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Based on an inane statement about how to become a power influencer, purported from an “expert,” I decided to clarify the process in detail so you could have a shot at becoming one.

Last week’s elements of a power influencer included: smart, shrewd, knowledgeable, successful, a winner, full of answers, someone with ideas that work, creative, a thinker, someone with a great reputation, someone with great timing, and someone with a great attitude.

Here’s the rest of the list.

A power influencer is …

Well-read. Influence comes from a combination of thinking and reasoning that’s not just based on experience. Reading will help you better understand and clarify your own thinking, even refine your own thinking, and it gives you an additional resource to draw from as you’re building your base of influence.

Published. For the past 15 years, I have published a weekly article – more than 800 individual writings that have helped and influenced others in their thinking and in the actions that they take. I promise that if others are influenced by your writing, they will also be influenced by the words you speak.

An author. Write a book that has both influence and prestige. Articles become books. Books become read. And the people who read them will be influenced by the person who wrote them.

Service-driven, not sales-driven. Salespeople are only able to influence temporarily. Power influencers lead with service, and their service leads to sales.

Friendly and well-liked. All things being equal, people want to be influenced by their friends.

Someone who has gained the customers’ confidence. The more you perform, the more successes you have, and the more wisdom you convey over time, the more confidence others will have in you.

Tells the truth all the time. You can influence temporarily with a lie. But once the lie is uncovered, you can never influence again.

Gets the job done no matter what. People of influence are also performers. They walk the walk, not just talk the talk. They’re the one person who is counted on in a time of need. They don’t leave the job until the job is done.

Trusted. All of the already-mentioned elements combine to form trust. A failure in one of them can break trust. If you lie, trust is gone. If you quit a job in the middle, trust is gone. No one element builds trust. But the lack of one element can destroy it.

Long-term oriented. Influence is determined by relationship and long-term thinking precedes relationship. It’s not about your quota. It’s about doing what is best for others over an extended period of time regardless of your self-imposed deadlines.

Not greedy. If there are givers and takers in the world, people of influence are seen as givers. People who are always thinking about or talking about money are not as influential as people who are always talking about ideas and serving others.

“A fit.” One of the most powerful but least-talked-about elements of relationships, trust and influence is how comfortable people feel with one another, how easy it is to do business with one another, and how naturally the relationship is formed. This list contains elements of the IDEAL influencer. All people of influence do not have to have all these qualities, but the more they possess, the greater their power to influence.

Though this list took only a few days to compile, it will take you years to master each element of influence. That’s the good news for you, if you are dedicated to becoming a power influencer. Most people will quit after reading this list. “Too much work,” they’ll say. “Not worth the effort,” they’ll whine.

GREAT! More room for you at the top.