“Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.” Minor Myers Jr.
2026 is indeed speeding along. I’m writing this on the last day of March, but it will be published in April. Since high school and college students will graduate in late May or early June, this blog is timely. How many people of the graduating class will be leaders? Answer: all of them. Here is my graduation speech.
Congratulations Class of 2026. We are excited for every one of you as you embark on your post-graduate life. Some of you will enter the work force right away. Others will further their education. Some may even choose to join the military – a fine choice in my biased opinion! Each of you will be citizens in this country and in your community. Each of you will be leaders. That’s right. Each of you will be leaders. Now some of you may be saying, “not me. I won’t lead anyone or anything after I remove my cap and gown. I’d like to challenge that belief.
Leadership is influence and if you are an adult, you are influencing people all day long – subordinates, peers, and superiors. You may influence an employer to hire you. You may encourage a younger student to choose a certain course or follow a path you’ve traveled. You may influence your peers to join you in your post-graduation journey. You may persuade a mechanic to fix your car faster than he or she otherwise would or influence your partner or spouse on what or what not to spend your shared income on. This is all leadership. Leadership is influence.
Here is a wee bit more education for you – my last ditch effort to teach you one more thing before you are handed your diploma. Merriam Webster offers a great definition as you ponder ways to influence, “the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command.” This is a wonderful definition as you embark on your leadership or influence journey. Let me unpack it briefly. I know you are looking forward to the post-graduation party. Leadership is influence.
“Without exertion of force.” I love that part of the definition because it reminds us that we don’t always need to lead forcibly. Take it from this combat leader, leading forcibly is a less preferred way to lead. Trust building, relationship building, and connecting as a group behind a common mission or cause is a far better way. Gentle persuasion to get a person or team to do what they otherwise might not do is a better way. “Without direct exercise of command.” Most of you will not be given authority right away as you depart this institution of learning. In fact, you’ll find in your influence journey, often you’ll often have to lead or influence without authority. You don’t have authority over an electrician, yet you’ll need to influence him or her to do what they otherwise may not do. You stand a better chance if you attempt to form a relationship. You do this by showing interest and curiosity. You do this by listening and showing respect for what others do. Leadership is influence.
To influence effectively, you must know yourself. Know thyself before you influence others. For example, if you are a non-conformist trying to influence a conformist, you’ll struggle. If you are an impatient person trying to influence a patient person or team, you’ll struggle. By knowing yourself – and there are several free exercises you can take online to do this, you’ll know when to step outside of yourself – for instance when to be a non-dominant person when your true self is more dominant. Leadership is influence.
You have some practice at this already. That’s right, you’ve influenced people and teams in your education journey already. You’ve influenced your teammates on your sports teams rallied around a spirit of winning. You’ve influenced a teacher to grant you more time for an assignment or to alter your grade when you believe you’ve been graded unfairly. Think about these influence moments and what they taught you as you enter your next chapter. Leadership is influence.
A final word. We influence in a 360 degree direction. You’ll influence a boss to hire you or promote you after you demonstrate your skills, reliability, and commitment to the greater team, mission and cause of the organization. You’ll influence peers by demonstrating your team play – through your awareness of what their challenges are. You’ll influence peers by seeking their expertise showing a sincere respect for what they know, who they are, and what they do. You’ll influence subordinates by knowing them and loving them as teammates. You’ll influence them through your example as an honest, selfless, man or woman of character. You’ll influence subordinates by teaching them the lessons you’ve learned in your journey and by coaching them to be the best version of themselves. Leadership is influence.
Think more formally about influence. You’ll need it in this topsy turvy world. You don’t get good at influence organically. You must think about it and work on it as an adult – as a leader no matter what direction you are pointed in – peer, subordinate, or superior.
Congratulations to each of you on your graduation. I’m proud of each of you. Your parents, teachers, and community are proud of each of you. Be an influencer! In closing, remember, your influence is often just the way you carry yourself, how you show up, how you act and speak, because you are a leader! Leadership is influence!
Make it Personal!
Rob Campbell
