
The Human Code
The Human Code" podcast unravels the intricate blend of technology, leadership, and personal growth, featuring insights from visionary leaders and innovators shaping the future. Host Don Finley dives deep into the human stories behind technological advancements, inspiring listeners at the crossroads of humanity and tech.
The Human Code
The Influence Blueprint: Fabio Marques' Guide to Connection
Mastering Influence: Technology Meets Humanity with Fabio Marquez
In this episode of The Human Code, Don Finley hosts Fabio Marquez, an award-winning executive and internationally recognized expert in influence, leadership, sales, and service excellence. Fabio discusses his journey from an engineer at IBM to mastering the art and science of influence, and how he helps leaders and professionals communicate effectively, build trust, and create lasting impact. The conversation explores Fabio's MAGNA Influence Blueprint, a framework for understanding motivation, aspirations, and decision-making, while also discussing the role of AI and automation in shaping the future of business. Join us for an insightful dialogue on leadership, influence, and the future of work.
00:00 Introduction to The Human Code Podcast
00:49 Meet Fabio Marquez: From Engineer to Influence Expert
01:12 Fabio's Journey: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Success
01:33 The MAGNA Influence Blueprint
02:06 Personal Stories of Influence and Connection
05:25 Understanding Human Behavior in Business
16:31 The Role of Technology in Influence
21:06 The Future of Business: Small Teams and Big Impact
28:06 MAGNA Influence Fundamentals
32:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Sponsored by FINdustries
Hosted by Don Finley
Welcome to the Human Code, the podcast where technology meets humanity, and the future is shaped by the leaders and innovators of today. I'm your host, Don Finley, inviting you on a journey through the fascinating world of tech, leadership, and personal growth. Here, we delve into the stories of visionary minds, Who are not only driving technological advancement, but also embodying the personal journeys and insights that inspire us all. Each episode, we explore the intersections where human ingenuity meets the cutting edge of technology, unpacking the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that define our era. So, whether you are a tech enthusiast, an inspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the human narratives behind the digital revolution, you're in the right place. Welcome to The Human Code. Today, we're honored to welcome Fabio Marquez, an award winning executive, internationally recognized speaker, and expert in influence, leadership, sales, and service excellence. With over 20, 000 hours on stage and a career spanning more than 20 countries, Fabio has helped businesses double, triple, and even 10x their profits while improving customer satisfaction and talent retention. But Fabio's journey wasn't always about influence. Starting as an engineer at IBM, he quickly realized that technical expertise alone wasn't enough. Human connection was the key to success. From overcoming a speech impediment to becoming a world class speaker, Fabio has mastered the art and science of influence, helping leaders and professionals communicate more effectively, build trust, and create lasting impact. In this episode, we'll dive into Fabio's MAGNA Influence Blueprint, a framework for understanding motivation, aspirations, and decision making that can transform the way we connect with others. We'll also explore how AI and automation are shaping the future of business, and how entrepreneurs can leverage technology without losing authenticity and human touch. Join us for this dynamic conversation on leadership, influence, and the future of work, with insights that will change how you think about success in both business and life. I am here with a good friend now, Fabio Marquez. And what I gotta say is, Fabio has spent more hours on stage than many people have spent becoming an expert in what they're doing. So, the man, understands public speaking. He understands how to convey messages. There is a way of influence that he has that we're going to dive into today. But Fabio, one, thank you so much for spending the time with us today. And two, how'd you get interested in the intersection of humanity and technology?
Fabio Marques:Thank you, Don, for opening this space for us to discuss the art and science of influence. Well, your question is very interesting because, you know, growing up, I had a speech impediment. So the first profession I chose was engineering because I thought, I don't have to talk to people. I will deal with machines. And so, I started studying to be an associate engineer when I was 14 and then I blended into engineering itself and I was working with machines. I was working for Siemens and I was working for IBM and then something happened when I was working for IBM. I was like an assistant engineer for a very experienced guy. The guy has like 20 years working for IBM and we were visiting one of his clients and although he was very experienced and very, knowledgeable and competent. For some reason, the level of satisfaction of that customer, that client, was not very high with his services. And then a few months later, he retired and IBM didn't have a replacement for him and for his position. Serving IBM, and other clients. Actually, we were serving, very huge, you know, data processing clients in Brazil. And then I was put as a replacement for him and the most important clients we had. And I was terrified because I had like less than a year working for IBM and I was replacing a guy that had two decades working for IBM, So I was kind of terrified. So my strategy, although I still had some. Some problems speaking at that time. Whenever I was called to fix a machine, in one of our clients, I first, before touching the machine, I was talking to the clients and making sure they knew what I was going to do, how long it was going to take so they could rearrange their job flow until I was done with the machine, Suddenly, And the next survey they did, the level of satisfaction went up. So everybody was, how is that possible? Fabio is less experienced, less knowledgeable, has less, you know, everything than the other guy. Why are his clients more, more satisfied now? So then it clicked. It was because I was not only fixing machines, I was fixing the humans as well.
Don Finley:Ah,
Fabio Marques:fixing anxiety. I was avoiding anxiety attacks. I was really dealing with their. the pressure they were feeling, I will, I was putting myself into their shoes and, and trying to give them some, you know, ground for them to relax while I was fixing the machines, So that made all the difference, and that clicked in my mind, and that made me really focus And decoding the human nature, how people think, how they behave, how they make decisions, And then, although I was still an engineer working for IBM, then I went to another company, still working as an engineer for medical equipment, I was studying more and more the science of human behavior and how to interact with other people. And soon enough in the next company I was working for, we were like a position in 127th place in the rank. in three years later, we were in number three.
Don Finley:Congratulations.
Fabio Marques:yeah, the only thing I did differently was I was connecting with our clients in a different way. I was really, talking to them. I was present in the moment when they were talking to me. I was listening to them carefully and I was realizing, okay, this guy's moved by logic. This guy's moved by status. This guy's moved by comfort and convenience. And I was adapting my communication and my message to those things I was uncovering about those people. And that made our organization in Brazil, the top one in Latin America, and the third most profitable in the world. In our multinational company. And that made me like, a young, award winning executive. I was 23 and I won this award, the best executive in the world for that company. I was kind of surprised,
Don Finley:Yeah, yeah.
Fabio Marques:But then I said, wow, this is super powerful. And then I made a decision. This is going to be my whole focus for the rest of my life. So even, Now, for other two years, I developed my team to replace me because I decided I'm not going to be here. I'm going to open my own consulting company. So, I spent two years developing my team, and when I left, they continued my legacy, and until today, They are recognized as one of the best in the industry for health care and medical equipment. And I started in 1996 in my own company and never stopped, So it's 28 years now, giving speeches and workshops in 20 countries about the art and science of influence and how we can, of course, ethically use influence. When presenting, when leading, when selling, when negotiating.
Don Finley:I gotta say that like every time I hear your story it just becomes more interesting and like the passion that you bring to the table is exceptional. when you talk about the ability for you to fix problems technically was secondary. To your ability to connect with people. And I've also noticed that in my career as well, that like, I went from Barclays, which, you know, highly regulated environment to working for a vending machine company. And we made the software and the hardware for the vending machines and a very interesting, but my one customer was Coca Cola. And like I was three days into the job and I was already on site with the customer running the project. So similar to you trial by fire type of perspective. And it wasn't going well, Like at first there was a complete disconnect in the tech, but then there was also just the disconnect in the people who are working on it. And so bridging that gap, what ended up really helping was before we would have status calls, I would call the project manager. tell him what my status was before we got on the call. And even if it was an absolute dumpster fire, his executives would be like, you guys used to beat up on Finley, but now he tells you the world's on fire and you guys are okay with it. And it's because I was able to make him part of the solution and to help just be like, Hey, here's what's happening. You're not going to be surprised. But here's where we are going. So just the same way that you're saying like the, the anxiety, the fears, we help to calm that down and it's been super helpful. That project manager has since left and started his own business. And I'm, I sit on the board of his business now. So like, it really is like an exceptional Space to be when you recognize that like we were doing business with people and we just happen to have technology as the tool that we expose on this.
Fabio Marques:Yeah. Technology is supposed to serve humans, not the other way around.
Don Finley:that's so true. So true. And so you've been consulting for 28 years now with your own business. How has the evolution of your influence and the practices changed over those, almost three decades?
Fabio Marques:Well, by practicing throughout all those years and by serving so many different industries, like 300 plus companies I have served in all kinds of industries, manufacturing, food, beverage. insurance. So I was little by little finding the common ground because every industry has, its specifics, but at the same time, they all have the same thing, humans, So, what is the common ground between all humans, no matter your, your profession, no matter your, you know, education. So little by little, I was Finding that at the beginning, I was just thinking about, why people buy things, Why people buy products, services, or ideas. Then I was expanding, okay, can I use that to leadership as well and not be only attached to the Maslow pyramid of needs? Yes, so we can also use the same reasons people buy ideas and products and services. They can buy dreams. They can buy a leader they can believe on. They can buy anything, even hope they can buy because of those things. And okay. And what else? I was asking myself, well, depending on the moment you are, throughout the day, you might be thinking more. as a user of those things you're buying, or maybe as a specification expert, or maybe as a financial decision maker. So I need to really identify not only your motives to do something, in what thinking mode you are at that moment, to really connect quickly to your line of thought, to better interact with you. And on top of that, your predominant behavior, because again, based on the pressures, you are feeling from life or what's going on, you can be more in a dominant mode, more in influential mode, more in harmonizer or analytical mode. And that also impacts the way you make decisions and, the power I have to influence you or not. So little by little I was putting together. So, behaviors. I need to be aware of, ways of thinking I need to be aware of and motives to buy or motives to action I need to be aware of. And I was little by little creating what I call now the Magna Influence Blueprint. So it's a complete map to help me influence people, not only once, but, build promising, win win relationships through all the weeks, months, and years. That's why, you know, I have clients that have hired me over and over again for more than a hundred times, and they keep hiring me again and referring me to all the places. I never spent really much in advertisement so far. Maybe in 28 years, I spent like a thousand dollars in ads. And all my clients came from my previous clients opening doors for me and new clients, just because they believe I can add value to their friends as well. And that's actually is a result of my influence map, because I create a system where silently. I create this seed inside their brain to talk about me to other people. of course, I was able to add real value to their experience, So everything is very ethical, every, based on truth and real value. Otherwise it doesn't work,
Don Finley:and I can definitely appreciate that. cause we've got to always come back to like, what is the ethics that we are? What are the values and the intention that we're bringing into these moments? for me, I only work with friends now. It's kind of this thing and even though we may not be friends when we first meet, I want to express that as the intention because I care more about you than I do about like any one project that we'll end up doing together. And although like we are going to delivering work to you and being, performing highly capable things and making sure that your project is successful. It's more the relationship that ends up mattering. when you're looking at your influence map and the creation that you have here, where do you start? are, there's certain earmarks that you look for in how a person is communicating or how they're making decisions. cause I can imagine that your map is probably it could be quite detailed, and at the same time you're applying it in real time during communication.
Fabio Marques:Yeah. Yeah. Well, the first step is, connect, So my first intention is how can I connect with that person, So the first thing that we can notice very easily is how people are behaving, because that is reflected on their body language and tone of voice, So if people are speaking with lots of energy, I know they're either in the dominant behavior or influential behavior because that's the way people in those behaviors, they communicate with lots of energy, So, okay, either they're in dominant or influential behavior. Now I see the focus of their conversation. If they're asking or talking about results, goals, options, tasks, processes, peace. dominant mode. If they're talking about people in relationship, influential mode. So it's immediate. in seconds, I can say, okay, that person is in dominant mode, influential mode, analytical mode, or a harmonizer mode. Harmonizer and analytical, they speak slower and in a calmer tone of voice like this. So if people were talking like this, I know they're not dominant or influential. They're harmonizer or analytical. And if they're more focused on tasks, analytical or numbers, if they're more focused on how people feel and friendships, harmonizer. So I identify the behavior first. And of course I, I adapt to that behavior at the very, First thing I do to connect with that person.
Don Finley:How often do you see people switching, um, the, model of communication? Yeah,
Fabio Marques:you can even lead that change. when you start talking to someone and that someone is in the dominant mode, many people start talking to you in the dominant mode because they're afraid of you. They don't know you. They don't trust you. So they assume the dominant position. Like, don't mess with me. Okay. I know what I'm talking about. I'm boss here. I'm the client, whatever.
Don Finley:little chest beating,
Fabio Marques:Yeah. So like this, They start with the dominant mode. When they realize I'm not against them, when they realize they can trust me, when they realize I am connected with them, and I really respect them for who they are, sometimes they switch to analytical, so they calm down and talk more about what they want specifically in numbers, or they start talking about what they want in terms of relationship and feelings. How they want to feel about this. So I know if they're switching to analytical, to harmonizer or even to influencer. So yes, we can lead that change when we make people feel more comfortable with us, they can relax and they become, a softer version of their behavior, easier to deal with.
Don Finley:That is incredible. So how has technology played into your world? I mean, you have an engineering background, you have the experience on that side, but I'm curious of like, how in the public speaking and the influence world has technology been influencing you and more specifically, the latest iteration of AI that we've had in the last two years with generative AI and also, I don't know if you've played around with a GPT 4. 0 advanced voice.
Fabio Marques:Not yet. Not yet.
Don Finley:Okay, going back to the question of, how's tech influenced you?
Fabio Marques:You know, for me, since the very beginning, even before AI and everything else. I always saw technology as a way to free my mind and free my time so I can be more human, So I can better connect with human beings. So everything I do in my businesses, I try to use technology to free my time. So everything that is repetitive, Operational tasks that are repetitive. I try to implement some kind of technology to automate that, Just to give you an example, I generate more revenue now than I generated like five years ago and I have one sixth of the, headcount that I had. So I had much less people generating more revenue because a lot of things are automated by technology. In terms of AI, I use AI to really test some ideas. And to see, what is out there. So let's say, I wanna see how, people are talking about influence. So I go to AI and say, okay, write me something about, and I try to be very specific of what I want. So the result I know is, AI went to all over the world, And collected all kinds of, and consolidated everything. And boom, that's it. That's the consolidated version of it. Everything that is going on about that topic. So that gives me like a sense am I still connected with what is really important to people. And I can do that with sales, with relationships any topic and AI will give me like an extract, A summary of everything out there that people care about. And that will help me stay on my toes and am I still communicating with people the right way, But I have to confess something to you, my friend. The more and more I use AI to give me those answers, the more and more I realize that people are desperate for authenticity
Don Finley:Yes.
Fabio Marques:and truth. So you can have the best sales letter or sales video or sales page in the world if they don't feel authenticity in there. If they feel like it's very well written, amazing copyright, but no truth, no authenticity, no feeling.
Don Finley:Yeah,
Fabio Marques:And we are getting more and more savvy as humans to, to sense if there is truth and authenticity behind those amazing copyrights because of everything that is going on right around us.
Don Finley:I mean, you're definitely hitting on a note of what 2024 has been for YouTube well is like, if you see before 2024, it was all just flashy banner styles, kind of like fast hitting sort of space. And that was what was trending. But now you see the authentic creator coming through. And that process of of being who you are and expressing that into both your offer, your sales, what, however it comes out in your business is incredibly important. Um, you also hit on something that was I'd like to come back to that. You now have one six, the staff that you did before. And we've seen this trend in, in the business, in the world where, in the eighties, for me to generate 10 million worth of revenue, I needed a team of 50 today. I need like one or two and we're getting to the point where even, Sam Altman is saying he's got a text message thread going where they're like, they're waiting. or they're betting on when they're going to see the first billion dollar company that's run by one person. and I'm curious if the techniques that you have encountered and you've developed over the years be implied, can be applied on the influence of ourselves. and an understanding of our own awareness. Because I think in these environments, like I see and I can hear from you that you are very authentic in your passion for the work that you're doing. And that makes it probably very easy for you to actually do this work because of the strong connection there. But as we get to these smaller and smaller companies, how do people find their own passion to connect in the same way that you're connecting to Magna and the, the influence that you provide?
Fabio Marques:Well, one thing that I, realized a few years ago, in the future, most companies will be small businesses. As you said, like one man show can run a billion dollar organization in the future. So one thing that I, I once had 120 people working for me, It was in 2 21, 1,001 to 2001. I had 120 people and, but I realized that people actually, they grow faster when they run their own business. When there are employees, they kind of relax too much because they trust the company will take care of them. It's like a small version of, the government taking care of me, No, the company will take care of me. So I don't have to really be the best I can be. If I fail one or two days, that's all right. the company will take care of me. When they are really, self employed or they are owners of their own business, they don't think that way. They say, I have to be my very best every single day. Because nobody's taking care of me. I have to take care of myself. So the idea of owning your own business or being a self employed is more, it conducive to achieve excellence than to be an employee. So I decided many years ago that I don't want to have many employees. I want to have a lot of business partners. They are solopreneurs. They were connected with me, but they don't, owe me anything. I don't owe them anything. this is a business relationship. I see them as my clients, not as my employees. And they see me as their client, not their boss. So we see each other as clients. And if I see everybody as client, I treat everybody to the best of my ability. I do my very best. To please my clients and they do their very best to please me and to make me happy and to make me more than happy to make me successful. And I want to make them successful as well. If everybody's successful, everybody wins. Everybody grows, even if we are one man shows, So the future is technology is available to everybody. You don't need to have like 10, 20 employees anymore to grow. You can have like 20 robots, you can have like 20 softwares, you can have like 40 softwares, I have like 40 softwares running right now. So you can have softwares running things for you, and you free your time to be connecting with other human beings, doing business, to be really understanding each other, and see how can I help you, how you can help me. And this will create more responsibility, more awareness, more human connection, because we are free to grow without having to slave people into our employees.
Don Finley:think that is fantastic.
Fabio Marques:I'm not saying that it's bad to have employees. I'm just saying that
Don Finley:No, no, no. I think what I'm hearing,
Fabio Marques:will grow without having to have employees or many employees.
Don Finley:I've been running industries now for 11 years coming up on 12 years now. So we're getting to a dozen. I have told people, countlessly, that starting a business and being an entrepreneur has been the best self-development tool that I have ever had. Because if I'm not hitting my numbers. I'm not hitting my numbers, Like there is something here that isn't. There's nothing wrong with my clients. There's nothing wrong with the potential clients. But if I'm not able to convey, like you said, with authenticity, what we can do and how we can provide that and how we can help them meet their needs, then that's going to hurt. If our team is struggling, that's on me.
Fabio Marques:Hmm.
Don Finley:And to be able to have that, setting in which you have, you know, your partners as your clients and your client of theirs as well. You're setting that stage for like, Hey, we're all creating success here. do you feel that it is a motivation by fear or a motivation of passion and love? what helps set that stage?
Fabio Marques:Motivation by purpose.
Don Finley:By purpose. Okay.
Fabio Marques:Because, you know, as I'm not their boss anymore, When I'm not their boss, they're not obligated to serve me or to work with me. So they will only work with me if they see purpose in what I'm doing, and if that purpose is aligned with their purpose. So this is true leadership. This is true influence. It's not influenced by hierarchy. It's not influenced by, by power, by authority. It's influenced by purpose. So when they feel like I'm helping them achieve their purpose, and they feel like they're helping me achieve my purpose, we are aligned in purpose. Everybody works trying their very best. to deliver excellence. So we defeat the mediocrity thinking, Because when I say, Oh, the company will take care of me. If I fail, that's all right. I don't need to be my best today. People will forgive me. I just give my boss like an excuse that I'm not so well today. He's going to forgive me. He's going to cover for me. So, again, I was an employee and I was not mediocre. I'm not saying every employee is
Don Finley:No, no, exactly.
Fabio Marques:Alright, and of course, we know that the most successful employees are the ones who are entrepreneurial spirit, So they don't have excuses. They go for it and they get things done. So of course, every company that is blessed to have employees with entrepreneurial spirit, they're good to go. we have stages in life and many people need to go through the employment first so they can understand how to run their own business later. That's all right. Okay. I'm just saying that, no, the way I'm setting my organizations is, I am connecting with my, partners, based on purpose and in this pursuit of excellence. I tell everybody, and that's why we created the International Excellence Society What is international excellent society? It's the congregation of all my partners. So, we believe that mediocrity is the mother of all evil. When people feel mediocre, they don't feel they're good enough to win by the rules, so they ban or break the rules. they don't feel like they're good enough to win, honestly. So they lie, they steal, they scheme, To fool other people. But when you feel like you're good enough because you're living excellence every day, you're not afraid. When you're not able to do something, you go back to study and learn and evolve. You don't have excuse like, Oh, I don't know, so I'm going to like, no, you don't know. So you're going to study and learn and grow and then you come back better. That's the way we think. And that's how we use technology to allow us to learn faster, to grow faster. Even AI can be a good teacher. If you have any doubt, use AI to give you some answers, but don't use AI to replace you.
Don Finley:exactly. We have the statement of we're using it for augmenting intelligence, It's not replacing intelligence. It's basically that tool to help be reflective of where you're at. God, I've enjoyed this so much. I feel like there's plenty more questions and we're definitely gonna have to bring you back so we can dive deeper into some of these areas. What's one thing that you would just like to leave the audience with? how can they best prepare themselves for, you know, embracing more human connection?
Fabio Marques:Well, let's simplify, then the Magna influence map is huge. Of course, you need to study a little bit deeper, but let me give you the, the fundamentals. So everybody here listening can start applying tomorrow or today if they want.
Don Finley:Yes.
Fabio Marques:So the reason I gave influence, my influence map, the name Magna influence blueprint is because I created an anachronism for Magna. Okay, MAGNA means something of great distinction, something of great importance, great significance. So MAGNA influence would be the greatest of all kinds of influence, But also, I created an acronym for MAGNA. So M A G N A, Motivations, Aspirations, and Goals, Nurturing Agreements. So the very simple thing about MAGNA, how to influence other people is, okay, how do Can I uncover their motivations? Motivations means motives to action. That's the source of the word motivation is motive to action. They put it together motivation. So what is your motive to do something? If I want you to buy from me, what would be your motive to buy from me? If I wanted to work with me, what would be the motive? And of course, they're related to your purpose, to your beliefs. So if I'm interested in listening to you and understand your beliefs. Your purpose, your values, I start connecting with your true motivations, your true motives, As long as I, realize what motivates you to do something, I'm automatically more connected to you because I can adapt my communication to say things that are connected to your beliefs, your values, your motivation. The second thing is, okay, once I understand your motivations, where are you coming from? Where are you going to now? Your aspirations? Because I have to be the bridge between where you're coming from and where you want to go. That's how you see me as a valuable resource to connect with when you see me as a bridge. So you have motives to do something, motivations, and then you have aspirations, where you want to go, who you want to be. So I start asking you about your dreams. your major objectives in life, and I start understanding your aspirations. And then to really build the bridge, then I ask you about your short term goals. So motivations, aspirations, and your short term goals. The step by step you need to reach your dreams by your purpose, beliefs, and values. So when I understand your goals, your short term goals, I see your goals. With clarity, how I can contribute to your goals, how I can be a resource for you to help you accomplish those step by step goals until you reach your destination. And so motivation, aspirations, and goals, I'm ready to nurture agreements. I would say something like this. I see that you want to change your business because you're not satisfied with the results you have had so far. the kinds of Clients you have been working with are not aligned to your beliefs and values. Is that right? They're motivational. Yeah, that's right. And I see that you want to become a company that is a reference of excellence. People come to you because they want to achieve higher levels of, of success using our service. That's your aspiration to be that resource. People come to you. Is that right? Yes. And you have like three main goals to start in that journey. You say, yeah, that's right. If I can help you go through those steps and achieve your destination faster, would you be willing to work with me? They go, of
Don Finley:Absolutely.
Fabio Marques:So I just need to understand motivation, aspiration, and goals, and I'm ready to nurture agreements. So this is the fundamentals of MAGNA Influence. And of course, when you understand the whole map, you know how not only to connect and influence but to keep that connection growing and growing and opening new doors to you in other areas as well.
Don Finley:that is absolutely fantastic. so when we post this, what I want to see from our audience is how they've applied magna in their lives. so basically it's going to require people to listen and then come back a week later to post it. But you know what? We'll see what the best comments are. I know for our next conversation, I will also be showing up with the expression of how I'm doing this. once again, Fabio, thank you so much for spending time with us today. It's been a blast.
Fabio Marques:thank you for the opportunity. You know, the more people know about this, the better the world is going to be.
Don Finley:Absolutely. Thank you for tuning into The Human Code, sponsored by Findustries, where we harness AI to elevate your business. By improving operational efficiency and accelerating growth, we turn opportunities into reality. Let Findustries be your guide to AI mastery, making success inevitable. Explore how at Findustries. co.