VOI BLOG

A bit of influence perspective from coach and lecturer, Sharon Edwards.

The Tools of Influence

September 21, 2009

I found a wonderful quote recently that I'd like to share with you.  It comes from the book Mary's Way written by Peggy Tabor Millin.  The quote is "We never touch people so lightly that we do not leave a trace."  I invite you to stop for a moment, take a deep breath in and out slowly and think about that sentence.  We never touch people so lightly that we do not leave a trace.  For communicators (which we ALL are) this means being present when we speak is vitally important.  It's easy to get distracted with phones and computers and BlackBerrys and all the other things vying for our attention.  It's harder to be sure those distractions don't get in the way of good communication that serves you and your audience.  You want the trace you leave behind to be intentional and powerful.