The Question That Changed My Leadership: How to Influence Your Team As A Leader

The Early Challenges of Leadership

In the startup stages of my leadership and teamwork development business, I was consumed with thoughts of making money. There were many times I experienced panic and fear about not being able to pay the bills.

My primary focus was on my family and myself, basically on my own personal survival in the world. I often felt overwhelmed and exhausted. Every marketing and business task seemed like it required a monumental effort just to see it through to completion.

I quickly became fed up with the hamster wheel and rat race mentality and began seeking a new way to run my business with greater ease and purpose. During this time, I stumbled upon one of Buckminster Fuller’s quotes:“If the success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do... how would I be? What would I do?”

The Shift That Changed Everything

Immediately after reading his quote, I wondered, “Is it actually possible to experience more effective leadership and run my business in a different way?” And then I thought, “How could little me possibly make a difference in the world?”

It seemed too big and grandiose to imagine that I could have that kind of impact. Even though I experienced inner resistance, I was willing to live from this inquiry daily. Slowly, it began to influence me. I began to feel genuinely inspired in my business, and my life and business began to take on a larger-than-life purpose.

Within a short amount of time, it became seemingly effortless to complete tasks, lead presentations, and connect with prospects, as I was out to make a difference and make an impact in the world.

How to Influence Your Team as a Leader

Understanding how to influence your team as a leader starts with asking yourself powerful questions and shifting your focus from survival to contribution.

Your presence, mindset, and intention directly affect your team’s engagement, ownership, and performance.

When you lead with purpose, influence naturally flows. The way you show up impacts your employees, assistants, customers, and vendors, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond your immediate environment. By being intentional about your leadership, you can foster a culture of accountability, motivation, and connection without having to carry everything yourself.

Daily Practices to Lead with Impact

As the owner or leader in your business or life, consider:“If the success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do... how would I be in my work or business? What would I do?”

Living from this perspective transforms interactions with your team. How you communicate, support, and empower employees influences not just their work, but how they show up in their own lives. Even small acts of intentional leadership can produce a ripple effect, multiplying your impact far beyond what you immediately see. I encourage you to reflect on Buckminster Fuller’s quote daily.

Ask yourself how you can influence your team as a leader through the choices you make, the energy you bring, and the vision you communicate.

The Long-Term Impact of Leadership Focused on Contribution

As Albert Pine reminds us:“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is and remains immortal.”

When leaders shift from focusing on survival to focusing on contribution, something powerful changes. Work feels different. Conversations feel different. Results feel different. And the influence you have on your team and the world grows exponentially.

About Leslie

Leslie Cunningham helps small business owners and leaders influence their teams more effectively by transforming the leader first. With more than 30 years of experience in leadership and team development, she specializes in personal leadership practices that build confident communication, strengthen accountability, elevate ownership, and create cultures where people are genuinely motivated to perform. Leslie is an award-winning leadership expert, internationally published author, national columnist, and radio personality.