The Positive Influence Leader: Helping People Become Their Best Self

Everyone benefits from a positive influence in their lives. If you think about the various types of leaders you’ve encountered—parents, teachers, coaches, bosses—you can probably pinpoint one, perhaps more than one, leader who provided the support, the skills, or the inspiration that helped you become your best self. The heart of the book is a series of in-depth interviews with a diverse group of leaders across a wide spectrum of organizations. The interviews are supplemented by similar experiences of famous and successful people such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Bloomberg, and LeBron James. Just as the book was being completed the world was hit with the coronavirus. It is our view that a crisis of this magnitude requires leadership that is able to adapt to the many challenges faced by organizations during these unprecedented times. We believe that such a crisis calls for positive influence leaders who are able to be Supportive (“I am here for and together we will get through it”), a Teacher (“here is what you need to know in order to manage during this crisis”), Motivating (“I will encourage you to do what is necessary and I expect you to push back when we need to alter or change course”) and a Role Model (“I will provide a positive example of how to handle a crisis but you should develop your own style and methods of getting the job done during this time”). The book provides specific guidance for leading in a crisis. Michael and Glenn Parker demonstrate the various ways positive influence leaders have altered the lives and careers of many successful people. The book is both inspirational and instructive. It will move you to become a positive influence leader or help you learn ways to increase your effectiveness as a leader. In one of the most compelling sections of the book, people share their encounters with negative people and the mechanisms they developed for coping—and in most cases, thriving—as a result of the experience. Positive Influence: The Leader Who Helps People Become Their Best Self highlights four types of positive influence leaders: The Supportive Positive Influence LeaderThe Teacher Positive Influence LeaderThe Motivating Positive Influence LeaderThe Role Model Influence Leader Research by the Parkers indicates that you can be a positive influence on others in ways that are different from other positive influence leaders. And yet, while each style is different, any one of the four can be helpful, especially if it is targeted to your specific needs. A Positive Influence Toolkit. In addition to sharing inspiring stories and practical strategies, the Parkers provide you with the tools you need to assess your current style of leadership and become a more effective positive influence leader. In the book, you will find: A survey to help you identify your specific positive leadership style;Tips for becoming a more effective positive influence leader; and An improvement plan that will help you increase your effectiveness as a positive influence leader. Positive Influence: The Leader Who Helps People Become Their Best Self is both inspirational and practical. The personal stories offer a hopeful path for leaders looking for positive change, while the tools and techniques provide a solid foundation for effective leadership development.