The way you think influences your behaviour and hence the impact and influence you have on others. 

In his book Thinking Course, Edward De Bono alludes to ‘the intelligence trap’. Someone who presumes that their opinion is always right will generally not listen to others or question their own thinking as much as someone who is less sure of their view. They will use their intelligence to argue their case, and in doing so, their work colleagues may simply give in through intimidation. You can see this behaviour on display in almost every episode of The Apprentice. 

This trait is not characteristic of a leader who has a positive impact and influence. A strong leader understands that they must be flexible in their behaviour in order to achieve the best outcomes and give people a choice. They can then choose to develop the competencies of others and take responsibility for their own development and full accountability for their results.

You can think of success as a ladder concept consisting of five levels, each interlinked and fully dependent upon a leader’s self-awareness and flexibility. 

To enhance your impact and influence, you must: 

• Know the outcome you are looking for – specific and positive outcomes separate the influential leader from the mediocre
• Take action – once you’ve clarified the outcomes, take action straight away
• Be aware of what is going on around you 
• Be flexible – if you demonstrate flexibility in how you approach a situation or manage a person, you are more likely to make a successful impact
• Try to operate from a point of physiological and psychological wellbeing – take time to re-energise. No one wants to be managed by a physical wreck. In leadership, as in life: it’s about quality, not quantity.