This is a YouTube video titled "Leaders need to understand this one thing" containing a monologue or talk by a single speaker identified as SPEAKER A, discussing the important leadership concept of distinguishing between manipulation and influence, emphasizing the role of intent in leadership effectiveness. The content was created in May 2025.
You know, there's so many things that I wish all of us as leaders understood, especially when I teach other leaders about leadership. But if I had to focus on one thing that has had a great impact in my own leadership journey, and it's leaders understanding the difference between manipulation and influence. Because the reality of it is, as leaders, we're operating in both all the time. We want to get people to do what we want them to do, but that's really more about manipulating them. We've got to think about influencing them, is getting them to do what's in the best interest of them so that their performance ends up helping the organization. But we have to understand the difference between influence and manipulation. And it comes down to intent. Too many leaders don't pay attention to their own intent.
