Byron's Babbles

One of the sessions I did while facilitating alongside the incredible National FFA team at this past week’s National FFA Teacher Ambassador training was titled “Who Do I Influence”. In that session we discussed that influence starts with relationships and is about impact not status. Our legacy is the sum total of the influence we’ve had on others. That legacy is important. It is what is left behind after conversations, after we hit send on texts and emails, how we show up, being available, and how we include and help others belong.

We are influencing and being influenced every moment of every day.

Every year when I cover this topic with ambassadors I also remember how important those who have influenced me are. Great leaders not only embrace the opportunity to influence, but also accept responsibility for who is influencing them. I get the incredible opportunity to be influenced by a great leader with National FFA who has been influencing me for over twenty years.

Ambra Tennery, now director of educational programs in the program and events division of the National FFA Organization, and I were together for her entire teaching career. I had the opportunity to see her in action when she was student teaching and from that moment on I was in recruitment (stalking) mode. I wanted to teach with her! A close friendship and professional bond was forged that still exists today; a bond over two decades old. This relationship taught me that influence is a two-way street. Ambra came into our agriculture program with fresh ideas, incredible teaching skills and strategies, and a natural talent for forming relationships with students. I was learning from her every day!

This two-way street of influence is about growth and learning for everyone involved. Ambra and I were open to influence, we gained new insights from each other and challenged each other’s assumptions, which helped us both expand our horizons. Today, we continue to stay receptive to each other’s feedback, adapting our approaches if needed. Ambra is a great leader and I am so fortunate to have a front seat to continue to witness and experience that leadership. This bidirectional process has cultivated a deep sense of partnership, empowering each of us to evolve and grow. Ultimately, a healthy exchange of influence nurtures collaboration, innovation, and even deeper connections.

Influence really is a two-way street. Let’s make sure we are impacting others like those who have impacted us along the way. Also, let’s make sure we don’t miss the opportunity to be influenced by someone else. We need to travel the two-way street of influence.