I personally find this a fascinating subject, given there is currently considerable emphasis placed upon ‘modern-day social media influencers’. The control and power that they harness can be truly phenomenal (arguably trendsetting and culturally defining), however, is their societal impact enhancing or diminishing the lives of those they connect with?
Although the word “empower” may have a more positive connotation than the word “influence”, both can be positive or negative. Understanding that both play an important role in human behavior, development and decision making, allows for one to make the right decision of when to influence or to empower.
To influence is an expression of your power, whereas empowerment allows someone to express their power. I would suggest that in the long-term it is much more beneficial and personally rewarding to focus on empowering others rather than attempting to deliberately influence them.
I view influencing as short-term and external energy, whereas empowering as long-term and internal energy and I believe that life-changing experiences are best facilitated from within oneself. Furthermore, it could be argued that influencing resides on a sub-conscious level, whereas empowerment thrives at a conscious level. Our metaphysical default settings respond better to empowerment, as we are in the driver’s seat changing the gears and steering the vehicle, as opposed to letting someone else take the controls and lead us. A classic example of a negative influence would be a narcissist that has mastered the art of sub-consciously manipulating and gas-lighting their partner by taking them on an emotional rollercoaster ride of disempowerment.
For me personally, the question of influence (or the subtle swaying and persuading of an individual) involves its long-term durability. That is, what happens when the external influence disappears? What happens when you become disconnected from the source of influence? Unless it has become an ingrained habit, the likelihood of you losing direction and motivation is high. What it boils down to is OWNERSHIP and personal responsibility. Empowering others to be the best version of themselves is a far more positive learning experience for all involved, than constantly manipulating the situation to get the desired result.
HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
The underlying difference in definition is that EMPOWER is to give permission and permit, whereas INFLUENCE is to be swayed and persuaded by gentle action.
As a noun influence is, “the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.”
So, in other words, to influence is, “an action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change”. It is the result of your ability to accomplish or achieve something through someone else. You see, the power of influence can be used positively or negatively to great effect. I believe that more times than not, in a situation of influence, the outcome leans more towards a manipulative experience of purely getting someone to do what you want – whether or not that is in their best interests. Sales and marketing is a good example of influencing customers to buy a product or service.
To empower is my preferred course of action and has always formed the basis for my employee management plus personal training and holistic wellness strategies. As a manager or coach, I have always found the “magic happens” with employees and clients when they are empowered! They make the conscious decision to commit to making the necessary improvements to get to the next level. Tapping into your own personal passions and intrinsic motivations (through effective goal setting), can initiate dramatic changes of behavior resulting in long-term habits. The key here is to ensure they are positive ones.
THE POWER OF REACH
Whether you choose to be an influencer or a source of empowerment, the goal of both is to strive for REACH. Connecting with as many people as possible is the key to spreading the word and facilitating the change of a positive nature. Those with wide and deep social networks are discovered more readily and it is the accessibility to “their value-driven messages” that result in a shift of mindset and point of reference. The power of positivity can go viral very quickly across social platforms and should be encouraged, supported and celebrated.
But surely, it’s not just the “social media influencers” that should take note? I would suggest that we all should! We all have family members, partners, children and close friends that we can influence and empower. The choice here is to understand the benefits of both and apply them accordingly. Empowerment fosters personal responsibility, improves self-esteem and requires a “lead by example” mindset as opposed to a “do as I say” influential approach. To light the fire within someone and see them blossom, whether on a personal or business level, is extremely satisfying and rewarding! Your reach might not equate to thousands or millions of followers on social media, but rather to your immediate family and loved ones or you ever-growing clientele. You too can make a massive difference in the lives of those around you.
As Michael Wu Ph.D. states, “You can empower people in a way so they become more influential, but you can also influence people in a way that they become more empowered”.
Perhaps it’s a matter of initially applying influence as the first step to “get the ball rolling” then harnessing the magic of empowerment to “form the habit”, either way – just keep it POSITIVE.
