Copyright Burmakin Andrey, 123rf.com
The motivating leader inspires, pushes, or perhaps pulls you to take action. She goes deeper than the surface impact of words to help you find your purpose—or what Bill George (2015) calls your true north. This positive influence leader finds your “sweet spot,” that part of you that is central to who you are or who you are destined to become. It is not unusual for this leader to see that special something in you that even you have not yet realized was there.
Such was the case with Nancy, a woman we interviewed, who cites Terry Taylor, her editor at the Associated Press, as a seminal force in her work life. As Nancy told us: “Not only did Terry give me opportunities that made me realize that I wanted to be a sportswriter, but she set the tone in our department that women were every bit equal to men. I didn’t realize it until later how valuable that was.”
For Mindi, founder and director of a center for abused women, Mona was a life-altering motivating influence in her life and career. Early in Mindi’s work life, Mona was her boss at a women’s health clinic. At one point, when Mindi expressed a desire to start a place for abused women, Mona said to her: “Why haven’t you done it? Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. You can come up with a bunch of excuses to not make it happen.” Mindi told us, “I never forgot that conversation. It led me to get off my butt and do something about it.”
Gissoo, another woman in our study group, made a significant career change later in life to work as a patient advocate for a pharmaceutical company. In that capacity, she was fortunate to be able to interact with a high level executive in the company who helped her find her true north when he told her, “Do one thing and do it well.” He gave Gissoo a larger view of her life, work, and career by recommending that she focus on “the long-term aspects over the work I needed to get done now.”
For most people, discovering their true north is essential to a successful and satisfying work life and career. Often, it is a manager who serves as that motivating positive influence on you. You encounter them at a time when you may not be fully formed—but if you are open and ready to receive and utilize their perspective, their influence can be transformational. They see that something in you and can help you find your core purpose.
For more stories of positive influence and how you can become a positive influence leader, pick up a copy of our new book, Positive Influence: The Who Helps People Become the Best Self (HRD Press, 2020).