Leadership is About Influence

Lisa Marie Platske • June 26, 2017

 

Leadership is about influence. Great leaders have the capacity to influence by being. May you have the courage to take this journey.


Leadership is about influence.


Great leaders have the capacity to influence by being.


Their very presence makes someone want to follow because of how they show up – with courage, challenging the status quo, and positioning their expertise with confidence and conviction.


I’ve had the distinct honor of being in conversation with a myriad of incredible world-class leaders who have shared their story about being called to do what they’re doing.


With a clear mission and purpose, they step out into the world with an inner understanding that they were designed to make a difference in the world. Leadership is About Influence - Upside Thinking Inc.


Yet, what they all have in common is not being a trailblazer.


It is that every single one acknowledged their insecurities of not feeling good enough to be up for the task.


And, they still stepped out anyway.


Whenever I’ve stepped out to do something I felt called to do, the voices of criticism and condemnation have been there to greet me.


When I first opened my business, the voices were loud and unkind – like those from the grade school bully.


  • “Who do you think you are? You’ll never figure out how to get this (business) off the ground.”
  • “No one wants to hear from you.”
  • “You may be able to fool them for a short period of time but when they find out who you really are, it’ll all be over.”

And, if I wasn’t working to drown out the mean and nasty voices in my head, I was comparing myself to other business people I’d met in the community.


  • She’s got the right degree and background.
  • She’s incredibly connected.
  • She’s got an amazing sense of style and poise.

Who do I think I am to open a business?!?


So, I did my best to fit in.


I built a white picket fence around my deck of cards and didn’t let anyone in.


I shopped for the best clothes and carefully crafted my sentences.


I read business books and attended business conferences and seminars, smiling as I gave my business card with a perfectly polished 30-second intro to everyone I met.


Yep. I was all shined up on the outside and a hot mess on the inside.


I complained to my husband that I felt like a fraud, sobbing that I would never be good enough and why didn’t I just get a job.


Yet, I was clear that I was called to do this work – to speak about leadership in a way that was different and served as the catalyst for new conversations and perspectives.


Tired of listening to my whining, Jim and I had a come-to-Jesus moment at the dining room table where he told me this was the last time he would listen to my crappy story. (Well, not in those words exactly…)


He challenged me to do whatever I needed to do to make it work – or to get a job.


I quietly began reading books like “You Can Heal Your Life,” “The Soul of Money,” and re-reading my favorites including “The Greatest Miracle In the World” and “Way of The Peaceful Warrior.”


Tears would stream through my eyes as I was presented with greater lessons – and the biggest was that people didn’t need me to be perfect, they needed me to be real.


Over time, I got the courage to step out behind the curtain of what seemed safe, and tidy and acceptable and began being unapologetically me.


My insecurities of not feeling good enough were the same challenges other leaders spoke about – and yet, they had the courage to speak about their insecurities and trials.


I wondered where my need for approval came from and decided to boldly move into an arena that terrified me.


The voices of doubt were still loud, yet, my big why and purpose was louder and drowned out the punishing and merciless voices.


As I’ve gotten more and more vulnerable about my own leadership journey and what my personal struggles are, I expected shame and rejection.


And, while there are people who have unsubscribed from my Upside Thought or told me that my brand of leadership doesn’t resonate for them, I’m amazed at how much love and acceptance you have shown to me.


There have been many misdeeds on my journey that I’ve shared openly and honestly over the past 7 years.


I’ve repented and asked for forgiveness – and some I will never share with anyone other than God.


What I have learned is that miracles have happened on this journey of vulnerability, unconditional love, and mercy.


Deeper and more authentic connections have been formed – and I’m being invited to speak in more places than ever before and leadership/executive coaching clients are showing up unexpectedly.


A door closes – and a ginormous window opens. ❤️


In the beginning of the article, I shared how I have had the privilege of being in conversation with amazing leaders.


In one particular conversation with Nobel Prize Nominee and the founder of Project Forgive, Dr. Shawne Duperon invited me to stop telling an old story – and show myself the same love and forgiveness I show others.


Several weeks ago, I found out that my father (biological) passed away 5 years ago.


I was devastated and have been grieving as we had not spoken for 30 years – and I no longer have the opportunity to repair what was broken.


I am most saddened that my father never overcame his fear to step out and be seen – and found it necessary to hide behind ego, fear, and bravado as a way to exert control.


In the end, I recognize that my father was a good man who had many demons that ultimately consumed him.


It’s always easier to give in or hide out than to design your own destiny.


As I’ve been walking this journey, I’ve gone back to the memories that I want to keep close – and am choosing to let go of those that won’t serve me as these can be stories that prevent me from doing what Shawne spoke about so eloquently.


Leadership is About Influence

Yes, leadership is about influence.


Stepping into being a catalyst for positive influence requires vulnerability, a willingness to let go of what isn’t serving you, and self-love and forgiveness.


May you have the courage to take this journey as the people you are called to serve need you.


Comfort doesn’t change the world.


Action Item: Leadership is About Influence - Lisa Marie Platske

The Upside Challenge of the week is to identify where you are — and to take action on one thing to be seen, heard, and recognized for who you are. What is one thing you will let go of to move forward as a leader worth following?


The world needs you and your brilliance!

How Presence Becomes Power in Leadership

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 23, 2026
In a world that is designed for you to have a plan and map out your every move, living moment-by-moment can be challenging. You will likely be met with judgment by the folks around you, feeling you move too slow or are a bit directionless. Yet the only way to experience peace is in this moment. It doesn't happen when you focus on your past. And it doesn't live in your future, either. Years ago, I had someone who was well-known in the world of transformational leadership reach out to me, asking if she could hire me. When I asked her what she wanted to work on, she shared that she wanted me to teach her how to be present. Huh? I didn't understand what she was asking or why it was an issue. And at the time, I couldn't figure out how to put together a package or offering on something that felt so natural to me. Over the years, I've discovered that presence is elusive for most folks. They don't understand its power or grasp how to attain it, and live in the here and now. Perhaps that's the reason Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now has sold millions of copies. When presence eludes you, you run back and forth chasing moments you once lived in the past—or spending time wishing for tomorrow to get here. The blessing of living in this moment means you get to see all of the gifts that are in your life right now. ~ The people you love ~ The places you enjoy ~ The experiences you cultivate When you run around comparing what was or what you think will be to this moment, you miss out on the gift of life that God has given you. And when you lead from this place, it's hard for others to want to follow you. Leadership requires a commitment to the here and now. And the best leaders are present to the wonder of life, living One Moment At A Time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to practice leading from presence rather than a plan. When something interrupts your schedule or pulls you off your agenda, pause and stay in the moment instead of rushing ahead or reacting. Give your full attention to what is right in front of you and allow peace to guide your response. Trust that honoring the present moment is an act of faith, clarity, and leadership, and that what truly matters will unfold one moment at a time.

The Vision You Shelved Is Calling You Back

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 16, 2026
What would happen if your vision, your wildest desire, became fulfilled? Then what? What if you were as successful, as impactful as your soul is nudging you to be? What if? Most folks never give themselves permission to answer those questions. The idea that life follows a rote rhythm and then one day your time has come to cross the rainbow bridge sounds awful to me. Yet I've met far too many folks who live their life this way, expecting very little—and giving very little in return. Long ago, I noticed this conscious and unconscious sleepwalking where the hottest thing on the market was what would keep you comfortable and out of pain. That trend, while appealing, seeks to remove all suffering from the human experience. If you really want your vision to come to life, you're gonna experience some heartache. That's reality. Suffering stretches you to become better ... to defy the odds, pushing on your growth edges and inviting you to rise up. What if you never sold out on yourself again? What if you asked for the best seat in the house and were offered even better? I believe you can, you will—and you must. For without vision, people perish. I believe in you. Start asking for the best and keep asking until you get it. That's the Upside Way. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to set aside ten intentional minutes this week and ask yourself this question and write the answer without negotiating it down. What vision did I quietly place on the shelf because it asked more of me? Let it be bold. It may feel premature or it may feel like it asks you to be seen before you feel ready. Honor it anyway. Then take one visible step that tests the vision in the real world. Share the idea. Voice the invitation. Signal your willingness to lead. And remember, you are committing to obedience.

Is Your Life Reflecting Who You Were Created to Be?

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 10, 2026
What may look like ordinary sameness to other people is often an exhilarating journey to me… …when I choose to see it that way. I celebrate: My wins. My losses. My everyday actions. Moment by moment, I’m grateful for the journey. Because that’s what success looks like. Despite what the world wants you to believe, success isn't perfection or acts of grandeur. Success doesn't always come with a parade or accolades that get you on the cover of the magazine. Success is the manifestation of your design. You get to decide every day if you're the kind of leader that would be worth following—in your family, your workplace, and your circle of friends. The key is to be honest about your thoughts, actions, and behaviors and what they are producing. In many ways, you're told to turn a blind eye to shortcomings and bury them or numb them. For example, excessive drinking can be excused when someone is under stress as it's deemed socially acceptable. And what would be considered excessive in one area seems to be celebrated in another arena. These moral conflicts impede the path to real success ... the kind where you look in the mirror and you're proud of every decision you've made. Leadership can be complicated as leaders are often sought out for answers and their acumen in a particular area. Yet that doesn't mean they're any more perfect than you are. And when you haven't defined success for yourself, you will always come up short. Success begins the moment you stop letting the world tell you who you should be. Leadership starts within. It shows up in the choices you make when no one is applauding. You were designed with intention. When your decisions honor that design, clarity replaces confusion and integrity becomes your compass. This is what real leadership looks like... quiet strength, and a life that reflects who you were created to be. That choice is available to you every single day. And today is a powerful place to begin. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to notice one ordinary action you take that reflects who you want to be as a leader. It could be how you respond to someone, how you follow through on a small task, or how you speak to yourself. Acknowledge it. Honor it. Let it be proof that your design is showing up in real time. Remember, success is in these conscious, everyday choices.

Leadership Doesn’t Bend You

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 2, 2026
Sometimes you have an idea of how you believe something should be. Your idea, however, is much grander than reality. Because you don't want to give up on the grandness of that vision, you start to twist yourself into a pretzel—and do things that aren't really you to see if you can make what you want come to life. People do this with relationships, their career or business path, and their God-given mission. Looking at something and accepting it for what it is takes massive amounts of courage. In a world that will give you a free pass if you make excuses for your behavior rather than encouraging you to look in the mirror, I see this path more times than I'd ever thought I would. Someone recently asked me why most folks find accountability inherently difficult. He was looking for someone to hold him accountable, and realized that no one in his friend circle had the strength or capacity to do it. After a long pause, I shared with him that if someone were to hold you accountable for your behavior, they'd have to look at and acknowledge their own shortcoming and missteps. It's just easier to ignore what you're doing, so they don't have to look at what they're doing. Long ago, I made a pact with myself that I wanted people in my life who were committed to honest, transparent dialogue. Over the past several decades, this has served me well—even when it hasn't been comfortable. I'm not looking for a free pass. Leadership is challenging, sometimes messy, and always uncomfortable. Most folks just aren't interested in signing up for something that doesn't have them feel good 24x7. When I got clear on the 7 Pillars of God-Centered Leadership, it was like something shifted in me. I got that when I walked this path and took this journey, I didn't need to twist myself into a pretzel or spend time worrying about what other people thought about me. As long as my heart is right with God, leadership is about His way, not mine. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to write down the qualities that would earn someone the right to speak into your life. Focus on who they are and not what they do. Choose qualities anchored in truth, integrity, humility, and alignment with your Divine mission. Then pause and look at your list honestly. Let your life rise to meet what you say you value.
More Posts

How Presence Becomes Power in Leadership

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 23, 2026
In a world that is designed for you to have a plan and map out your every move, living moment-by-moment can be challenging. You will likely be met with judgment by the folks around you, feeling you move too slow or are a bit directionless. Yet the only way to experience peace is in this moment. It doesn't happen when you focus on your past. And it doesn't live in your future, either. Years ago, I had someone who was well-known in the world of transformational leadership reach out to me, asking if she could hire me. When I asked her what she wanted to work on, she shared that she wanted me to teach her how to be present. Huh? I didn't understand what she was asking or why it was an issue. And at the time, I couldn't figure out how to put together a package or offering on something that felt so natural to me. Over the years, I've discovered that presence is elusive for most folks. They don't understand its power or grasp how to attain it, and live in the here and now. Perhaps that's the reason Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now has sold millions of copies. When presence eludes you, you run back and forth chasing moments you once lived in the past—or spending time wishing for tomorrow to get here. The blessing of living in this moment means you get to see all of the gifts that are in your life right now. ~ The people you love ~ The places you enjoy ~ The experiences you cultivate When you run around comparing what was or what you think will be to this moment, you miss out on the gift of life that God has given you. And when you lead from this place, it's hard for others to want to follow you. Leadership requires a commitment to the here and now. And the best leaders are present to the wonder of life, living One Moment At A Time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to practice leading from presence rather than a plan. When something interrupts your schedule or pulls you off your agenda, pause and stay in the moment instead of rushing ahead or reacting. Give your full attention to what is right in front of you and allow peace to guide your response. Trust that honoring the present moment is an act of faith, clarity, and leadership, and that what truly matters will unfold one moment at a time.

The Vision You Shelved Is Calling You Back

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 16, 2026
What would happen if your vision, your wildest desire, became fulfilled? Then what? What if you were as successful, as impactful as your soul is nudging you to be? What if? Most folks never give themselves permission to answer those questions. The idea that life follows a rote rhythm and then one day your time has come to cross the rainbow bridge sounds awful to me. Yet I've met far too many folks who live their life this way, expecting very little—and giving very little in return. Long ago, I noticed this conscious and unconscious sleepwalking where the hottest thing on the market was what would keep you comfortable and out of pain. That trend, while appealing, seeks to remove all suffering from the human experience. If you really want your vision to come to life, you're gonna experience some heartache. That's reality. Suffering stretches you to become better ... to defy the odds, pushing on your growth edges and inviting you to rise up. What if you never sold out on yourself again? What if you asked for the best seat in the house and were offered even better? I believe you can, you will—and you must. For without vision, people perish. I believe in you. Start asking for the best and keep asking until you get it. That's the Upside Way. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to set aside ten intentional minutes this week and ask yourself this question and write the answer without negotiating it down. What vision did I quietly place on the shelf because it asked more of me? Let it be bold. It may feel premature or it may feel like it asks you to be seen before you feel ready. Honor it anyway. Then take one visible step that tests the vision in the real world. Share the idea. Voice the invitation. Signal your willingness to lead. And remember, you are committing to obedience.

Is Your Life Reflecting Who You Were Created to Be?

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 10, 2026
What may look like ordinary sameness to other people is often an exhilarating journey to me… …when I choose to see it that way. I celebrate: My wins. My losses. My everyday actions. Moment by moment, I’m grateful for the journey. Because that’s what success looks like. Despite what the world wants you to believe, success isn't perfection or acts of grandeur. Success doesn't always come with a parade or accolades that get you on the cover of the magazine. Success is the manifestation of your design. You get to decide every day if you're the kind of leader that would be worth following—in your family, your workplace, and your circle of friends. The key is to be honest about your thoughts, actions, and behaviors and what they are producing. In many ways, you're told to turn a blind eye to shortcomings and bury them or numb them. For example, excessive drinking can be excused when someone is under stress as it's deemed socially acceptable. And what would be considered excessive in one area seems to be celebrated in another arena. These moral conflicts impede the path to real success ... the kind where you look in the mirror and you're proud of every decision you've made. Leadership can be complicated as leaders are often sought out for answers and their acumen in a particular area. Yet that doesn't mean they're any more perfect than you are. And when you haven't defined success for yourself, you will always come up short. Success begins the moment you stop letting the world tell you who you should be. Leadership starts within. It shows up in the choices you make when no one is applauding. You were designed with intention. When your decisions honor that design, clarity replaces confusion and integrity becomes your compass. This is what real leadership looks like... quiet strength, and a life that reflects who you were created to be. That choice is available to you every single day. And today is a powerful place to begin. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to notice one ordinary action you take that reflects who you want to be as a leader. It could be how you respond to someone, how you follow through on a small task, or how you speak to yourself. Acknowledge it. Honor it. Let it be proof that your design is showing up in real time. Remember, success is in these conscious, everyday choices.

Leadership Doesn’t Bend You

By Lisa Marie Platske • March 2, 2026
Sometimes you have an idea of how you believe something should be. Your idea, however, is much grander than reality. Because you don't want to give up on the grandness of that vision, you start to twist yourself into a pretzel—and do things that aren't really you to see if you can make what you want come to life. People do this with relationships, their career or business path, and their God-given mission. Looking at something and accepting it for what it is takes massive amounts of courage. In a world that will give you a free pass if you make excuses for your behavior rather than encouraging you to look in the mirror, I see this path more times than I'd ever thought I would. Someone recently asked me why most folks find accountability inherently difficult. He was looking for someone to hold him accountable, and realized that no one in his friend circle had the strength or capacity to do it. After a long pause, I shared with him that if someone were to hold you accountable for your behavior, they'd have to look at and acknowledge their own shortcoming and missteps. It's just easier to ignore what you're doing, so they don't have to look at what they're doing. Long ago, I made a pact with myself that I wanted people in my life who were committed to honest, transparent dialogue. Over the past several decades, this has served me well—even when it hasn't been comfortable. I'm not looking for a free pass. Leadership is challenging, sometimes messy, and always uncomfortable. Most folks just aren't interested in signing up for something that doesn't have them feel good 24x7. When I got clear on the 7 Pillars of God-Centered Leadership, it was like something shifted in me. I got that when I walked this path and took this journey, I didn't need to twist myself into a pretzel or spend time worrying about what other people thought about me. As long as my heart is right with God, leadership is about His way, not mine. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to write down the qualities that would earn someone the right to speak into your life. Focus on who they are and not what they do. Choose qualities anchored in truth, integrity, humility, and alignment with your Divine mission. Then pause and look at your list honestly. Let your life rise to meet what you say you value.
More Posts