How Powerful is Your Sphere of Influence?

Everyone has a sphere of influence.

Although it’s much more accurate to say spheres of influence. Think about it! You’re not just part of one network, you are part of many networks. And how you cultivate and build relationships impacts how powerful yours can be.

So, who exactly forms your spheres of influence (SOI)?

Your family members, friends, colleagues, vendors, and clients all play a role in establishing your SOI. But your networks go far beyond that! It’s also your friends of friends, relatives of your friends, neighbors, school alumni and professors, everyone at your monthly book club meeting, the coffee barista you see every morning, and many others you may not have considered.

I’m referring to people you personally know and who can impact you — and vice versa. They have the power to be influential! These individuals always take your call, value you and respect your opinion, and consistently act as a resource in various ways.

Just how impactful can your SOI be?

When you take a closer look and evaluate your relationships you gain better insight. I recommend you make a list of your contacts and ask yourself questions such as:

• What industry do they work in?
• Who can they introduce you to?
• How can you be beneficial to them?
• What benefits can they provide you?
• What did you last communicate with them?

Like most, you’re probably undervaluing your existing connections. There is so much power already within your reach! There’s a good chance that what you’re presently sitting on is plentiful — it’s just not fully nurtured yet. It’s up to you to determine how to leverage your relationships with them.

You may not realize you have a wealth of influential individuals available at their fingertips. It’s through your spheres of influence where you will likely find your next job role or be introduced to someone who can help with your project. Or even where you could find a babysitter!

“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Jim Rohn

Every so often it’s a good idea to assess who you are connected with. And it’s OK to say goodbye to those who negatively impact you! The famous motivational speaker Jim Rohn stated: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” There is nothing wrong with breaking ties with people who consistently hinder your success. And performing a periodic audit of your networks helps you to build and maintain healthy relationships.

Now you know who comprises your spheres of influence and the potential power it can have. And once you recognize the impact of your own spheres of influence you generate opportunities that reap favorable rewards — both professionally and personally.

As said by author and speaker Chris Brogan, “Access is an asset”. And your access to these individuals in your networks is a great asset to your success. Remember, it’s not what you know, but who you know! And you know so much more than you realize.

“Access is an asset.”

Chris Brogan

To help you further we developed the NetWorkWise Sphere of Influence Tool that you can download here. This template breaks down the details of your current networks, offering you the ability to better understand the value of your connections and how to tap into them.

I also encourage you to sign up for our online certification course where we dive even more into the Sphere of Influence Tool and guide you through a step-by-step process of how best to utilize it — and continuously build on it. Through this training, you learn the right way to set networking goals and relationship-building habits to foster the connections you have within your SOI, along with the knowledge and tools to build superior networks. And once complete, you will earn our esteemed NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP) credential!