Chris Widener's Ezine
October 21, 2009
Issue 124

Welcome!

I speak to all sorts of groups on a pretty regular basis, including educators, high-tech, white-collar, blue-collar, etc. The ideas of influence are important in every single situation. Every person needs to learn how to master the art of influence if they are going to be successful in this old world of ours.

Have you ever asked yourself what kind of influence you have? Think about it in two ways:

1. How deep is the influence that you have with the people you already know?
2. How wide is your sphere of influence?

These two questions help you decide both how wide and how deep your influence is. To the degree that you grow in your own personal transformation, you will be able to take your influence both deeper and wider—and that will grow your business and career, as well as your personal relationships!

You Are Made For Success!
Chris Widener

P.S. Today's issue is going out to 117,376 subscribers. If you've gained value from what you read in my e-zine, then I would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family and associates!

In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Share the Impact of Influence with a Special Chris Widener Gift Pack!
5. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

The Power in Praising People by Chris Widener

One of the keys to success is to have successful relationships. We are not islands and we don’t get to the top by ourselves. And one of the key ways to grow successful in our relationships is to be “life-giving” people to others. Every person we meet, we either give life to or take life from. You know what I mean. There are people who encourage you and when you are done being with them you feel built up. Then there are others who you feel torn down by. Successful people are people who have mastered the art of building others up.

One of the ways we build people up is to praise them. There is power in praising people! Something begins to happen in them, in you, and in your relationship when you praise someone. Remember a time when someone told you something about yourself in a praising manner? It was great, wasn’t it? You probably liked that person more after they praised you, didn’t you?

Now I am not talking about praising people for the sake of praising people. I am talking about honestly looking for and praising positive character traits and actions of others around you. Don’t lie to people. If they have done something wrong, correct it, but when they do something right, praise it!

With that said, here are benefits of and ways to start praising people.

Benefits

• Your relationship grows. Life is about relationships. Family relationships, friends and co-workers. When we begin to praise people for their positive aspects, our relationships grow. It puts them, and us, on the fast track.
• Your leadership and influence grows. Who is going to have greater leadership and influence capacity in the lives of their followers, the one who tears down or the one who builds up?
• Stronger relationships and loyalty. When the person is appreciated and praised, they become fiercely loyal, because they know that you care for them, love them, and appreciate them. This will take you to success.
• Happier, more fulfilled people. I truly believe it is our job to build others up, and that they need it. It is a good thing to invest in the lives of others by praising and encouraging them. Even if we never get anything in return, it is the right thing to do to build up other people. Someone else will always come along to tear them down; the successful person will instill in them the power of praise!

Some Ways to Praise

Character traits
Is there someone you know who is joyful? Hard-working? Honest? Then let them know how much you appreciate that in them. You can do it with a word or a card, or a phone call. Say something like this, “You know, Tom, I think it is great that you are such a hard worker. It seems like you are always the first one here and the last one to leave. You really set a good example and I want you to know how much I appreciate that.” Simple!

Action
Same idea as above. “Sue, I don’t know if anybody else has told you this, but your work on the Johnson account was excellent. You have a wonderful ability to communicate the vision of the project, and that helps all the rest of us out in our roles and tasks. Thanks for that. It is greatly appreciated.”

Other ways you can show praise and appreciation is with a card, a gift or time off from work.

Make it your goal to praise at least five people a day. If you can, praise 10 people a day. Or perhaps you can try to praise everyone you come in contact with. It just takes discipline and a little work.

Any way you cut it, though, there is power in praising people. First for them, then for you!

—Chris Widener

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2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

“There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say and how we say it.” —Dale Carnegie

Chris’s Commentary:
The way you are perceived can be a complex matter, but in essence it really boils down to these four areas. For that, we can be thankful because we can set our sights to make changes in these areas so as to more effectively lead and influence others. As we make gains in these areas, we will see our ability to help others increase dramatically and that, in turn, will be of ultimate benefit to us! Have you given thought to how you may be perceived in what you do, how you look, what you say, and how you say it?

Action Point:
Focus in on one of these areas today and write down three things you can do to make a bold change or improvement in that area. Then pick one and do it TODAY!

3. The Last Word...

Today, I turn the last word over to my friend and personal-achievement legend, Jim Rohn. The little quotable nuggets on influence and association below are from his book The Treasury of Quotes, a collection of more than 365 of Jim's best quotes on 60 different topics.

Influence/Associations by Jim Rohn

• There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is subtle. You wouldn’t let someone push you off course, but you might let someone nudge you off course and not even realize it.
• We need a variety of input and influence and voices. You cannot get all the answers to life and business from one person or from one source.
• Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association.
• Don’t spend most of your time on the voices that don’t count. Tune out the shallow voices so that you will have more time to tune in the valuable ones.
• “No” puts distance between you and the wrong influence.
• You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?
• Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.
• Some people you can afford to spend a few minutes with, but not a few hours.
• Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed.

—Jim Rohn

4. Share the Impact of Influence with a Special Chris Widener Gift Pack!

Personal-achievement legend Jim Rohn calls Chris Widener’s teachings “rich and practical” and his style “dynamic and engaging.”

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Don’t wait to order! Learn more about this great offer now! You may also order by calling 877-929-0439.

5. More Information

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