#025 Influencer? Leadership is Influence - Manny Coelho

After a coworker jokingly called me an “influencer,” I found myself reflecting on why that word makes me cringe—and why influence still matters. 

In this solo episode, I unpack the difference between chasing attention and leading with intention. Using John Maxwell’s idea that leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less, I walk through the five levels of leadership and how they show up in everyday life—as parents, coaches, coworkers, creators, and neighbors. 

This isn’t a conversation about algorithms, virality, or outrage. It’s about connection over controversy, curiosity over noise, and using whatever influence we have for good. 

Learn more about John Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership

Transcript

The State I Am In (00:26)
Hello and welcome to the state I'm in where every conversation points north. Here we discuss the topics that Alaskans and perhaps everyone may care about. I'm your host, Manny Coelho a fellow Alaskan and your guide to the conversations that Alaskans want to hear from the individuals who are leading the way.

I recently worked with a coworker that I hadn't seen in a long time. And one of the first things that she said after, you know, the customary small talk was, it looks like you're an influencer now. And we kind of laughed at that. And I just cringed at that, that statement because a certain image pops into my head when I hear the word influencer. Honestly, what I think about is these YouTubers that my kids watch that are just

loud and high energy and just obnoxious and it's entertaining for them but it's just it's not my jam or I think of like the the Instagram models with their six packs in their bikinis and they just look like they have a perfect life and they're like sunbathing in Bali and like without a care in the world and ⁓ I'm sitting on the couch eating potato chips and it's just like cool for them but it just doesn't really connect.

And, but they're have this persona they're trying to upkeep or this ⁓ lifestyle they're trying to portray. And it's just, it's a, it's a world that doesn't really fit me when I think of that word influencer. ⁓ Because I think that's like today, that's all about attention grabbing. It's about hacking the algorithm. It's about, you know, people.

getting outraged because something is said online and there's those that seek to capture that and to have their virality moment. And while that's, I'm sure cool in the moment, it's not really what my intent is behind doing something like this, having a small podcast in Alaska. And so it really made me think about that word though, because I hate the influencer term.

but I do deeply care about influence. I would be lying if I said I'm not seeking to do some kind of good, influencing some kind of good on the world and especially where we live in Alaska.

So the more I thought about it, the more that word influence took me back to another word that I know to be closely linked to it. And that word is leadership. About 15, 16 years ago, I took a class on leadership that was based on the work of John Maxwell, who I think to this day is still a respected name when it comes to leadership.

one of the laws of leadership that sticks with me to this day is that leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. And that is a direct quote from that book. That is a direct quote from John Maxwell and really frames a lot of the conversation that I'm having today. And so this is all based on his work.

and the five levels of leadership with my own spin and anecdotal stuff along the way. So I can't take credit for it, but I can reflect on it and see the application that it has on my life today, which I never would have expected it would come around to this type of application, but here we are. And so.

When you look at influence in that way as leadership, well, that's something that I want to lean into. Of course I want to be a leader. I cringe at the fact of being an influencer, but call me a leader or my desire to be a leader. And it's like, yeah, I do want to do that. I do want to be able to lead people. And I feel like in a small way, I get to do that through this podcast, through the guests that I'm able to.

have on this show and to be able to host conversations with them, allowing them to share their stories, their perspectives, their ⁓ mission and their level of influence on the world.

So yeah, call me an influencer and I'll cringe, but call me a leader and I'll say 100%. That is what I'm trying to do with this platform. And I see that through the guests that I have on this show. think just being able to host conversations with people to raise awareness or to talk about stories or experiences that people are having in this state and the things that they have done or the things that they're trying to do.

helping people leverage their level of influence is very satisfying to me because I feel like it is empowering people to be able to share their influence ⁓ for good. And if you've noticed, this isn't a very confrontational show. doesn't, again, doesn't fit the normal doom scrolling attitude or persona.

I'm realizing that I'm okay with going against the flow. I'm not trying to be online to lead people toward products or controversy or trying to get clicks or the viral moment. What I'm really trying to do is just lead conversations toward learning, toward finding common ground and truly connecting with one another. And I'm okay with that. And I think if you're listening to this, you're okay with that. And that's why you're here. And I appreciate you listening even up until this point.

And if you haven't figured it out by now, this podcast isn't your typical doom scroll content. You're not going to find that here. Not a lot of rage bait. It's not entertainment for entertainment sake. And, you know, some people won't be into the topics that I discuss here. Some people won't be thrilled about the guests that I host. And that's all right. It's not for everyone. But my hope is that it gives space for everyone to be able to learn something because it's about

conversation, not controversy, as Jimmy Fallon likes to call it.

If you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time, the chances are you're here and you continue to be a part of this community because you value connection over controversy. You esteem gratitude over greed, and you're okay with being curious over set and concrete thinking. And honestly, if you're here, it's probably because you're not chasing noise. You're just chasing some meaning in this world and...

that is all I'm looking for.

I'm not looking for a million people to follow me. I'm just looking for the people, my people, that are looking at the world and asking the same questions, desiring the same things. And that's all I can ask and hope for through doing this.

So whatever your reasons are for tuning in, I want to give you the secret sauce from that leadership class that I learned about so long ago. And it's something that I'm taking with me through this project. It's something that I want to do a better job of keeping at the forefront of my mind. And I'm gonna tell you these five different ⁓ levels of leadership and it's not that I'm doing them all well. It's not that I've got this ace. I am.

learning just as much as you are right now. But I think there is a lot of value in it. And if you were just a listener or if you're a creator yourself and leveraging some kind of influence in your life, or you're just like, I'm just tuning into a podcast on my way to work or on my way to Anchorage or my way to the peninsula, whatever it is, I would challenge you to assess the level of influence in your own life. And I think these

these five areas could be really helpful as you do that.

The State I Am In (08:33)
So if I'm not an influencer and I'm a leader, what does that mean? And more importantly, and the whole goal of this conversation and application is what does that mean for you? So.

If leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less, then that means that we are all leaders. If you are a parent, if you're a coach, if you're a teacher, if you are a creator, if you are a business owner, if you are a public servant, a volunteer, a neighbor, we all have influence. But I guarantee you're not gonna wanna call yourself an influencer.

So the real question is, we're not asking if we're leaders, we're asking at what level are we leading? And that's where I come back to the John Maxwell five levels of leadership that we're gonna break down here because no matter where you're listening from, this is directly applicable to you, I

So the way that I'm gonna break this down is I will talk about the level of leadership. I'll give a quick explanation of how this applies to my level of influence and then I'll give some examples of how it could apply to yours. And so level one is position. So people follow you because they have to.

People follow you because they have to.

And the first thing that I think about are titles or ranks. And for me personally, being in the military, I've been a reservist for 10 years. I'm a staff sergeant and my leadership quality may have something to do with it, should have something to do with it. But at the end of the day, I have a rank that gives me a certain amount of authority and the rank above me, I have to obey.

The ranks below me have to obey me. You might relate to this with titles at work, supervisor, manager, CEO, COO. there is some hierarchy associated in the healthcare world as well that I've recognized. But you can apply this to your workplace specifically. And I'm sure you'll see it there too. So looking at this just from a podcast perspective, I have a microphone that gives me a position, that gives me a platform.

doesn't mean that everything I say is correct and true and should be taken as gospel. No, it just means I have a platform, a seat at the table. And the important thing to take away from this level of leadership is that a position does not foster trust.

Position alone does not create trust.

My goal at this level is very simple. I have a microphone, but nobody has to listen to me.

I have a rank and some people have to listen to me and others don't. You have a title at your work, whether that's a job title, a uniform that you wear. If you're a parent, if you're a coach, if you're a supervisor, a manager, if you're the oldest sibling, you have a title, maybe you haven't earned the influence part yet. But you do have the responsibility.

We've all been in those positions where someone in authority was your leader by label only, by position only. And if there was no quality behind that label, you know how frustrating that can be.

So reflect on the positions that you hold in your life, the labels, the titles, the positions that you have, and ask yourself, are you just leading from that alone, or is there more that you bring to the table?

So the first level of leadership is position. The second level of leadership is permission. So what that means is that people are following you because they want to. This is a game changer. So for me, in this example, if you've listened to more than one episode of this podcast, you were listening because you want to. You're not listening because this is communist China and I'm on the radio and you have to. ⁓

people coming to share their stories on this show. I'm not forcing anyone to be here. They come on their own accord and I appreciate it every time I get a yes, like I've said many times, but they are choosing to stay. That is built on trust. There's a certain trust that's established and that trust I take very seriously. And my goal is to create a space where people feel heard and not used. That requires trust. I want to be able to live

and host this show with curiosity and not a hidden agenda. And I hope that comes through on the other side of the speaker because this level of leadership requires that trust. People will follow because they want to, not because they have to. And so put yourself in that position.

So what might this level of leadership look like for you? If people follow you because they want to, then that might mean that you are the person that people go to when they need advice. That you are the coworker that someone vents to because there's a system in place or a problem that they believe you can help them with.

Are you a parent by just the mom and dad label, or are you actually invested in the things that your kids are telling you? And that's a tough one, because a lot of times as a parent, I will say that we get caught up with all the other parental responsibilities and...

taking note of when our kids are actually opening up to us, takes a lot of effort to see and not to just brush under the rug or to minimize.

do your kids talk to you about what's going on at school? The things that they're excited about, the things that make them sad, the things that they're struggling with either academically or in sports or on the extracurriculars or the school drama. Like those things can be a lot if you have kids that are talking to you about this kind of stuff but what a great sign that your kids are talking to you because they want to. Because maybe there's another side of that coin where

I'm sure every mom or dad has been in that position where you're trying to get something out of your kids and they are just stonewalling you and not giving you anything. And part of that is just a normal, it's part of the adolescent teenage years of becoming their own person. But I always hope that my kids will know that they can trust me, that they can talk to me about things that are going on in their world.

The hard part as a parent is to be able to recognize when those moments are happening, to recognize that those pleas for attention or time or whatever.

are important to them. And even though there's a lot of other stuff as parents that we handle and we juggle to take those moments to spend time with our kids and to hear them out because we have such a great opportunity to lead them in those moments because they're talking to us and asking us things because we are an important part of their life as we should be. And so

know, influence at this level grows when people feel heard, when they feel respected, and when you have really worked hard to foster a level of trust in their life.

So the first level of leadership is leading by position. The second is leading by permission and the third is leading by production. So at this level of leadership, people follow you because of what you have done, your resume.

is the part that gets me excited because this is the part where momentum starts to grow. People follow because of what I have done so far. They catch a glimpse of what this could be. So, you know, it's my goal that this show connects people, it informs people, it brings people together, it's.

It's about connection and not controversy. It's about gratitude and not greed. It's about...

curiosity and not just being set in concrete ways of thinking. And if people can catch that vision and then can see the fruit of that, can see that I am creating conversations or I'm creating the opportunity for conversations like that to unfold, then yeah, people are gonna follow. And so that part gets me really excited. So for you.

This level of leadership may be you run like a badass program and people know that if you're in charge, like it's going to get done and people get excited to follow people like that. You know, this could be building a business with integrity and people know that when they work with you, they have a certain level of professionalism and execution that they can count, count on and rely on. ⁓ Or this can just be, you know, the work that you do is, is consistent and it's useful or it's practical or it's honest. ⁓

You know, your influence grows when your work speaks for itself. I'll say that again, your influence grows when your work speaks for itself. And that's what this level of leadership is all about is that people will follow you when you do a damn good job. I hope that you would be encouraged to look at the areas in your life where you're like, I'm a freaking good mom. I'm a really good dad. I'm a really good employee. I'm a really good boss or manager or whatever it is.

and then realize that people are following you for that reason, and then what are the qualities that have got you to that point, and then lean into those.

And I think one of those qualities is likely, if that's where you're at, is level number four, which is people development. So level four, people development. People follow you because of not just what you have done, but what you have done for them. And so what that looks like for me, when people reach out to me on social media or through email and they're like, hey, or just personally, and they're like, hey, I listened to this episode. It was really good. It really meant a lot. I learned a lot.

I'm now following that person because of what they're doing, because it was so inspiring. ⁓ That is, that's the ticket. I've done something for them. I was able to influence them in a way that was meaningful. And that's a next level, that is a next level quality of leadership to have.

so what this looks like for me is growing more than just an audience. I'm looking at growing people and all the podcasts I listen to, I'm listening to these people because I'm looking for things to add to my life. And so if I can host conversations that people can listen to and add things to their life, then that's a win. And that's all I could ask for.

I hope that through this show that I can continue to learn how to ask better questions and to think more deeply about topics and to lead more intentionally

I mean, the purpose of this solo episode is just to help you see your level of influence more clearly. And if you get something from that, then I've been able to develop something in you and lead you in a way that has actually done something in a meaningful way. So what this might look like for you is mentoring someone at work, ⁓ coaching your kids or coaching youth programs, helping someone find confidence or clarity on something that you have a special.

expertise in or special area of knowledge. ⁓

This level of leadership is special because this is where it multiplies because it's not just about you anymore.

And when it's not about you anymore, that takes you to the next and final level of leadership, which is the level five pinnacle. And so at this level, people follow you because of who you are and what you represent.

So what this looks like for me in the context of this show is using this podcast just to represent thoughtfulness and connection and respect for this place and all the people in it. And to have that Keep North mantra just interwoven into all aspects of this show and my life. And I want people to be able to recognize that because those things will live on past the show when it's all said and done.

This is a part of leadership that remains when flesh and blood are gone off this planet. You there are people that I respect and that I love that are not here anymore, and yet the values that they've instilled in me remain. And the things and lessons they've taught me about life are still present and a part of my everyday. And those are the kinds of things that you want to be aware of, that you want to really be intentional about because

We have so many efforts in life and yet the things, what are gonna be the things that people remember when we're gone? And so, you know, this level of influence is unavoidable. know, people are gonna have their thoughts about us when we're gone, but what will that be and what do you want that to be?

When you get to that level of leadership, this is where people start to trust you and follow you instinctively. When you were leading more by example than instruction, because people see the way that you live your life. want to be associated with that. this level is not something...

you can claim it's not like the very first level we talked about a position of you have a title like this is the complete opposite of that and this is that you've lived your life in such a way that people want to follow you just almost innately because you have earned it over time.

And so to sum it up, we'll go over the five levels of leadership again, what they mean. Level one is position. People follow you because they have to. Level two is permission. People follow you because they want to. Level three is production. People follow you because of what you've done. Level four is people development. People follow you because of what you have done for them. And level five is pinnacle. People follow you because of what you are and who you represent.

So why does this all matter? It's because influence is unavoidable. And if leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less, then we're all leaders. And I guess, yes, we are all influencers, as I cringe on the inside. But the question is how we use it. And are we using it? Are we recognizing at what level we are using it? And that's why I wanted to just throw out this.

Five levels of leadership by John Maxwell. It's such a simple and yet applicable framework to live our lives by, or at least to be aware of. And so I hope that this podcast is my way of trying to lead well and to do it intentionally. And I will not be offended if you call me an influencer because I know deep down that just means I'm a leader. Keep North Alaska.

and thank you for joining me on the state I'm in.

Manny (23:53)
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Manny (24:35)
committed to growing the state I'm in by sharing thoughtful, honest conversations and voices from all across Alaska. And if you or someone you know has a story that reflects Alaska beyond the postcards, gift shops, and tourist traps, I'd love to hear from you.

This show exists because of the incredible Alaskans with a story to share. And I would love to take the opportunity to sit down and discuss what real life here looks like.

Now, more than ever, I believe sharing the voices of our fellow Alaskans truly matters, and I will continue to do this work for as long as there are people willing to sit down and share meaningful conversations. Keep North Alaska, and thank you for joining me on the state I am in.