The Future of Influence: How Experts Are Shaping a $480 Billion Industry

What Does "Influence" Mean In Your Industry?

Depending on what industry you're in and the type of value you bring to your organization, you could define "influence" in various ways. Some examples of how influence shows up in the professional world include:

• Leadership
• Education
• Attention
• Presentation

Influence is central to leadership. A leader's success often depends on their ability to inspire, engage, and move people toward a shared purpose. Influence also comes from educating others, empowering them with the knowledge they need to succeed both at work and in life. A person's presentation—their clothing, the image they project, confidence, and impact on others—can shape influence as well. But influence begins with attention. Before impact or persuasion can occur, professionals must first capture interest and create a human connection.

Influence Resources: Books, Ideas, and Tools to Build Impact

Based on these four areas from which influence is developed, here are some resources to help you build visibility and impact in your career, recommended by influential leaders in Work It DAILY's PRO VOICE program:

• Research by Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, a senior research scientist at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. She argues that creativity is a choice—an empowering message for anyone seeking to grow their influence.
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek. This book examines how tying influence to purpose strengthens trust and engagement.
• Quotes and advice by Stacy London, specifically, "It's not about the clothes, it's about the psychology behind them." This quote points to the deeper psychology of style and how elevated athleisure is reshaping confidence and self-expression in work and life.
• The Cyber Effect by Dr. Mary Aiken. This book explores how technology influences human development and relationships.

Why LinkedIn Video Is the Future of Professional Influence

Now that you understand what influence is and have resources to guide you, it's time to discuss where to develop your influence. For most professionals, LinkedIn is the best place to build professional credibility, connections, and industry recognition. But the medium you use for your influential content matters more than you think.

Nowadays, people don't read; they watch. With your audience increasingly preferring video over text, you need to meet them where they are. And that means utilizing LinkedIn video to grow your reach and, therefore, your professional influence.

We know...it's scary posting videos of yourself online for everyone to see. But overcoming your fear of the camera allows you to use video to establish credibility and expand influence. It is an integral part of professional branding in the age of AI.

LinkedIn videos build connection. They are a unique way to connect authentically and create meaningful conversations with aligned professionals—the people who care about what you care about and see the value in your expertise. The future of professional influence is LinkedIn video because it enables you to authenticate who you are and prove that you can do what you say you can do, grabbing the attention of recruiters and employers who are trying to hire the right person in a sea of unqualified candidates with AI-generated resumes and cover letters.

If you’re nervous about hitting “record,” you’re not alone. That’s why J.T. O'Donnell, founder and CEO of Work It DAILY, created PRO VOICE. It's a system designed to help professionals build confidence, find their authentic voice, and use tools like LinkedIn video to grow their influence.

Influence in Action: Tips from PRO VOICERs

Those who have joined our PRO VOICE program know that video is a game-changer for career visibility and growth. It is a key element in the future of work. Here are their tips for building influence on LinkedIn through video content:

• Align self-description with visual presentation. You control your professional narrative.
• Do a “future me” test before posting content online. Would "future you" be okay with posting that video? This ensures long-term security and intentional influence.
• When you get comfortable with video, stop using scripts. You gain more influence by showing up authentically, which fosters instant trust.
• Embrace imperfection. Trust and authenticity are the foundation of influence. Leaders build stronger connections when they stop trying to be perfect online.

The Future of Influence: Key Lessons for Professionals in 2025

As the influencer economy grows, one truth remains clear: professionals don’t need millions of followers to make an impact. What they do need is clarity, authenticity, and the courage to use their voice.

If there are only three things you learn today on the subject of influence, let them be these:

• Influence is about trust, authenticity, and attention across all industries.
• LinkedIn video is a powerful tool for building visibility and professional credibility.
• Professionals control their message—and using that control intentionally creates lasting impact.

At the end of the day, influence is simply showing up authentically, building trust, and using your expertise to create meaningful change in your career and industry. That’s the power of PRO VOICE.

Ready to discover your PRO VOICE and unlock new opportunities? Join our community of professionals who are redefining influence in the future of work.