Individual Influence: Find the I in Team

While most of us have grown up being taught that the letter "I" has no place in the word "team," teams are wholly made up of individual advantages that contribute to the collective power of the group.

In Individual Influence, authors Brian and Mary Smith go far beyond this axiom, making a persuasive case that even a company or team of individual players is still an "Individual" at its core--expressing the collective influence of all those who play a role in it. Thus, there is not just one "I" in team, but many.

In the first installment of this series, readers will be led on a far-from-typical journey of self-discovery punctuated by often humorous stories and tangible steps to put the wisdom into practice.

Demonstrated through real-life experience working with and leading teams, the authors cover many transformative concepts, including:

How to be your best self so that your unique influence radiates from you

Reaping the benefits of slowing down and existing within the moment

How to delegate, hold accountable, define values, and achieve balance

Setting realistic success criteria for yourself and learning to celebrate small victories

Gaining more significant influence over your own conscious thoughts and reshaping your reality

Individual Influence revolutionizes the paradigm of traditional self-help books, presenting a clear, logical flow in implementing solutions to everyday challenges we face. It is a call for readers to discover who they are, and in doing so, there is a new world filled with unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored.

Dr. Brian Smith resides in Algonquin, Illinois, with his beautiful wife of thirty years, René, and their two dogs, Maizy and Moose. During the workday, Brian immerses himself in finding business solutions to help his clients succeed (and sometimes, this work takes him to riveting locations around the world). His thirty years of business consulting expertise draw in many prestigious companies seeking his authority on their paths to success.

Mary Smith has a bachelor's in English literature and minored in psychology. She is currently working towards her master's in organizational leadership. In 2014, she started working with IA Business Advisors as an editor. After graduating in 2016, she became a full-time employee and still enjoys working with her team on various projects and developing The I in Team series to help all current and aspiring leaders find, be, and build their positive influence. In 2020, she became a Kolbe Certified Consultant. Her dog, Bilbo, accompanies her to the office on a hybrid working schedule.

Mary's biggest passions in life are developing others and pursuing social and self-awareness. She has been vegan for seven years and is driven by valuing and promoting diversity. In the words of Neil deGrasse Tyson, "For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you."