We talk a lot about influence. In many cases, influence has a negative connotation. We think of kids being influenced to misbehave and lawmakers being influenced to make bad decisions by persuasive lobbyists.

We often eschew the idea of influence because it supports an assumption that people would act differently if not for the effects provided by someone – or something – else.

The phrase “bad influence” is much more common than “good influence,” right?
But good influence is a really powerful tool. Positively influential people hold some of society’s greatest value.