Jason Kidd on Impact & Influence

Seventeen years after being drafted into the NBA, veteran point guard Jason Kidd earned the right to be called NBA champ after capturing his first title with the Dallas Mavericks when they defeated the Miami Heat in the Finals.


This future hall of famer was an integral part of the team and as Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said, "He's just been a thrill and a privilege to spend time with."

Kidd is among the NBA leaders in a number of statistical categories including 3 point shots made, steals and assists. He's a coach on and off the floor and can always be relied upon to support the team with his leadership, stability and poise.

As is the case with most great players who's playing careers are winding down, Kidd is often asked how much longer he'll keep going before he hangs up the sneakers.

The almost 39 year old has gotten accustomed to addressing this question and recently said, "I feel great, and being around younger guys and working on my game, and them believing in me, helped me compete every day."


Hold up! What did he say??

Did one of the best point guards to ever step foot on an NBA court just say that the belief of younger players helped him?

With more then half of the 18 players on the roster having less then 10 years of experience many of his team mates grew up watching him while they dreamed of one day playing in the NBA.

How is this possible?

It's totally possible you see, Kidd's response clearly speaks to the type of impact and influence our actions can have on one another. If young players with no where near half the experience of the future hall of fame point guard can significantly impact his career to the point where he wants to keep going then there's nothing that stops us from doing the same with each other.

Regardless how long we've been in the game, what position we play or who we are, our actions can build confidence and inspire greatness simply by being an encourager and supporter.

See you on the court!

Influence Is Like Flowers and Candy

Without question, leadership and influence go hand in hand with another. The most effective leaders are those that posses the ability to lead those around them from one place to the next.


There are a variety of influence and persuasion principles at our disposal to help us with this but it's important that we properly read the situation and recognize which tool is most appropriate.

Here are the six main ones we can refer to:

Liking - People respond much more readily to people that they like, and even to the friends of people that they like. They feel comfortable if they see similarity or like the things that you’re associated with.

Scarcity - People get so much more interested in something if they feel that it’s about to run out.

Consistency & Commitment - People respond to others who are consistent in their messages. If you are constantly giving the same messages to people and acting in a consistent way, they will respond positively.

Social Proof - If people see others doing something, they assume that it must be okay to do it and therefore, they will be happier about doing it themselves.

Authority - People invariably act more positively if they have respect for the authority of the person who is giving them information.

Reciprocity - Reciprocation is about how, if you do something for somebody, they will feel obliged to do something for you, or they will at least feel better about doing something for you.

Flowers & Candy

“An earnest and sincere lover buys flowers and candy for the object of his affections. So does the cad who succeeds to take advantage of another’s heart. But when the cad succeeds, we don’t blame the flowers and candy. We rightly question his character.”

"The Art of Woo"

The principles of persuasion are as neutral as flowers and candy because they and can be used to influence people either positively or negatively. The tools themselves are neither good or bad, it's how they are put into practice.

Brian Ahearn joins HCL Radio to chat about the topic of influence and persuasion and explore these principles a bit further.

Brian has the distinction of being one of a handful of people trained by persuasion and influence expert, Dr. Robert Cialdini.

I asked Brian to comment on the connection between influence and leadership.

See you on the court!

The Water Glass

Deciding to have a positive attitude is a choice we choose to make. Being a positive person can make a difference, not only to ourselves but to the people around us.

So the question is, what's in your glass?



Is it half full and rich with opportunities or half empty and in desperate need of replenishment?

Having an upbeat and positive attitude is one of the most significant things that leaders can do to influence and motivate the people around them.

The benefits of having and maintaining a positive attitude are many, it can inspire confidence which strengthens loyalty, provide hope during challenging times and serve as a way to motivate others to find solutions to problems.

All of these things are all possible because of The Power of Having a Positive Attitude.




See you on the court!

Leading From The Front

I think Nobel prize winner and American physicist Albert Einstein got it right when he said,

"Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.”



There's no doubt that setting an example is one of the most effective ways a leader can create commitment amongst their people.

It's not about leading through words and telling others the way things should be, rather it's by demonstrating how you want others to behave through action.

"Leading From the Front" has many benefits including:

* Helps a leader build trust amongst his/her people;
* Provides opportunities for leaders to demonstrate how they want things done;
* Creates an infectious feeling with team members

Look at it this way.

If the 12th best player on a basketball team sees the leader whether it be Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or Michael Jordan putting in extra practice time by coming in early and staying late, they can't help but to be influenced to work as just as hard, if not harder.



That's why it's so important for leaders to remember the importance of leading by example.

On the next episode of HCL Radio, I'm joined by internationally recognized leadership consultant, coach, and author of "Lead By Example" - Mr. John Baldoni.



John makes it quite clear that leaders need to keep in mind the importance of setting the proper example to achieve success. John said, "Leaders do what's necessary for the good of the organization".

If CEO's and managers expect to lead their teams successfully and achieve organizational results, they need to realize that setting an example and leading from the front is the first step in making that happen.

Tune in to HCL Radio - Where developing leaders is more than a game!

Listen to the entire interview with John.

Thanks for reading!

Influence - Pull Not Push

Leaders are often judged on their ability to effectively persuade and influence those around them.

However, the act of influencing others is more than just getting people to do what you want.

It's about having an open line of communication and sharing information on both sides. Leaders must also possess the capacity to effectively and positively affect their followers to be successful.

Heath Slawner is an experienced trainer and management consultant on the science of influence and persuasion and joins the next episode of HCL Radio.

When asked about the topic of influence, Heath said, "The best influencers listen a lot and are open to be influenced as they do seek to influence other people, it's a two way street."

Heath is the only professional in Canada certified to deliver the Principles of Persuasion workshop (“PoP”), which is based on the lifelong work of Dr. Robert Cialdini and focuses on the ethical uses of influence tactics.

Join us on the next episode of HCL Radio and listen as Heath breaks down the six principles of persuasion and provides some great examples of their uses.

Heath invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Click here for more information about the Principles of Persuasion workshop.

Note: Free show reminders are available by visiting the show page and clicking on the "Remind Me" button.

Click here to listen.

Thanks for reading!

Where developing leaders in more than just a game.