What Impact Do You Have on Others?

I was winding down a day of leadership development with Direct Energy in Houston and was asked the question:

“What are some of the most important things you measure in your business?”

I didn’t hesitate: “Impact and growth.”

Growth is easy to quantify. I know when we’re up 30% year over year. We track a variety of metrics related to our growth objectives. I also know that our growth is directly related to our ability to deliver impact.

How I Watch for the Impact of My Work

Quantifying impact can be a little trickier. We receive evaluations and conduct post-event client reviews. That’s valuable insight we carefully consider.

I’m also watching and listening for signs that my work has made an impact. For me, that might look something like this:

@RyanEstis I emailed the person who influenced me & my life. I haven’t spoken to her in 20 years. She had no idea- but she will now ! TY!

— Patty Niles (@equinegirl) Mayo 28, 2015

@RyanEstis she was absolutely floored and she said she cried reading the email – we are meeting for coffee @Starbucks ( lol ) ! Ty again ! — Patty Niles (@equinegirl) Mayo 28, 2015

Or:

Ryan, first, thank you for your guidance last week, it really spoke to me.. I texted my mentor tonight and we had a really emotional conversation that I didn’t expect. I didn’t exactly appreciate how this exercise might make me emotional, but somehow it did. Thank you very much.

I know that helping people make a meaningful connection delivers impact. When it’s done through the lens of gratitude and appreciation, those connections become even more powerful.

Making an impact doesn’t always mean inspiring an emotional 20-year reunion. Impact can be more simple and straightforward — like helping someone decide to take the important first step toward meaningful change:

@RyanEstis thanks for the first step in changing my life

— Andrew Neyman (@AndrewNeyman) Mayo 19, 2015

Initiating meaningful change often involves challenging a current pattern of thinking or behavior with a strong emotional connection. This is exactly the “pattern interrupt” that world-class salespeople use to influence and help guide customers through an important decision. It helps to make an emotional connection — often through the power of storytelling. We remember the story. Stories move us, connect us and help us see the path forward.

I laughed, thought, and cried all in the last hour #fairfieldleaders THANK YOU @RyanEstis

— Stacy Wells (@swellssss) Mayo 27, 2015

I know that my growth, personally and professionally, is directly related to the impact I have helping others make progress toward achieving their own potential.