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THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE

The people around you either inspire you or drain you. So, you need to choose wisely. It goes without saying that successful people surround themselves with people who influence them positively.

Here’s why it’s important to consciously focus on the people you choose to be around.

Attitudes are contagious

When you constantly hear certain ideas, assumptions, and values, you generally end up agreeing with them. That’s human nature. Even emotions are catching. It’s hard to maintain a good mood if you are surrounded by grumpy naysayers. It’s not to say you must avoid anyone having a tough time. In life, and in business, people with a great attitude can overcome any challenge or set back, and that’s what you want to rub off on you.

Habits Are Contagious, Too

When the people around you think it’s normal to be sleep-deprived and over-worked, guess what? You’ll pick up the same habit. Look at the habits of those in your business environment and social circle. That is going to be you in a couple of years. How does your future look?  Seek people out who have the kind of life and career you want. Make friends with those you admire. They must be doing something right, and if you stick with them, you might catch what they’ve got.

Learning from others

You might be able to figure out a lot of things for yourself. But you shouldn’t have to. There is a lot to learn from the people around you. Whether it’s through the mistakes they make or the successes they achieve, your interaction with them will undoubtedly leave an imprint on your brain that influences future decisions.

Business success is no different. As a business and executive coach, I see first hand how the people around you determine the level of success you achieve in business.

Your team

Hiring the right people for the job at hand is the most important decision you can make. How often do you settle for employees that are not quite up to scratch? Don’t be afraid to hire people who complement your skills rather than clone your skills. Ensure that the people you hire share your values and fit into the company culture. When you have employees with the right attitude, the rest will fall into place.

Your suppliers

Most businesses are reliant on suppliers. Make sure you have the right suppliers in place that understand and support your vision and what you are aiming to achieve. Your suppliers should not let you down, they need to deliver what they promise, and in return you need to respect them by paying on time.

Your customers

Yes, you get to choose your customers. But you first need to understand that you get the customers you deserve, so make sure you are offering the best service and products possible so you can attract customers that are prepared to pay for your services and appreciate what you do. Too many of us think we can’t fire a client. Nonsense. When clients are unreasonable, always find something to complain about, don’t pay on time, question everything and don’t value your product or service it’s time to remove them.

Your mentors

Who do you associate with? Do you have a mentor, a coach, a business consultant or an industry association that feeds your positivity and success? Who guides you, holds up a mirror, motivates you and inspires you? Do your friends and family share your ambition, encourage and support you? Do you socialise with a community of like-minded people?

As we enter the season of Spring, there’s already an air of positivity. Now is a good time to build on that and make sure the people around you continue to inspire and lift you up. Importantly, it’s also a good time to ask yourself if you are type of person that others want around them.

Remember, you cannot change the people around you, but you can change who you choose to be around.

Have a great weekend.

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