The LeaderInternational Leadership Development Institute Blog

I couldn’t let March “Readers are Leaders” month go by without reviewing a leadership book. And for those who know me well, I’m sure you are not surprised on my choice of a John Maxwell book, the 360 degree leader. I love this book because it takes leadership from something only the people at the top of ladder do to something that we can all do -and should do, even homeschooling moms and people in business for themselves. You are leaders too.

Maxwell sets out ways that you can be an influencer of those above you, those at your level, and those whom you lead. He calls this “leading up”, “leading across” and “leading down.” I will set out a few tips for each level, to entice you into reading more!

Leading Up: Make Yourself Valuable and Become a Go-To player
The best way to gain influence with those who are YOUR leaders is to help them succeed. This means going beyond the requirements, serving them selflessly, and respecting their time. A few questions: Are you always prepared when you take your leader’s time? Do you volunteer to solve problems that are not in “your department”? Do you ever seek to lighten your leader’s load? We can all grow in this, as everyone of us, no matter how high up, has someone over them. Even the CEO has a Board to report to.

Leading Across: Becoming a team player and not a competitor
The best way to gain influence among your peers is to work as a great team player. When we realize that we are all on the same team, the rest becomes easier. If we vow to work together, competing agendas become less important and the better question is how we can advance the ball down the field together. This is not easy, but when you operate as a team player, you gain the respect and backing of your peers. A few questions: Are office politics more important than office accomplishments? How many people at work do you know by name – and know what their outside interests are, if they are married, if they have children? Do I ever pretend that I’m perfect at work or do I acknowledge my own shortcomings? We all have peers at work or in volunteering. These people can be your worst enemy or your greatest asset – your choice.

Leading Down: See Each Person as a “10″ and add value to them daily
If people sense they gain more by being under your leadership, this builds loyalty and improves their performance. Everyone wants to be on the winning team where they are value. This takes good teamwork, positive communication strategies, and solid implementation of a good plan. If you set the tone by valuing every individual’s input and adding value to make them better at their job, you will create an effective, loyal team that WANTS to achieve great things together. Questions: Do I ever pit one worker against another? Is each person on my team in the place of their greatest strength? Have I properly given a vision and a plan for forward movement to my team? Do I care about each person aside from what they give at work?

Now, there is SO MUCH more to each level of leadership, but this is just a teaser! So many people in the middle of an organization go to their jobs not even realizing that they are uniquely positioned leaders who have the opportunity to be greater leaders if they develop their leadership skills. These skills don’t just happen, they are cultivated. And we know that without a plan to cultivate something, it will never happen – like the farmer who wants to grow corn but never buys the seed to plant.

So, what seeds of leadership are you planting in your life? May I submit that this book is a great place to start for those wanting to grow a harvest in this area.

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