Multiplying Your Influence by Striving for Excellence

by Dave Kahle

 

As a college student, I supported myself by working in a relatively expensive men’s clothing store. It was a small local chain, with five stores around town – one big headquarters store downtown, and four suburban stores in shopping centers.

One of our premium clothing lines was named after the designer – Oleg Cassini. He came to our city to promote his line, and the company’s executives held an evening reception for him. Even though I was just 19, I was one of the few employees from the suburban stores who were invited.

Why was that?

Even though I was young and relatively inexperienced, I was the number one salesperson among the four suburban stores. The company wanted to recognize that excellence by including me in the reception. It was excellence in my work that led to the reception invitation and the consequent recognition and influence.

That was my first exposure to a powerful rule of human behavior by which Christian businesspeople can create a disproportionate impact for the Kingdom: Excellence in your work inevitably leads to greater influence and that influence can create a significant impact for the Kingdom.

Excellence in your work inevitably leads to greater influence and that influence can create a significant impact for the Kingdom.

Since then, I’ve seen the connection between excellence and influence manifest in multiple situations, people and industries.

For example, in athletic contests, it is the outstanding player who is interviewed after the end of the game. Patrick Mahomes, the American football quarterback, to name just one, often gives credit to God in postgame interviews. That’s a perfect example of excellence in work translating to influence for the kingdom.

In company meetings, it’s the star salesperson who is often asked to opine on the new product line or lead the discussion on strategy or tactics. In my work, I often interview some selected representatives of the sales force for a client company. The people that management selects to talk to the consultant are invariably the best. Those who are struggling with mediocrity aren’t considered.

In industry associations, it is the leading companies who are asked to be on the committees and chair the task forces.

There is something in human nature that attributes greater leadership character, greater insight and more reasoned intelligence to those who excel on the job. We just naturally think that those who excel on the job are inherently more substantial people than the average.

It may have to do with the recognition that those who excel may start with a greater dose of talent than the rest of the pack. More likely, it arises from the understanding that to excel at something – anything – is not just a matter of a beginning allotment of talent, but more likely the result of years of hard work, dedication, discipline, and coaching from a village of concerned mentors along the way.

Regardless, the connection between excellence and influence is a principle that Christians can count on. Jesus said we are “lights” bringing illumination to dark places. How much more can our light shine if we have achieved a greater degree of excellence in what we do? In the parable of the talents, it was the servants who did well with their responsibilities who were rewarded with greater responsibilities and a closer relationship with the master.

Striving for excellence, then, for a Christian in the marketplace, should become a basic expectation – undergirding everything he/she experiences on the job. From my anecdotal experience, just the decision to strive for excellence will set us apart from the mass of our colleagues. Most people don’t want to excel because they recognize that it requires greater dedication, a sharper focus, greater emotional intensity and a larger effort than they are willing to expend.

The connection between excellence and influence can be an organizing principle for us in our workplaces.

But it is not enough to strive for excellence. We must also pinpoint the second half of the equation – influence. That means that we recognize that opportunities to influence will come our way and, as a matter of course, be prepared to say yes to them. Taskforces, committees, volunteer requests of all kinds – all represent opportunities to illuminate a larger darkness. We should embrace them, not shirk from them.

Even more, we should proactively seek for opportunities to take on influential roles. We should be joining the local Chambers of Commerce, as well as the national associations and the small groups of peers meeting together once a month. Looking around us, we should study the landscape and identify opportunities to be influential. We will discover opportunities all around us, once we decide to look for them.

The connection between excellence and influence can be an organizing principle for us in our workplaces, providing a powerful sense of fulfillment and purpose to our marketplace efforts.

Read Part 2: Multiplying Your Influence by Using Good Words

Dave regularly writes at the Biblical Business blog and shares his articles on his YouTube Channel, listen to this post here.

You may be interested in the XI Community (Excellence and Influence), an online community dedicated to helping our members achieve excellence and influence in the marketplace. Check it out here!

Dave KahleDave Kahle has been a Bible teacher, elder, house church leader, short-term missionary and Christian executive roundtable leader. For 30 years, he has been an authority on sales and sales systems, having spoken in 47 states and eleven countries. He has authored 13 books, including The Good Book on Business. Sign up for his weekly messages here.

More from Dave at: www.davekahle.com and www.thebiblicalbusiness.com.

 

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Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash