Home
>
Success
>
Facts About the Art of Influence

Facts About the Art of Influence

All of us could work on our skills in influencing others - whether it is within a company, a family, or a group of friends. Within the corporate world, influence is a power that you can control with your supervisor, upper management, customers, and co-workers.

Don't confuse influencing, with the art of "kissing up;" it's not the same thing. Livia, the wife of Octavian (Caesar Augustus), and mother of Tiberius, was one of the most influential people in Rome. She is not known for kissing up, but she is historically remembered as one of the most powerful Romans of her time.

Some people hold more power by influencing, than those who seem to be in power. Many of us have seen an administrative assistant, who ran a department, or an entire company.

So how do you start developing the art of influence? One of the best ways to start is to establish a reputation of integrity. Therefore, you should not engage in any "back biting," as it always takes away from your credibility. It may be tempting to jump on the "band wagon," and express a negative opinion about a third party, but it will not develop your ability to influence the person who is not present.

As a matter of fact, gossip and slander will destroy your honor, with all parties concerned. Even perceived allies will question your trustworthiness, when you engage in backbiting. True alliances are founded on loyalty, dependability, and straight forwardness. The bottom line is: You must be seen as a foundation of integrity, in order to be influential within a group.

The next most valuable ingredient is to be sincerely interested in helping others, and show your interest in them. How well you relate to the needs of others, will develop entire networks, and bonds that last.

Here is a personal story about network development. I worked in a US based company, where 95% of the employees spoke Spanish as their native language. My job was to run a small department within that company, but I didn't speak Spanish. After the first day, I picked up a Spanish / English dictionary at a local bookstore.

My Spanish-speaking assistant wanted to learn English, and we helped each other during work, lunch, breaks, and after work. Within a year, we could both construct sentences in the other's native language. We shared information about culture, music, and food.

As a result, we became good friends, worked in harmony, and we had a very productive department. Although my Spanish is a little "rusty" now, I still have an opportunity to speak it, every week, in my own company.

Just by taking the time to understand actions, culture, behavior, and a different viewpoint, you can cultivate influence. Developing influence shouldn't be for self-centered reasons. It is best when used for the common good of a group.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

weekly home cleaning Wilmette ...

In The News:

Cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright says human skepticism remains the strongest defense against AI-driven phishing scams and voice cloning fraud schemes.

iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy each handle security updates differently, and one screen saying "up to date" may not tell the whole story.

Deborah Del Mastro heard what sounded like her daughter's terrified voice on the phone, launching a five-hour virtual kidnapping scam ordeal.

Hotel TV privacy risks go beyond forgotten passwords when you sign into Netflix or other streaming apps on shared devices you don't control.

Apple's iOS 27 Visual Intelligence now lets your iPhone search objects directly on screen, but Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel have a head start.

x47.c Windows malware uses xAI's Grok to maintain persistence on infected PCs while stealing passwords, browser cookies and API keys from victims.

Frankie LaPenna fought three robots in a cage, including two modified EngineAI T800 humanoids that can kick with up to 850 pounds of force..

MacSync malware hides malicious commands inside iCloud calendar events to download additional payloads onto infected Macs without raising suspicion.

Joseph Holycross dismissed his racing heart for nearly two years until his Samsung Galaxy Watch detected atrial fibrillation and changed everything.

Home title fraud begins when criminals forge your signature on a deed. Here is how to check your own property records and set up free alerts.

Jeffrey Ladish, a former Anthropic security team member, warns AI agents are colluding and hacking with no reliable solution to keep them in check.

Instinct Concierge and Meta Muse can now place phone calls to businesses on your behalf, but the privacy and data access tradeoffs are significant.

Olivia Moore spent $100 to create a fake RushTok influencer using ChatGPT and MiniMax, and thousands of Bama Rush fans couldn't tell the difference.

RatHat Android malware uses AI to steal banking credentials, intercept two-factor authentication codes and reconstruct your PIN from touch inputs.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Apple and Google password managers can flag compromised, weak and reused passwords on your phone before credential stuffing attacks can strike.

Researcher Peter Garrigan says Moonshot AI's Kimi model was manipulated into providing instructions for biological weapons and assassination plans.

iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones now offer call screening that asks unknown callers to identify themselves before your phone rings.

Ransomware can lock your irreplaceable photos and documents in seconds. A tested backup strategy and stronger cybersecurity habits are your best defense.

ShinyHunters claims it breached FBIJobs.gov and stole Social Security numbers, home addresses and sensitive assignment details of FBI personnel.

Find My iPhone, Google Find Hub and Samsung Find have critical tracking settings to enable now, before your phone ever goes missing or stolen.

The FTC proposed a new enforcement policy on personalized pricing, warning companies that hide how personal data shapes the prices shoppers see.

The $250 million Apple Siri AI settlement is now accepting claims, with eligible iPhone owners potentially receiving up to $95 per device.

ShareAScan turns T-shirts into scannable digital business cards with QR codes that link to profiles the owner can update anytime they choose.

BragJack research reveals how a single malicious browser extension could hijack Gemini, Perplexity Comet and Edge AI agents with zero clicks.

Facts About the Art of Influence

Success