“The kind of person you are is what determines your influence, which in turn is what determines your success,” according to Chris Widener in his book The Art of Influence: Persuading Others Begins with You. The book is a “parable”, in which a highly successful business person explains to a young protege in words and by actions what “influence” is and how you can get it. It is a short book at 106 pages with only 24-25 lines per page, but it is quite engaging and I had no trouble in reading it in one sitting.
The hero of the book is the tenth richest man in America, a flamboyant and self-confident character of the type which Americans are much prone to admiring, predictably named “Bobby Gold”. However, once you have got over the implication that ostentatious wealth is a primary indicator of a person with highly refined leadership skills, the actual principles of influence espoused in the book are quite interesting. These are: Live a life of undivided integrity; Always demonstrate a positive attitude; Consider other people’s interests as more important than your own; and Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
In my view these are sound principles, although many influential people don’t seem to follow them. The ostentatious wealth displayed by Bobby Gold in the story arguably is incompatible with the third principle. The principles seem to apply for a person who is influential in a good way. A person who is influential in a bad way might replace the principles with: Live a life of undivided ambition; Always demonstrate a determined attitude; Tell other people that you are considering their interests; and Don’t settle for anything less than what you want.