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!

Leading From A Deeper Place

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 15, 2025
There are forces in the world that are intangible and unseen. Yet most folks rely on their physical senses, relying solely on what they can see, touch, weigh, and measure. I've often thought about Thomas in the Bible and what must have been going through his head to say, "Until I see His hands, feel the wounds of the nails, and put my hand to His side, I won't believe what you are saying." Oh, I get being skeptical to what cannot be explained. For safety's sake, I'm someone who wants a tangible, rational explanation for things in life. When something goes up, I expect there's a down. When something goes left, I expect there's a right. When things don't add up in the way that I've been told life works, it's confronting. When I look at leadership through this lens, I can better understand why my expectations of others haven't often been met. The majority of folks don't have the ability to cope with things that don't seem to make sense. Speaking about an intangible force that ensures the world keeps on spinning is more than just the universal law of gravity. That's God. And there's no simple explanation. Try to wrap your head around how the ground beneath your feet is actually suspended in mid-air, circling around a sun. Forces of nature like tornados and thunderstorms leave all folks helpless and feeling out of control. Because they are. It's not that most folks are ignorant about forces that are unseen and intangible. It's just they choose not to acknowledge their very power - and the amount of intelligence that is accessible when acknowledged. When I opened my business over 20 years ago and got into teaching leadership, I thought there was a simplicity to the work, where if certain principles were understood you could thrive. Over time, I've discovered that's just not true. Much of what occurs on the planet and in everyday life is entangled with cosmic alignment. People create all sorts of stories so they can wrap their head around that, so it's easier to digest rather than just understanding there are some things that you cannot explain. And again, for me, that's God. When I brought God into my body of leadership work, it started to make sense in ways that are hard to describe. There are no expectations about this plus that equals something else, as with intangible, unseen forces, the equation can have exponential results that cannot be explained. There is a way leadership comes alive when you make room for what cannot be explained. The moments when reason falls short and human understanding runs out are often the moments when the most extraordinary answers arrive. I have seen doors open that no strategy could have forced. I have watched solutions appear in the exact moment they were needed. That is what happens when you lead with an awareness of the One who holds it all together. The results may not make sense on paper, yet they carry a power that shapes lives and outlasts you. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one leadership challenge you are facing right now. Write down what you can see and measure. Then name what you sense is also shaping the outcome — a conversation that came at just the right time, a shift in someone’s openness, an inner knowing you can’t ignore, a divine alignment that placed the right person in your path. Let both guide your next step.

Finding the Compass Back Home

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 8, 2025
Over the past decade, I've had some really big wins. And because I've had success amnesia and struggle to celebrate my wins, my accomplishments never seemed good enough. Fifteen years ago, all I could see was what I was getting wrong. At that time, I stopped creating big goals (heck, any goals)—and my vision for my business grew smaller. Then I didn't have to feel as if I was a fraud. I would simply stick to what was working and not stretch myself any further. Unconsciously, I chose to live in my comfort zone and stop taking risks. To the outside world, everything looked good. ~ I had clients. ~ I had my own business. ~ And I had a comfortable life. Yet, inside, I was dying . Pieces of me were shriveling up and becoming unrecognizable. When you understand you have a Divine mission and purpose to fulfill and you're not fully using your gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences for good, it's like having your life force being taken from you. You start going through the motions without being present to the gift of life. Over time, you become numb to the possibilities, awe, and wonder that are all around you. Did you ever watch a little kid, and how they see the world through the eyes of God? Everything they notice seems to captivate them and bring them joy. Somewhere along the way, you lose that as an adult. Life becomes rote if you let it. That's what happened to me. And it's hard to lead yourself or others when you're in this place. Sometimes when you feel like you're not winning, you get the opportunity to reflect on what winning looks like. It's a compass that can lead you back home ... ... to a place where health, happiness, success, and meaning are ever-present. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one part of your leadership or life that once brought you joy yet now feels routine. Take one intentional action this week to breathe life back into it—whether that’s reimagining a goal, initiating a meaningful conversation, or revisiting a practice that once inspired you. Even a single deliberate choice can reset your compass toward the place where health, happiness, success, and meaning grow strong.

Are You Still Looking for Something Greater?

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 1, 2025
When I talk to folks about living out their Divine mission and purpose being the reason why leadership is so important, some people take a step back. "Who, me? A mission? And a Divine one? I'm not sure you've got the right character." Yet, this is something I’m 100% sure of. You were handpicked to do something on this planet. ~ Handpicked to be your mom’s son or daughter. ~ Handpicked to use the gifts you’ve been given and the experiences you’ve had. For a purpose. And I get that not everyone believes that because somewhere along the way, the world teaches you to shrink or make yourself smaller than you were created to be. So you wait for permission. Or you begin doubting your voice. Maybe that happened to you. And yet, here you are, you’re still here. Which means Heaven’s not done. You see, the Divine doesn’t make mistakes, and your presence isn’t accidental. Everything about your journey... ... the setbacks, the breakthroughs, the patterns you repeat, the people you meet ... has been preparing you. And if everyone chose to live from the belief that they're here for a purpose, the world would look vastly different. A purpose-led life requires leaders to step up and do something meaningful with their gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences. They understand they're born for something bigger than themselves. And that amount of courage is rare in today's world. I’m pretty sure you weren’t created just to scroll through TikTok or add another item to your cart. You were given a Divine mission. You were given a purpose that was assigned to you and only you. No one else can fulfill it. Just you. And without leadership, walking it out will be extremely hard. Leadership means taking full responsibility for your Divine assignment. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one decision you’ve delayed. Maybe it’s stepping back from a leadership role you’ve outgrown. Maybe it’s restructuring something you built because it no longer aligns. Maybe it’s finally moving forward on the vision you’ve been sitting on for far too long. Block 30 minutes this week to address it with clarity and conviction. Because the longer you wait, the heavier it becomes.

Being Recognized as 'The Best' May Not Be as Valuable as You Think ...

By Lisa Marie Platske • November 24, 2025
I’m no stranger to awards. I’ve been recognized for the past 25 years, receiving recognition from the National Association of Female Executives, the White House, the Small Business Administration, the International Alliance for Women, the Evolutionary Business Council, Forbes, and more. I’ve gotten awards entitled Rising Star early on in my business to Woman of the Year, the Top 100 Women Making a Difference in the World, and Women in Business Champion of the Year later on. Several years ago, I received two awards that felt different. To see my name on the screen because of my peers was humbling. That was the first award. The 2nd to last award of the evening for this organization was the “Biggest Impact" award. This award wasn’t listed in the programming or marketing of the event. When my name was called, I was awestruck. I took the stage speechless and moved to tears—and not for the reasons most people might have thought. I’ve learned that you can’t outgive God. That’s something I remind the leaders I work with, whether in a retreat, mastermind, or private mentoring conversation. And whenever I give, it comes back to me 100-fold. The conversations I had at the event throughout the evening are ones that I will always remember. So if you feel you don’t fit in … stop making that an excuse to not get involved in something. Show up for others. Even when you don’t feel like it. If we haven’t met, my door is always open. Reach out at any time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space for a conversation you’ve been too busy to have. It maybe someone in your life has gotten your presence, just not your full attention. Show up without performance, without hurry and without distraction. Fifteen minutes. That’s all. Make the time. And let it count.
More Posts

Leading From A Deeper Place

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 15, 2025
There are forces in the world that are intangible and unseen. Yet most folks rely on their physical senses, relying solely on what they can see, touch, weigh, and measure. I've often thought about Thomas in the Bible and what must have been going through his head to say, "Until I see His hands, feel the wounds of the nails, and put my hand to His side, I won't believe what you are saying." Oh, I get being skeptical to what cannot be explained. For safety's sake, I'm someone who wants a tangible, rational explanation for things in life. When something goes up, I expect there's a down. When something goes left, I expect there's a right. When things don't add up in the way that I've been told life works, it's confronting. When I look at leadership through this lens, I can better understand why my expectations of others haven't often been met. The majority of folks don't have the ability to cope with things that don't seem to make sense. Speaking about an intangible force that ensures the world keeps on spinning is more than just the universal law of gravity. That's God. And there's no simple explanation. Try to wrap your head around how the ground beneath your feet is actually suspended in mid-air, circling around a sun. Forces of nature like tornados and thunderstorms leave all folks helpless and feeling out of control. Because they are. It's not that most folks are ignorant about forces that are unseen and intangible. It's just they choose not to acknowledge their very power - and the amount of intelligence that is accessible when acknowledged. When I opened my business over 20 years ago and got into teaching leadership, I thought there was a simplicity to the work, where if certain principles were understood you could thrive. Over time, I've discovered that's just not true. Much of what occurs on the planet and in everyday life is entangled with cosmic alignment. People create all sorts of stories so they can wrap their head around that, so it's easier to digest rather than just understanding there are some things that you cannot explain. And again, for me, that's God. When I brought God into my body of leadership work, it started to make sense in ways that are hard to describe. There are no expectations about this plus that equals something else, as with intangible, unseen forces, the equation can have exponential results that cannot be explained. There is a way leadership comes alive when you make room for what cannot be explained. The moments when reason falls short and human understanding runs out are often the moments when the most extraordinary answers arrive. I have seen doors open that no strategy could have forced. I have watched solutions appear in the exact moment they were needed. That is what happens when you lead with an awareness of the One who holds it all together. The results may not make sense on paper, yet they carry a power that shapes lives and outlasts you. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one leadership challenge you are facing right now. Write down what you can see and measure. Then name what you sense is also shaping the outcome — a conversation that came at just the right time, a shift in someone’s openness, an inner knowing you can’t ignore, a divine alignment that placed the right person in your path. Let both guide your next step.

Finding the Compass Back Home

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 8, 2025
Over the past decade, I've had some really big wins. And because I've had success amnesia and struggle to celebrate my wins, my accomplishments never seemed good enough. Fifteen years ago, all I could see was what I was getting wrong. At that time, I stopped creating big goals (heck, any goals)—and my vision for my business grew smaller. Then I didn't have to feel as if I was a fraud. I would simply stick to what was working and not stretch myself any further. Unconsciously, I chose to live in my comfort zone and stop taking risks. To the outside world, everything looked good. ~ I had clients. ~ I had my own business. ~ And I had a comfortable life. Yet, inside, I was dying . Pieces of me were shriveling up and becoming unrecognizable. When you understand you have a Divine mission and purpose to fulfill and you're not fully using your gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences for good, it's like having your life force being taken from you. You start going through the motions without being present to the gift of life. Over time, you become numb to the possibilities, awe, and wonder that are all around you. Did you ever watch a little kid, and how they see the world through the eyes of God? Everything they notice seems to captivate them and bring them joy. Somewhere along the way, you lose that as an adult. Life becomes rote if you let it. That's what happened to me. And it's hard to lead yourself or others when you're in this place. Sometimes when you feel like you're not winning, you get the opportunity to reflect on what winning looks like. It's a compass that can lead you back home ... ... to a place where health, happiness, success, and meaning are ever-present. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one part of your leadership or life that once brought you joy yet now feels routine. Take one intentional action this week to breathe life back into it—whether that’s reimagining a goal, initiating a meaningful conversation, or revisiting a practice that once inspired you. Even a single deliberate choice can reset your compass toward the place where health, happiness, success, and meaning grow strong.

Are You Still Looking for Something Greater?

By Lisa Marie Platske • December 1, 2025
When I talk to folks about living out their Divine mission and purpose being the reason why leadership is so important, some people take a step back. "Who, me? A mission? And a Divine one? I'm not sure you've got the right character." Yet, this is something I’m 100% sure of. You were handpicked to do something on this planet. ~ Handpicked to be your mom’s son or daughter. ~ Handpicked to use the gifts you’ve been given and the experiences you’ve had. For a purpose. And I get that not everyone believes that because somewhere along the way, the world teaches you to shrink or make yourself smaller than you were created to be. So you wait for permission. Or you begin doubting your voice. Maybe that happened to you. And yet, here you are, you’re still here. Which means Heaven’s not done. You see, the Divine doesn’t make mistakes, and your presence isn’t accidental. Everything about your journey... ... the setbacks, the breakthroughs, the patterns you repeat, the people you meet ... has been preparing you. And if everyone chose to live from the belief that they're here for a purpose, the world would look vastly different. A purpose-led life requires leaders to step up and do something meaningful with their gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences. They understand they're born for something bigger than themselves. And that amount of courage is rare in today's world. I’m pretty sure you weren’t created just to scroll through TikTok or add another item to your cart. You were given a Divine mission. You were given a purpose that was assigned to you and only you. No one else can fulfill it. Just you. And without leadership, walking it out will be extremely hard. Leadership means taking full responsibility for your Divine assignment. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one decision you’ve delayed. Maybe it’s stepping back from a leadership role you’ve outgrown. Maybe it’s restructuring something you built because it no longer aligns. Maybe it’s finally moving forward on the vision you’ve been sitting on for far too long. Block 30 minutes this week to address it with clarity and conviction. Because the longer you wait, the heavier it becomes.

Being Recognized as 'The Best' May Not Be as Valuable as You Think ...

By Lisa Marie Platske • November 24, 2025
I’m no stranger to awards. I’ve been recognized for the past 25 years, receiving recognition from the National Association of Female Executives, the White House, the Small Business Administration, the International Alliance for Women, the Evolutionary Business Council, Forbes, and more. I’ve gotten awards entitled Rising Star early on in my business to Woman of the Year, the Top 100 Women Making a Difference in the World, and Women in Business Champion of the Year later on. Several years ago, I received two awards that felt different. To see my name on the screen because of my peers was humbling. That was the first award. The 2nd to last award of the evening for this organization was the “Biggest Impact" award. This award wasn’t listed in the programming or marketing of the event. When my name was called, I was awestruck. I took the stage speechless and moved to tears—and not for the reasons most people might have thought. I’ve learned that you can’t outgive God. That’s something I remind the leaders I work with, whether in a retreat, mastermind, or private mentoring conversation. And whenever I give, it comes back to me 100-fold. The conversations I had at the event throughout the evening are ones that I will always remember. So if you feel you don’t fit in … stop making that an excuse to not get involved in something. Show up for others. Even when you don’t feel like it. If we haven’t met, my door is always open. Reach out at any time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space for a conversation you’ve been too busy to have. It maybe someone in your life has gotten your presence, just not your full attention. Show up without performance, without hurry and without distraction. Fifteen minutes. That’s all. Make the time. And let it count.
More Posts