Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Positive Influence summary
Tsun-Yan Hsieh
Huijin Kong
The First and Last Mile of Leadership
17 mins
Brief summary
Positive Influence explores how we can become impactful leaders and mentors by understanding and leveraging our own strengths. It provides actionable tips on fostering growth, building trust, and inspiring positive change in others.
Table of Contents
Positive Influence
Summary of 4 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 4
What influence is – and isn’t
When discussing influence, it’s important not to confuse it with manipulation.
Here’s a workplace scenario to illustrate influence in action. Vik, a project leader, aims to impress his superiors, while Sue-Ann, the project sponsor, is balancing work demands with family commitments. Vik and Sue-Ann have their individual goals, and they must both align these with the broader objectives of the project. It’s not solely about Vik's ambitions or Sue-Ann’s quest for balance. Instead, they need to harmonize their personal goals to prioritize the shared aim of project success. Through this scenario, we realize that influence is about aligning diverse interests to serve a common purpose.
Now, let's touch upon manipulation, the not-so-pleasant cousin of influence. Manipulation is self-serving and often harmful to others. It’s like a chess game in which you’d think several moves ahead solely for your gain, regardless of how it affects others. Positive influence, on the other hand, is about creating a scenario in which everyone’s needs are considered and addressed.
Imagine if Vik, focused solely on his career advancement, manipulated project data to appear more successful, while disregarding the team's efforts and Sue-Ann's need for stability. This self-serving tactic might give Vik a temporary edge, but it harms the project’s integrity and erodes trust within the team. Manipulation only brings about detrimental effects.
Speaking of trust, it’s worth noting that influence has more to do with effective communication at heart than plain old persuasion, which tends to center on personal gain. You cannot just broadcast your message and hope it sticks enough for people to pick it up. By communicating transparently, you establish a two-way street on which understanding, empathy, and mutual inspiration come into play to extend your reach. To influence people, you need to be willing to follow up and engage them in meaningful dialogue.
Suppose Vik emailed ambitious project goals to impress his superiors, but didn’t seek Sue-Ann and the team’s feedback. His approach, while informative to his higher-ups, would miss the chance for collaborative input from his team. This scenario demonstrates the limits of one-way communication and how it keeps influence from serving its purpose.
Ultimately, being positively influential involves collaboration and mutual respect – two things that help you balance individual and collective needs. You’re not winning at the expense of any team member under your watch.
Now that you know what influence is and isn’t, let’s find out whether you’re any good at it – and what to do if you’re falling short.
Want to see all full key ideas from Positive Influence?
Key ideas in Positive Influence
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Positive Influence about?
Positive Influence (2021) offers a no-nonsense roadmap that helps people harness positive influence with courage, empathy, vision, and wisdom as they shape a world that benefits all. It suggests that mastering the art of positive influence can bring about profound and beneficial changes across the personal and professional realms of a person’s life.
Positive Influence Review
Positive Influence (2021) presents a thoughtful exploration of how influence operates in our lives and how we can use it to effect positive change. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers insightful analysis and practical strategies for understanding and harnessing the power of influence in various contexts.
- Backed by research and real-world examples, it provides a solid foundation for applying the principles of influence in personal and professional settings.
- The book's emphasis on ethical influence sets it apart, offering guidance on using our power of persuasion for the greater good without manipulation or coercion.
Who should read Positive Influence?
- Leaders improving their organizational dynamics knowledge
- Professionals transitioning into leadership roles
- Team leads desiring cohesive collaboration
Categories with Positive Influence
Book summaries like Positive Influence
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Positive Influence FAQs
What is the main message of Positive Influence?
The main message of Positive Influence is that small actions can have a big impact on others and create positive change.
How long does it take to read Positive Influence?
The reading time for Positive Influence varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Positive Influence a good book? Is it worth reading?
Positive Influence is a valuable read for anyone looking to make a difference. It provides actionable insights and strategies for effectively influencing others.
Who is the author of Positive Influence?
Tsun-Yan Hsieh & Huijin Kong are the authors of Positive Influence.
What to read after Positive Influence?
If you're wondering what to read next after Positive Influence, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- No Explanation Required! by Carol Sankar
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- Extraordinary Influence by Tim Irwin
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek
- The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
- Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks & Oprah Winfrey
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- Raise Your Game by Alan Stein Jr.
- You Say More Than You Think by Janine Driver
- On the Edge by Nate Silver