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

by Tommy Spaulding

"An empowering manifesto on how to use influence to make a lasting impact on everyone we meet, from chance encounters to work colleagues to our closest relationships-by the New York Times bestselling author of The Heart-Led Leader. Researchers believe that the average person will influence up to 80,000 people-2.8 people daily-over the course of their lifetime. That's a stadium full of people whom each of us affect positively or negatively, sometimes without us knowing. What if we paid attention to this fact? Would we live differently? Would we lead differently? Would we take more time to put down our phones and instead focus on the person 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 each of us has over others-in our careers, in our everyday interactions, and in the relationships we cultivate over a lifetime. The Gift of Influence is a manifesto on the everyday actions we can take to make a positive impact on the people we love and lead. Sharing stories from the exceptional leaders he has worked with over the years-from entrepreneurs who have made an impact far beyond their businesses to a teacher who changed the lives of thirty students with one simple lesson-Spaulding gives us a simple recipe for turning transactions into interactions, offering more than "thoughts and prayers" to those in need, and transforming the lives each of us touch as we make our way through the world"--

Genres: Self Help, Business

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really this is 3.5 stars. I’m not a self help book girlie but this has great stories that kept me engaged along the way. It was almost too many stories though?? By the end when he was rounding up all of the great work of others, I forgot I had read some of the mentioned influencers. Full transparency: I only read this book as part of my development goals at work but it is for sure still being counted toward my Goodreads quota. If you’re looking for some general life advice about being a good person, this is the book for you!

[Kaye Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read and I had a few take aways from it. A lot of personal stories to show his points made it accessible and personal.

[Kaitlyn Stivers · Rating 3 out of 5]

started really strong, but got a little repetitive at the end.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy read and I loved how it showed how much influence everyone is capable of if they just put themselves out there.

[andrina valdes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Influence that lasts a lifetime.

An inspiring book that helps you create a legacy of influence and discover how to be the best version of you

[Luisa Villegas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uncover the power of positive influence with 'The Gift of Influence.' Learn to lead with empathy and intention, shaping a legacy that truly resonates. An inspiring book for anyone who wants to have more meaningful interactions and relationships.

Before I committed to this book, which I chose as an audiobook, I first listened to the free sample. In it, the author presented a thought-provoking scenario: imagine a stadium filled with the 80,000 people that one influences on average over their lifetime. He asked, at the end of your life, would they be cheering or booing for you? Was your influence on them positive or negative? Looking back, would you live your life differently? Quite a powerful reflection.

I don't often read non-fiction, however, this was the selected book for January for the PMI Washington, DC book club, a group of project managers seeking to improve their professional skills through reading business-related books. I recently joined the club, so this was my first read with them.

In the comprehensive set of skills today’s project managers need, I believe people skills top the list. I also believe that honing those skills has made me a successful project manager. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), where more and more technical and analytical tasks will be taken over by computers, developing people skills becomes increasingly important. After all, even with AI, it still takes people and relationships to run and successfully complete projects.

In essence, this book aims to hone those people skills by providing specific actions and examples of how to be a servant leader, or as the author calls it: A heart-Led leader. To put it more simply, it's about being a good person, caring about others, and treating people with respect and empathy. For example, it suggests genuinely asking people, “What’s your story?”, and leaning on curiosity to better understand people. It encourages among others turning daily menial transactions into meaningful interactions, clearing your schedule to do fewer things but more intentionally, and setting up a group of people to hold you accountable.

This book is not just for project managers, or even those in business; it's for anyone who interacts with others, which is to say, everyone. I truly enjoyed this book and appreciated the inspirational stories it provided. A great read to start off the year motivated and committed to more meaningful interactions.