"Leadership is influence - Nothing more, Nothing less" -

​What a powerful statement, right? 
 
When I hear these words, I think back to a time about five years ago, when I accepted a position in a leadership role.  I truly didn't understand the responsibility of a leader, aside from what was written in my job description. Nor did I stop to think about the amount of influence my decisions, actions, or words had or didn't have with the people I worked with, either directly or indirectly.  What I did know was, I was a person filled with compassion to help others, a strong work ethic, and committed to a cause of getting the job done.
 
During a pivotal point in my life, about two and a half years ago, I was shocked by a loss that I didn't expect, and I felt lost. You see, when you lose someone who has played an integral part in your life from the day you were born and helped you become the person you are today, you begin to question the next chapter, or at least I did. It becomes incredibly hard to envision what’s next. If you are like me and have lost a loved one, as you begin to imagine a future without them, you begin to look within and wonder, who am I now? I found this question surfacing more often than I wanted it to.
 
After being introduced to John Maxwell through a podcast hosted by Rachel Hollis, that a friend had shared with me, the words John spoke with regard to what success looks like, filled my heart with a tremendous amount of hope. That hope shed light on what that next chapter looked like, growth in self-discovery and leadership.
 
Over the last two years in this new chapter of mine, I have spent early morning hours, nights, and weekends dedicated to growth: listening to podcasts, reading books, attending conferences, workshops and summits. All the while, gaining knowledge I didn't know I needed and igniting a passion for leadership within me.
 
As I continue to be mentored from afar by John Maxwell and The John Maxwell Team, growing from who I once was to who I am now: a certified coach, trainer, and speaker for the John Maxwell Team; and a leader within the State of California, I now understand and appreciate the power of influence a person has by the words they speak and the actions they model. John Maxwell and The John Maxwell Team define what leadership is and model what leadership looks like.
 
Today, as I reflect on the past and how I underestimated the power of influence, I am grateful, as I now have a new belief system. A belief system powered by the practical application of John Maxwell’s lessons. Lessons from John C. Maxwell's, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Growth that include:
 
"It's not the position that makes the leader; it's the leader that makes the position." - Stanley Huffty
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
"Attitude is one of the most contagious qualities a human being possesses."
"What you attract is not determined by what you want. It's determined by wo you are."
"The bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others."
  
These lessons continue to make a transformational impact on the lens through which I view myself, my family, my work and life.  
I've learned that a leader without influence is not really a leader. They are simply a person who sits in a leadership position without anyone following them. 
 
For all the leaders out there, whether you're leading a team, your family, your friends, or yourself, now more than ever during this unprecedented time, remember John's words, "Leadership is Influence, Nothing more, Nothing less."  Press pause on your day to stop, reflect on the attitude you display, the words you say, the decisions you make and the behavior you model for the people around you. People are watching, people are listening, and people need you!