Will Being Buddha at Work Enable Me to Influence Others? He possesses wonderful eloquence for deep truths. He is extremely skilled in explaining positions and reconciling opposites. His eloquence is unstoppable; his sure intellect irresistible. --Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 5 T HINK OF SOMEONE you know at work who is very influ- ential--someone whom others listen to and respect. What makes that person influential? Unless the person happens to be in the boss's family, she's influential for two reasons: competence and character. We respect someone because she is competent, skillful in her work; she is talented, smart, and well trained, and she achieves results. We also respect her because she has good character: she is honest, compassionate, hardworking, responsible, and ethical; she takes initiative; and she is a good person. To be influential, you must have both competence and char- acter. You must know your own job and do it well; and you must be seen to have integrity--to consistently do well and do what you say. To tie it all together, if you can develop the ability to be consistently articulate, there will be absolutely no stopping you in your career! Your influence will be irresistible. If you're not as articulate as you'd like to be, perhaps now's the time to sign up for Toastmasters (or in this case, perhaps Taoist- masters). 70 Cultivating Mindful Work Relationships