The 360-Degree Leader

Most of us are in the middle of an organization. Unless you are fresh out of school, or the CEO, you are in the middle. Being in the middle does not mean you must be a follower. Quite the opposite. Remember, leadership is not one-dimensional and not one-directional. Learning to lead from the middle is crucial to your success and, more importantly, your well-being. What is leadership? According to John Maxwell, “The true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”

Where does leadership come from? Does it come from having a position or title? No, it does not, and if you think so, you have bought into the position myth. You have bought into the belief that to lead you must have a certain title or position. Rather than working to build relationships with others, you wait to be given the “authority” to tell others what to do. That is not leadership.

Leadership is dynamic and the right to lead must be earned. Leadership is a choice you make, not a place you sit. You can lead from anywhere in an organization, and when you do, you make the organization better. Leaders in the middle can have a profound effect. Every level of every company depends on the leadership of someone, and everyone can become a leader wherever they are. Leadership does not automatically come from the top of the pyramid, cascading down at 90 degrees. Leadership happens from the middle at an all-inclusive 360 degrees.

Being in the middle is challenging. No question about it. Any middle manager can list multiple issues that they face when trying to lead up, across, and down their organization. Here are the seven most common challenges that middle managers face and advice on how to overcome them.?

1. The Tension Challenge – The pressure of being caught in the middle. Advice:?Learn to lead despite restrictions others have placed on you.?

2. The Frustration Challenge – Following an ineffective leader. Advice:?Your job is not to fix the leader; it is to add value. If the leader will not change, then change your attitude or your work address.?

3. The Multi-Hat Challenge – One head . . . many hats. Advice:?Know what hat to put on and then enjoy the challenge.?

4. The Ego Challenge – You are often hidden in the middle. Advice:?Remember that consistently good leadership gets noticed.?

5. The Fulfillment Challenge – Leaders like the front more than the middle. Advice:?Leadership is more disposition than position – influence others from wherever you are.?

6. The Vision Challenge – Championing the vision is more difficult when you did not create it. Advice:?The more you invest in the vision, the more it becomes your own.?

7. The Influence Challenge – Leading others beyond your position is not easy. Advice:?Think influence, not position.?

Leading from the middle means up, across, and down. When was the last time someone from the middle led you? Were they a peer or someone subordinate to you? Can you remember a time when you led up the organization? Here is a quick story from my past.

Many moons ago, as a new field HR person, I found myself chewing on a dilemma. I was getting lots of career advancement questions from people all over the country. They were curious about internal opportunities, both in the field and at the corporate office in California. After directing people to the company’s career page, I would also send them a current list of open positions. One day while driving home I got the idea for?Ascend, what would become the company’s internal job posting newsletter, for positions where company experience was preferred. After many conversations with my boss, my team, and operations, we agreed on a format and launched. It was a remarkable success and eventually led to me receiving an Innovator’s award.?

Leadership is not one-dimensional and not one-directional. In today’s world, where more people are working remotely, where more options are available to customers and clients, and where more opportunities are visible and available to you and your coworkers, more 360-degree leaders are needed. You have more power to impact change than you realize. Tired of good people around you leaving or, worse, those who are underperforming staying? Lead. Tired of a supervisor who either cannot or will not? Lead. Tired of feeling like you do not belong or are not adding value? Lead. Leadership is a choice you make, not a place you sit. Make the choice to lead from the middle.

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