proposes, no doubt, we would live in a much happier and much kinder society.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is full of helpful and useful information, though it is not presented as such. I think if you're big on puzzles and problem solving, you might find this enjoyable once you get past all of your inner proletariat class warfare thinking (maybe that's just me). At times this book felt extremely tone deaf and unaware, especially with stories of gang violence, civil war, and differences in ability. However, within that tone deaf space, if one has the mental energy for it, some important lessons can be extracted.

I liked it because it was not prescriptive, and I was on an airplane. I couldn't do anything else, and the guy hooked me with the story of the math teacher. It's worth a perusal to see what it brings up for you, I think.

[Karley Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly impactful, the first chapter is why I continue to repurchase this book and loan it out or give as a gift. Looking at me personally, I work full time in social media, the power of physical and digital connection is important to me. I learned so much not only about myself but the people I influence while I am in my independent life’s journey.
If there is a take away from this book is that I view relationships so differently in a kind manner, whether they are people in my day to day life, or strangers I may come across. Very insightful and retrospective in learning the type of person that you want to be in the long term.

[Sura Siri · Rating 5 out of 5]

ผู้เขียนเป็นนักบรรยายที่มีงานล้นมือ แต่ชีวิตในวัยเด็กของเขาประสบปัญหาอย่างมาก เขามีภาวะภาวะดิสเล็กเซีย(ภาวะที่ไม่สามารถอ่านและเขียนได้) ถ้าหากดูประวัติของเขาแล้วเขาเรียนมหาวิทยาลัยที่แสนจะธรรมดา จบมัธยมปลายด้วยเกรด 2.00(เกือบเรียนไม่จบ) เขาเปลี่ยนชีวิตตัวเองได้อย่างไร?

เนื้อหาของหนังสือเล่มนี้เป็นเรื่องเกี่ยวกับแรงบันดาลใจของคนที่เคยพบเจอ และส่งพลังความดี ความเอื้ออาทร ความเป็นห่วงเป็นใย และความรับผิดชอบ ส่งต่อเป็นพลังให้คนรอบข้าง โดยเรื่องเล่าเป็นเรื่องที่ตัวผู้เขียนพบเจอ เป็นเคสตัวอย่างของคนทั่วๆไปที่สามารถพบเจอได้ นอกจากการได้รับพลังที่ดีเหล่านั้นแล้ว เรายังสามารถส่งต่อพลังที่ดีให้คนรอบข้างได้ไม่สิ้นสุด

[Ligia Bonetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the profound impact individuals have on others, emphasizing that each person influences around 80,000 people in their lifetime. He introduces the LEAD framework—Lift, Embrace, Act, and Devote—as a guide to fostering meaningful connections and positive change. Through real-life stories and practical insights, Spaulding encourages readers to be intentional about their influence, transforming everyday interactions into opportunities for lasting impact in both personal and professional life.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it 40 pages into the book - I had my doubts reading a chapter about how the author's hockey prodigy son was named captain after being nice to a new kid on the team, moved on to a chapter that repeatedly emphasized gang members' "shoulder length dreads" as negative personality traits, then decided to quit after flipping to the end of the next chapter to find a summary of "The Gift of the Magi."

[Karla Osorno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.75 stars.

The Gift of Influence addresses intention, words, purpose, and influence to create meaningful lives. It gives a framework and examples and so much more - including the power of scripts in our lives, mentorship, leadership, impact, and investment in people including ourselves.

Tommy Spaulding delivers an honest and compelling book with narrative drive. He tells stories of real people whose lives and actions have influenced him and others, mostly positive but some negative to drive home the points. His words and personal lessons learned cause us to lead and live differently. The messages are deeply resonant.

I want to live my life knowing that I impacted a stadium full of people in a positive way to impact their own stadiums of people. Reading this book of stories and examples and inspiration is a great move on that direction. I read a few stories at a time and never put the book down without being moved, often to tears, by the real life humans who are doing amazing and extraordinary things in their ordinary days. I loved this book and the intention and purpose behind the stories. It offers encouragement that we can all make a difference.

[Jerome Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal stories about people who’s lives influenced so many others. What impact do we have on people? What legacy will we leave behind. Many heartfelt emotions rose up while reading this book. Learned lessons on leadership, inspiration and lasting relationships. Highly recommend to people who want to make a difference in the world.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I thought this was going to be a business book, it was more a life-lessons book. Asking what someone's story is and showing genuine interest and selflessly investing in relations is advice for all aspects of life. He is a great story teller and while his advice is rare in the corporate world, the book should be a consideration for all new leaders.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this 5 stars, but he is a bit pretentious, talking about meeting up with a group of men several times a year to socialize and needing to take a plane to do so.

I do think there are a lot of great tips about how to live. I love his advice to start a conversation asking someones story. It has elicited a lot of very interesting conversations for me.