Managing & Leveraging 'On the Ground' Influencers

In every team, group or organisational environment there are on the ground influencers. When I use the term on the ground influencers I'm talking about the most significant and influential individuals within a peer group or team environment.

These influencers have the ability to initiate, steer or change the actions, attitudes and behaviours of those around them, sometimes more so than the managers and leaders of that very same group.

When we think about what it means to influence, we tend to think of it as having a positive effect on someone else. Of course, this can be true, however, to influence can also mean to have a negative effect on someone. So what is it that defines an influencer and how can we manage or leverage them for the greater good?

On the ground Influencers become so because they are usually:

1. Credible Through Performance 
2. Respected From Experience
3. Socially Dominant.
4. Socially Excellent

Credible Through Performance

These influencers lead with action. They are often looked upon by others with admiration and desire, sometimes even envy. Although not all top performers are perfectly behaved or socially excellent, performance is the most important thing and as a result this establishes them as an influencer. Quite often a top performer can be a loan wolf with team work not at the top of their agenda. However, when you do have a top performer who is also a team player, the influence becomes even greater.

Respected from Experience

These influencers are the masters of their craft. They know all of the tricks of the trade and have operated within their role for many years. Despite their vast experience, they are not always top performers, but are they are well trusted and tend to deliver consistent output. Experienced influencers also operate with composure, handle pressure very well and tend to boast a wealth of knowledge. Every team environment needs a group of these influencers, they steady the ship and balance the two ends of the spectrum nicely.

Socially Dominant

Socially dominant influencers can exist in two guises.

• Positive Influencers
• Negative Influencers

Just because somebody is socially dominant, it doesn't mean they will have a positive effect on others and this is something to look out for.

Social dominance is different to social excellence & emotional intelligence. The meaning of the word ‘Dominance” is ‘Power and influence over others’. Be cautious as this is often the sole motive for their actions and not the result of them. Recognising that a socially dominant person is having a negative influence on the wider group is critical for maintaining team morale and group productivity.

Signs to look out for include:

• Do they use a negative or condescending tone of voice, when engaging others. 
• Do they have a fixed mindset and continuously challenge advice and guidance? 
• Do they talk over others and have a tendency not to listen? 
• Do you trust them?

On a positive note, social dominance can exist as a result of, or alongside social excellence. In actual fact, it almost always does and therefore not all socially dominant people are negative. Just make sure you differentiate between the two and try to remove the negative influencers from your environment at all costs.

Socially Excellent

Unlike dominant and negative influencers, socially excellent influencers usually provide the inspiration and motivation on the ground. These people put others before themselves, recognise the importance of listening and leave every person they interact with, feeling upbeat, confident and motivated.

Socially excellent influencers also understand that emotional intelligence plays a big part in communicating with and inspiring others. They tailor their approach accordingly and make it specific to the person they are dealing with. After all, we as individuals are unique and we all react to and process communication differently.

Socially excellent influencers are also great fun. They are usually the life and soul of the party and are extremely engaging. There is no stronger form of rapport than an emotional & personal connection. Socially excellent influencers are the masters of this, they find common ground with others, leverage it, and make people feel comfortable in their presence.

In Summary: Your best chance of increasing performance across your team is to leverage your socially excellent influencers, remove your negative and socially dominant influencers and nurture your experienced and top performing influencers. This way, you will ensure that the culture and the environment that your people operate within is well balanced, productive and enjoyable.

If you tolerate negative influencers, you will quickly lose credibility with the people around you as negativity has a habit of hijacking others. However, if you deal with it effectively and invest in the positive influencers, you are likely to drive 3 x more productivity from the collective group.