When a person wants to influence others, he is essentially creating a distinct identity that will help the person carry out his goal. A distinct portion of this identity is called the persona. What is a persona? The Webster-Merriam Dictionary defines persona as “the identity that a person projects to the public”.
There should be confusion here. Identity in the context of influence is much more than a person‟s projected personality.
Identity involves a larger constellation of concepts that covers communication, a person‟s position within a society, etc. So let us clarify, the persona is just one component of a person‟s identity. It is not your whole identity.
But it is fortunate that a lot can be done at this level to influence others. And without the persona, you will fail to influence others immediately. And that is the most effective form of influence.
If you can project a persona of influence 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you wouldn‟t have to worry about another project or undertaking ever again. The whole world becomes that much more accessible and manageable when you develop your own unique influential persona.
Taking Advantage of Instant Judgment
Have you ever read about infamous forgeries of famous artwork? Eventually, the police or museum authorities will call an art expert – and it doesn‟t take long for the art expert to identify whether or not the piece of art is the genuine article or not.
If the item at hand is a fake, a seasoned expert would be able to immediately tell the authorities that the item is not genuine. Art experts are usually not buggered about the details, though they may discuss key details that communicated the fact that the artwork is not the real thing.
Seasoned art experts don‟t have to think long and hard if a piece of art is fake or not; in their minds, they have archives of information that they cross-reference instantly as they examine pieces of art.
This type of cross-referencing is the key to creating an influential persona. Many people don‟t realize that they use this exact method of categorizing and comparing when they meet new people. Since people do not engage in conscious, critical thought 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they use peripheral thinking to gauge the attributes or qualities of people, events, choices, etc.
When a person interacts with another person for the first time, the mental impulse to use cross-referencing to categorize the other person is at its strongest. Three core characteristics are used by people to subconsciously categorize other people:
1. The physical appearance of the other person
2. The way the other person communicates and how his voice sounds as he communicates
3. The person‟s positioning
Important Note:
When I say that you have to develop an influential persona, that doesn‟t meant that you have to create a false mask that you will put on whenever you feel like influencing somebody.
That‟s not the point of this method. Rather, I want you to add to your existing persona (the personality that you project) so that you become a beacon of influence wherever you are.
The problem that most people have when trying methods like this for the first time is that they apply the techniques mechanically, as if they were trying to operate some sort of machinery. That‟s not the way to do it. Instead of using these guidelines or techniques mechanically, I want you to absorb the principles and use them whenever you need them.
And I also want you to practice as often as you can on a daily basis – even if it is just ten minutes a day. Ten minutes of practice every day is more effective than sixty minutes of practice once a week.