A Creative…

"View your life from your funeral: Looking back at your life experiences, what have you accomplished? What would you have wanted to accomplish but didn't? What were the happy moments? What were the sad? What would you do again, and what wouldn't you do?"

Victor Frankl

My go-get-'em tiger friends on occasion take short cuts; they do not worry about perfection; they want results. Which is why it is also good to know influencers who inspire through creativity. One of my sons is about to release his second album. It is so good. I keep telling him that he should release a recommended reading list of books on history, philosophy, sports and politics that have inspired his lyrics. The musical vibe may be cheerful and even a bit pop-ish at times. The beat gets my feet moving. But the message? Wow. It is broad and long and deep.

Creatives long for and require authenticity; they stand close to their values in all they do. They inspire me.

Could this be you? Can you think of others in your life who have this capacity and inspire you?

A Leader…

"Power isn't control at all-power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn't someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own."

Beth Revis

Not all influencers are warm and fuzzy and bring me skinny vanilla decaf latte's when they come over to visit. These influencers are strong and high energy. They often display an uncanny ability to set aside not only their feelings, but mine. They are efficient, effective, and get stuff done. I am in awe of the single-minded capacity of this type of influencer to use their ability to read a group and figure out what needs to be done to achieve its desired goals.

Could this be you? Can you think of others in your life who have this capacity and inspire you?

A Person Who Pays Attention…

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya Angelou

Who remembers how you like your coffee? Who reminds you of the best parts of yourself? Maybe someone whose super power includes the amazing capacity to notice what we need and the willingness to meet it! These folks bring warmth into a room; they prioritize relationships. At their best, these folks improve every party and ALWAYS bring dessert.

Influencers in my life with these qualities have helped me see the value of paying attention to people - not just what they say, but what they do not say.

Could this be you? Can you think of others in your life who have this capacity and inspire you?

A Family, A Team, A Group...

"Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value."

Albert Einstein

Every family, team, group or office needs someone to care about quality control. Although Winston Churchill defines success as maintaining enthusiasm through one failure after another, influencers who care enough to ask for quality results give their teams a prayer of succeeding. These folks are logical, can be clear and direct, model responsibility ALWAYS, and lead with integrity.

I have several influencers in my life who continue to inspire me with their attention to doing the next right thing, even when it is hard.

Could this be you? Can you think of others in your life who have this capacity and inspire you?

A Husband…

"Success at the highest level comes down to one question: Can you decide that your happiness can come from someone else's success?"

Bill Walton

My greatest influencer has been my husband. He has seen me at my worst and stayed. He has enormous amounts of patience and the capacity to play with our children and grandchildren for endless hours no matter what else is vying for his attention. He's the kind of guy that includes people and collaborates. He's the one to call when our health insurance company accidentally canceled all our various family member's insurance policies. He's patient and has a natural ability to listen to customer service representatives as they explain to him why they cannot help him and yet, eventually do.

He has a natural capacity to really listen to people and help solve problems so that organizations and teams he supports have a better chance of achieving their goals. I have other influencers in my life with this uncanny ability to support the dreams of others - they are pretty magical people. I have a dear friend and daughter who also exude this willingness to sacrifice over and over for those they love. Truly, these folks are willing to go to great lengths without receiving credit for their efforts so long as their efforts improve the condition of those they serve.

Could this be you? Can you think of others in your life who have this capacity and inspire you?