in·flu·ence

noun

the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

I am really interested by the topic of influence. Our experiences, where we come from, how we were raised, often shapes our values, so it’s only natural that our own definitions of what it means to be influential vary from person to person.

I personally love the definition above because I believe true influence lies in a person or organization’s ability to positively shape or effect others.

Growing up, we can all remember that kid in school that everyone wanted to emulate or that pair of jeans or shoes that you were so certain that life would be over if your parents didn't buy them.

                             Some popular obsessions. Photos courtesy of People Magazine

Unfortunately, not every person has the capacity to influence others. And we know most certainly, that not every shoe or jean company has the power to cause widespread buying hysteria. In fact, there are many brilliant designers out there that never obtain fame or notoriety.

Why?

Recently, the Brandpointe team was honored to work with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau on Big Influence, a citywide initiative through their Office of Diversity. We were tasked with the challenge to creatively shine a light on what makes this city special. In keeping with their existing BIG campaign that featured the larger than life “Bs” and “Gs” sprinkled throughout the city, we were fascinated by the DCVB's goal to reinforce the fact that you,  the everyday Dallas citizen and/or visitor, put the “I” in BIG. The idea for BIG Influence was clear. It’s about the people (and the dogs lol)!

                                                   Photos courtesy of Pegasus News

The concept behind Big Influence was about celebrating big ideas but most importantly, the diverse people behind them. The campaign launched last month with an inaugural group of African American influencers and continues to forge ahead with future editions planned for the Hispanic and LGBT communities as well. Exciting stuff.

    Some of the DCVB's inaugural influencers. Photo courtesy of Travis Lilley

I’m often asked, “Jasmin, how did you all determine who would make the list? How do you define influence?”

With a city filled with some of the brightest minds and biggest hearts, choosing only 11 was a daunting task. It got me to really start thinking about how I defined influence and I finally had my “a ha!” moment.

True influence is about how you make the people around you feel.

It is your ability to inspire and motivate those around you. It is not about where you come from, how much money you have or what accolades you’ve received. It’s about the impact you have on others. Want to know if a person is influential? Ask the 5-6 closest people around them.

We are not born with influence; it’s something that a person obtains over time which means we all have the ability to live a really influential life. Here are 4 easy ways to do this:

Tip #1: Don’t talk. Listen.

If you want to shape the lives of others, you have to know where they’re coming from. Actively listen. It is ok to sometimes let the other person do all of the talking. This is challenging for me lol, but when you take a moment to put your thoughts, ideas and plans aside and focus solely on the thoughts, ideas and plans of someone else, you would be surprised at what you learn! Or more importantly, what you’ve been missing this whole time.

Tip #2: Make mistakes and fail repeatedly.

It is tough for me to take advice or counsel from someone who hasn’t made colossal mistakes. If someone tells me they have never gone through a rough time or experienced a situation where they didn’t know how they would make it through, I'm not sure we have a lot in common. I value flaws. I respect people who have been to hell and back and have the courage to keep going and to keep fighting.

Tip #3: Become an expert at something.

This is simple. Find one thing and kick butt at it. Obsess over it until you are an expert. For me, this was connecting people to new ideas and new places. I live, eat and breathe this. I find great joy in it so it makes it very easy for me to do. If you are an awesome writer, become an expert writer. If you have been called a "Chatty Kathy" before because of your gift of gab, become an expert speaker. Laser focus on one thing that you know you can be the best at and kill it.

Tip #4: Be kind. Be humble.

When I looked at each of the individuals selected for this inaugural Big Influence launch, I noticed that they had one thing in common – they all possessed a level of genuine kindness and care for others. They were also all confident yet really humble people. To clarify, you can still be fabulous and let others know you’re fabulous from time to time. I am a firm believer of tooting your horn every now and then, but don’t forget to toot the horns of others too.

I am excited about where Dallas is right now. There are so many opportunities out there for the taking. But I am even more excited about the influence you'll share with others. Keep me posted.