Leading Up and Leading Across: Challenges of a 360° Leader

I recently read the book The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization by Dr. John C Maxwell. In this Maxwell asserts that you don’t have to be the main leader to make significant impact in your organization. Good leaders are not only capable of leading their followers but are also adept at leading their superiors and their peers. Debunking myths and shedding light on the challenges, John Maxwell offers specific principles for Leading Down, Leading Up, and Leading Across. 360-Degree Leaders can lead effectively, regardless of their position in an organization. By applying Maxwell's principles, you will expand your influence and ultimately be a more valuable team member.

The Myths of Leading From The Middle

1. The Position Myth – “I can’t lead if I am not at the top.”
2. The Destination Myth – “When I get to the top, then I’ll learn to lead.”
3. The Influence Myth – “If I were on top, then people would automatically follow me.”
4. The Inexperience Myth – “When I get to the top, I’ll be in control.”
5. The Freedom Myth – “When I get to the top, I’ll no longer be limited.”
6. The Potential Myth – “I can’t reach my potential if I’m not the top leader.”
7. The All-or-Nothing Myth – “If I can’t get to the top, then I won’t try to lead.”

Someone who believes the all-or-nothing myth might say, “If I can’t get to the top, then I won’t try to lead.” Some people in the middle become frustrated by their position in an organization because they define success as being “on top.” As a result, they believe that if they are not on top, they are not successful. If that frustration lasts long enough, they can become disillusioned, bitter and cynical. If it gets to that point, instead of being a help to themselves and their organization, they become a hindrance. Improve your leadership and you can impact your organization. You can change people’s lives. You can be someone who adds value. You can learn to influence people at every level of the organization — even if you never get to the top. By helping others, you can help yourself.

How to Lift Your Leader’s Load

1. Be sure to do your own job well before you concentrate on lifting your leader’s load. If you drop your personal responsibilities, you’ll drag your leader down rather than propping them up.
2. When you find a problem, provide a solution. If you only identify what is broken, you look no different than a complainer. Show initiative by repairing the problems you encounter.
3. Tell your leaders what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. In the words of President Dwight Eisenhower: “A bold heart is half the battle.” Have the courage to speak your mind and confront difficult truths.
4. Go the second mile. Be willing to arrive early, stay late, and do more than your share of work.
5. Stand up for your leader whenever you can. Don’t become party to backbiting or criticism. Speak highly of your leaders and diffuse the negativity others may show toward them.
6. Stand in for your leader whenever you can.

In the words of Colin Powell: “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision has been made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” There will be instances when you do not see eye to eye with your leader’s decision. Respecting their authority by supporting them, even when you disagree, will give them the confidence to trust you.

The Principles 360° Leaders Practice to Lead Across

Leading your peers is no simple task. It’s easy for an effective leader to lead followers, but leading across can be difficult—especially for highly productive people who might create feelings of jealousy or resentment among their peers. Effective 360° leaders give their colleagues reasons to respect and follow them. Because they lead across successfully, they are able to assist the people beside them, profit the organization, and advance themselves.

Understand, Practice and Complete the Leadership Loop

Leading peers is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process. When leading across, the temptation is to try to take the lead too quickly. Taking shortcuts or cheating the process will erode your respect from others rather than gaining influence with them.

The Leadership Loop



1. Caring – Take an interest in people. People always move toward anyone who increases them and away from anyone who decreases them.
2. Learning – Get to know people invest the time to understand the values that motivate your fellow leaders.
3. Appreciating – Respect people Find and encourage the strengths unique to each of your colleagues. Assume they have your best interests in mind, and be open to their ideas and concerns.
4. Contributing – Add value to people few activities add to a leader’s credibility like the dedication to add value to the people around them – especially when the leader is neither obligated to add value nor receiving direct benefit from doing it. Adding value to peers lets them know that you are on their side and are cheering for them to win.
5. Verbalizing – Affirm people to affirm signifies to make firm. An affirmation is a statement of truth you make firm by repetition. Affirmations enable others to believe in their dreams. For people to reach their potential, their dreams must become more real than their doubts.
6. Leading – Influence people Understand, enlarge, and empower those who are leading beside you.
7. Succeeding – Win with People When you succeed with people, you gain opportunities to influence even more people. The leadership loop completes a cycle and begins anew. As additional people enter your life, you must again choose to take an interest in them, get to know them, etc