WEEK TWO: Leadership. Influence. Action.

Welcome back to The SCEM VIEW, with Deric. By now, you know, I’m pursuing a master’s degree in Strategic Communication at Troy University. This blog (which I like to pretend is a popular primetime talk show) was originally created to explore and discuss various topics and content in my Strategic Communication & Emerging Media (SCEM) course but I have since completed that course and am now taking COM 6610 Leadership -I decided to hold on to the name The SCEM View purely because it's catchy and you guys already know it. And so, here we are- let's keep riding this thing out!

Last week, I took the time to bring all of the new guests up to speed on who I am and what they could expect from my blog. I also mentioned, briefly, The Diffusions of Innovations and was hoping that you all have taken the liberty to explore  that more on your own. Well, did you? Good stuff!

This week, during week two of COM 6610, we are discussing Interpersonal Influence, Opinion Leadership and Diffusion of Innovations.  We're taking a look at the importance of interpersonal influence, opinion leadership and diffusion of innovations-once more. As expressed by Dr. Padgett, the common thread in the readings is the idea that opinion leaders who seem to understand the importance of interpersonal communication in the diffusion of ideas are now using social media. I found this to be true.

So,where today's focus comes from a TED video I recently watched entitled, How Great Leaders Inspire Action. Simon Sinek, the speaker, created a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership -- starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and even Wright brothers. So much of what was shared was insightful and gave me a new perspective- it made a lot of sense to me as to why some choose to be more concerned with a vision and purpose, rather than a result or money. I was debating with my eldest brother Rodney a few months back about something similar and now I regret not seeing this video sooner because it's possible that I would have swayed him a little better than I did. But I digress.

Below, I have created s a list of thoughts on what was expressed, along with a few  notes that were taken from the video:
1. Extremely helpful thoughts as an internal compass for me from now on when wanting to inspire action through leadership.
2.Funny enough, the conviction of his speech proves his point far more than his point does. If he didn't "sell" this idea as he did, I don't think that nearly as many people would buy it. Scientifically, this idea doesn't have much leg to stand on. It's hardly reasoned and some would say that it is dripping with rhetoric. Despite his reasoning, however, he does really really believe in it, which in a strange way ultimately proves his point.
3. It makes sense to me! If I tell you WHY I am doing a thing, it si clearly unbderstood, people - for lack of better words- are more likely to "buy"into whatver it is we're "selling".
4. The WHY is what drives us.

If your interests involve leadership and/or Inspiration, or if you simply would like to watch an awesome video, click the linik below to watch the full video by Sinek! You can thank me later. http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html

Honest moment here, prior to watching, I thought to myself, "What does inspiration have to do with either of the 3 topics/focus points from this week?" But shortlythereafter, it all made sense. Interpersonal influence is a type of social influence- Influence is a verb, an action. It's the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself. We have learned that an opinion leader is a well-known individual or organization that has the ability to influence public opinion on the subject matter for which the opinion leader is known.  Opinion leaders can be politicians, business leaders, community leaders, journalists, educators, celebrities, and sports stars. Diffusion of Innovation, in so many words, is  how, over time, an idea or product gains momentum and diffuses (or spreads) through a specific population or social system.
And then, it clicked. While watching the TED, I realized how it all tied together! All 3 points involved influence and action - to some degree. Therefore, learning Simon Sinek's perspective and hearing what he had to say in regards to inspiring action through leadership-some would simply call it effective marketing- is directly related to the weeks topics in class. Gee,Deric, you think you could've maybe caught  that a little earlier, huh?

After saying all of that, what I want to share with you most is what I personally took from the weeks lesson, as well as the TED video. Clarity. Clarity is what I got from it all. Well, maybe not full clarity but I am a bit clearer and better equipped as a strategic communicator. And well, that’s all the time we have for today folks. Join me right back here next week for more SCEM View, with Deric.