"Aristotle Jr.'s Three Step Guide to Being an Influence at MGA" By: Isaac Dragovich

What makes the world go round? Many teachers throughout the years have preached that the concept of the conservation of angular momentum and inertia spin the world; however, this is not fully true. Another way to look at it is that the Earth goes round as a result of influence. Each individual person has an influence on what tomorrow may bring and that tomorrow drives the next and the next. As students at the Model General Assembly, it is essential to learn how to influence in a way that not only drives on towards tomorrow, but makes it the best tomorrow possible.

Now some may be wondering, “How is someone able to reliably and consistently influence people at MGA to make it the best it could possibly be?” Luckily, the answer comes in three steps. The first is to present oneself in a fashion that is presentable. This means to be confident, never stoop to low levels, even in the course of debate, and always dress in a way that is respectable. This step is essential because it raises a person's status in many others minds, and makes them more likely to be influenced by one's ideas in the future.

The second step is to be bold. No one follows a leader who does not want to be followed. An influencer must always be ready to speak up when something is said, and make sure their opinion is heard. A study done by four scientists, Anderson, Cameron, Kilduff, and Gavin J. reveals that people who exert themselves “attain influence because they behave in ways that make them appear competent--even when they actually lack competence”(Anderson, C., & Kilduff, G. J). This study displays perfectly how being bold is a major step in influencing others. This confidence builds in others admiration and a sense of respect.

The third and final step is to have grounded ideas. Without solid ideas, the two previous points lose their traction quickly. For example, people may be drawn in by the way a person presents him or herself, but when they realize the ideas are grounded in thin air, they are just as quick to walk away. The best ideas are ones that are well and thoroughly thought out. In an interview with Rachel Hall she emphasized being able to articulate arguments in order to defend ideas. She also encouraged genuinely caring about the idea that one has to defend because that leads to a desire to think deeply about the topic and eventually come out with a strong argument. With these three steps, any student will have the opportunity to influence this years Model General Assembly and make tomorrow the best it can be.

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Web Link Citation: http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-00255-015