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Book

Business Book Review™
We Select and Review Only the
Best Business Books You Should Read
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Maxwell
©2005 by John C
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ISBN: 0-7852-6092-7

Reviewed by Susan Williams

Introduction
The frustrating tensions battled every day in leadership are universal, and leaders today face the challenge of
influencing people from all sides of an organization
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John C
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Many managers with leadership responsibilities feel that because they are not the main leader, that they cannot
influence their bosses, peers, and subordinates
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Once leaders can incorporate these principles into their
own style of management, they will be able to influence others in every direction and become a 360-Degree Leader
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23, No
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THE MYTHS OF LEADING FROM THE
MIDDLE OF AN ORGANIZATION

Only 360-Degree Leaders can influence people at
every level of the organization
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Myth #1 can be referred to as the position myth, where
people believe they must have a certain title to lead
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These people
might wait for a more senior leader to empower them with
authority, instead of building relationships with others to
influence naturally
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However,
people can move beyond the boundaries of their position by
building respectful relationships and valuing each person
as a unique individual who gives something positive to the
organization
...

Part of contributing to the team is to develop others’ skills
that sharpen their ability to lead
...
In these situations, leaders value
their people enough to mentor them and make them more
valuable to the company
...
Leaders should
be able to exert their influence from anywhere in the
organization
...

The thinking goes something like this: “When I’m a leader,
then I’ll figure out how to influence others in a positive
way,” rather than learning these principles in order to be a
leader
...
The
beginning of the journey may require people to adopt new
ways of thinking, new skills, and new habits
...

Myth #3 is based on the belief that nobody will
follow unless the manager is “on top”
...
This is
not the case
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Maxwell

Key Concepts
John C
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Lead-Up: Leading up is the process of
influencing a leader
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2
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These
leaders help peers achieve positive results,
let the best idea win, and garner mutual
respect
...

3
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This involves
walking through the halls, transferring the
vision, and rewarding for results
...
injoy
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thomasnelson
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Heenan and Warren Bennis
The Extraordinary Leader
By: John H
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No matter what position people hold, they
must earn their level of influence over time
...
An example of
this belief is the thinking that things would be different “if
I were the boss”
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23, No
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Maxwell

goals
...
His is also a good example of a 360-Degree
control a manager can have at the top of an organization
...

high-level position is no guarantee of the ability to exert
Myth #7 is the all-or-nothing belief that people won’t
influence
...

try to lead unless they can get to the top
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Leaders at the top do not
leaders
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necessarily have it made
...
And
always do what they want
...
”
always be boundaries
...
These leaders make a
its challenges, an effective 360-Degree Leader can learn
great impact, but at the same time, many leaders have less
to lead from the side, from above, and from below and
freedom instead of more
...

Myth #6 is based on the thinking that people cannot
reach their potential unless they’re top leaders
...
While people need to strive to do their best,
Leaders in the middle of an organization often
they don’t necessarily need to aspire to be at the top of their
experience frustration and struggle to succeed
...
Often the greatest impact is made from the
seven common challenges that leaders in the middle of
middle
...
Recognizing and identifying these
For example, Vice President Dick Cheney exerts a huge
challenges enables leaders to devise solutions and resolve
amount of influence while knowing that the top position is
issues
...
He believes he has reached his potential
Challenge #1 is referred to as the tension challenge,
where leaders may not be sure of where they stand
...
Maxwell is known as America’s
and can get in trouble by overstepping their authority
...
He
initiative without overstepping their boundaries
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Leaders must empower
Academy at West Point, and sports organizations
others to make their own judgments and take appropriate
such as the NCAA, the NBA, and the NFL
...
These leaders make things happen
...

other organizations dedicated to helping people
Moreover, they need to realize that each organization
reach their leadership potential
...
Good leaders assess their
EQUIP, a non-profit organization
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for a Change, and the two million sellers,
There are several ways to relieve tension which include
Developing the Leader Within You and The 21
becoming comfortable in the middle, knowing what to own
Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
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23, No
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Maxwell

violating trust, and finding ways to relieve stress
...

Moreover, it’s critical to avoid violating people’s trust
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Leaders at the top of an organization may be able
to choose what they do, but they also feel the weight of
success or failure of the whole organization
...
if you have a vision when your leader does not, you can rely on
skill
...
”
from leaders at the top, customers,
expectations from followers, and
their authority and position
...
These leaders have to
it’s extremely difficult to manage tension and sustain
get along with everyone and survive the dynamics of
authority
...
Leaders who are able to handle multiple tasks
Tension can also be relieved by eliminating stress
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behavior, commitment to the responsibility, and
Challenge #2 is one of frustration, where the issue
flexibility
...
Being in this
Challenge #4 is the ego challenge
...

middle don’t always get the credit they deserve, which
Insecure leaders can cause this frustration because
can damage the ego
...
These leaders tend to react to situations with
for people to focus on their duties, deliver the goods, and
anger when something makes them look bad, maintain the
let being noticed come naturally
...

that what they do is important
...
When jobs are done well, they make an
to progress forward in an often unsupportive environment
...
People will
This negative environment will be teeming with conflict
...
“One
of the team
...

novelist Mark Twain
...
Building relationships with leaders,
self-promotion and self-less promotion
...

strengths, and complementing the leader’s weaknesses,
Challenge #5 appears when leaders tend to like the
help to keep frustration at bay
...
It’s natural for leaders to
to expose leaders to good leadership resources such as
want to move up, make a greater impact, and be at the
helpful books or DVDs, and publicly affirm the leader’s
top of the organization
...

the top, which include recognition and praise
...
Leaders
in the leadership role
...

from above
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23, No
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Maxwell

realize that despite their love of being in on the action,
will learn to trust and rely on subordinates in addition to
often the action comes from the middle
...

strong relationships, and a desire to win with the team lead
to fulfillment anywhere in the organization
...
That’s where it all
Challenge #6 is the vision challenge
...
Besides, if you wouldn’t follow yourself, why should
invest in the vision, the more fulfillment they’ll have in
anyone else?”
bringing the vision to fruition
...
This practice emphasizes focus,
more effectively fulfill their role in the middle
...
Leaders are impressed by people
from the middle, however, are often asked to achieve a vision
who manage themselves, maximize opportunities, and
other than their own, and one they did not actually generate
...
Self-management requires
Often leaders don’t buy into a vision
because they didn’t create it
...
”
agree with it, or feel it’s impossible
to achieve
...

bottom of the organization
...
Time
the vision, leaders anywhere in the organization can add
is valuable but until managers believe their own time is of
value, improve the bottom line, and feel more fulfilled
...
Along
when satisfaction is high, so is success
...

leaders to make a vision a reality is by putting the needs of
Beyond that, good leaders in the middle manage their
the organization first, keeping the vision in front of people,
energy levels, their ways of thinking, their work, and their
and understanding their roles in the process
...
In the process of leading up, leaders must
Challenge #7, the influence challenge, does not
understand that if they cannot lead themselves, others will
escape anyone
...

their positions
...
A leader must become a person people
help your leader succeed
...
These kinds of leaders care about their
In other words, if the boss succeeds, so does the
people, establish their character as trustworthy, exhibit
organization
...
When leaders work hard to achieve these qualities,
team
...
This reciprocity
of being a good 360-Degree Leader
...

PART III: THE PRINCIPLES 360-DEGREE LEADERS
There are several ways leaders can help to lift the load
PRACTICE TO LEAD UP
of their bosses
...

In order to develop the ability to be a 360-Degree
When they find a problem or challenge, they provide a
Leader, people must learn to lead up with their leader, lead
solution
...
Each
be open to bad news
...

leaders and stand in for their leaders when appropriate
...
The
Finally, by simply asking leaders how they can lift the
principles of leading up greatly increase the chance for
load, people will develop an open, positive, and connected
success
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Business Book Review™ Vol
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11 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved

Page 5

The 360-Degree Leader

Lead-Up Principle #3
Successful 360-Degree Leaders can do what others
don’t want to do by stepping out of their comfort zones
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Leaders can also help others by finding ways to
succeed with difficult people, who are present in every
organization
...

Lead-Up Principle #4
There is a distinct difference between managers and
leaders
...
Both are essential for running a successful
operation
...
Unlike many managers, leaders think in the
long term
...
Thinking long term requires leaders to see
how events will impact those above, below, and around
them
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Maxwell

can better support their vision, share their enthusiasm, earn
their trust, and lead up
...
This principle suggests that
people must be prepared when taking any of a leader’s time
...
Respecting leaders’ time will encourage a relational
connection that can open doors to new opportunities
...
These people may bring resources, ideas,
or opportunities, and contribute to the conversation in a
positive manner
...

Where people add value to each other, they are practicing
360-Degree Leadership
...
A good
idea presented at the wrong time can be perceived as a
bad idea
...
When you help someone out, when to hold back, and when to
on the team, you help the whole team
...
Assessing whether their
the team, you’re helping your leaders
...
Leaders
clarity to an often ambiguous predicament
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attitudes
...
Leaders must be able to connect with
everyone around them
...
Armed with this information, people
and leaders can identify priorities, vision, interests, and
personality
...
Leaders are continually looking for people
who will step up and take on the next challenge when it
matters
...
And, they deliver results under limited
time frames when resources are few
...


Business Book Review™ Vol
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11 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved

Page 6

The 360-Degree Leader

John C
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team mates and no matter how competitive the atmosphere,
Leaders need to keep learning to better themselves at all
everyone needs to have a friend at work
...

not only creates a foundation of influence, but it provides
When people cease to learn and grow, they are
a framework for success
...
When
they recognize that learning and growth “If you help lift the load, then you help your leader succeed
...

of leading across the organization successfully
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when others aren’t
...
”
This means leaders in the middle are effectively leaders
of leaders
...

Lead-Across Principle #1
As mentioned earlier, leadership is an ongoing process
that takes time and energy
...
The term “leadership loop” contains
the following seven elements: caring, learning, appreciating,
contributing, verbalizing, leading, and succeeding
...
The leadership
loop needs to be addressed constantly to lead across the
organization successfully
...
While
competition can be healthy, competing with peers can
hurt an entire team
...

By channeling competition, leaders and their teams
can win as a whole, garner mutual respect, gain credibility
and exert influence
...
When leaders play the politics game, they alienate
their peers
...
In the long run, integrity, consistency,
and productivity always pay off
...

The 360-Degree Leader will succeed when cultivating the
ability to stand up for what’s right and to build trust with
people despite tremendous pressure
...

Lead-Across Principle #5
While it’s much easier to remain in environments
where we are secure, it’s important for leaders to expand
their circle of acquaintances regularly
...
Leaders expanding their realm
of relationships move beyond their inner circle, expertise,
strengths, prejudices, and routines
...
This means listening, being open to new ideas, and
protecting creative people’s initiatives
...


Business Book Review™ Vol
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11 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved

Page 7

The 360-Degree Leader

Lead-Across Principle #7
Many leaders try very hard to make others think they
are perfect
...
It’s more effective to admit faults, worry
less about what people think, put away pride, and be open
to learning from others
...
Instead of impressing
others, let them impress you,” says Maxwell
...

Lead-Down Principle #1
First and foremost, 360-Degree leaders need to walk the
halls, connect with people, and be visible and approachable
...
Leaders express that they

John C
...
Development is a long-term process, and in order
for leaders to continue developing their team, they need to
continue growing themselves
...
Developing everyone
differently while keeping to organizational goals will help
people to grow and reach their full potential
...

If employees are continually asked to work in their areas
of weakness, they will quickly become demoralized and
less productive
...
Second, they must give them the right job, and
third; identify the skills people must have to be a success
...


Lead-Down Principle #5
Leaders have an impact on others by being a consistent
role model
...

“The middle of an organization is a good place to discover
Leader decisions must be consistent with
your identity and work things out
...
”
and leader work ethics set the tone for
increased productivity
...

being a strong and consistent role model counts
...
These leaders’ beliefs in their people
inspire the team to believe in themselves and encourage
positive growth
...

Lead-Down Principle #3
Exceptional leaders develop their people so that those
people get the job done at the highest level
...

Therefore, the vision must be clear to maintain focus,
connect with the past, present, and future, rather than
solely on the future
...
By
engaging people in this manner, 360-Degree Leaders can
successfully transfer their vision
...


Business Book Review™ Vol
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11 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved

Page 8

The 360-Degree Leader

Leaders need to give praise both publicly and
privately, and with a concrete reward
...
It’s also important that not everyone is
rewarded in the same way because someone may be twice as
productive as someone else
...
Therefore, smart leaders
promote and reward their people whenever possible
...
Good leaders build teams by being willing to
hire people better than themselves, staying secure in their
own roles, and by listening
...

When people lead successfully at one level, they are
usually qualified to step up to the next level
...

Effective leaders in the middle of an organization
usually make better leaders at the top
...
They can transfer this knowledge to top leaders
and also influence those at lower levels
...

Tomorrow’s leaders will generate new ideas, solve
problems, take risks, and spot new opportunities
...
The qualities
360-Degree possess include adaptability, discernment,
perspective, communication, security, resourcefulness,
maturity, endurance, and the ability always to be counted
on
...


John C
...
Organizations depend on
leadership for them to be successful, and they must have
360-Degree Leaders
...
Being a 360Degree Leader is about winning respect and influencing
peers to build a successful team environment
...
The quality of the relationship people have
with their leaders impacts this success or failure, and is
certainly worth the investment
...
The
result is a handbook on how to flourish when leading from
the middle
...

There are many wise and relevant tools available in
this book that can be used to aid people in this ongoing
process
...


Reading Suggestions
Reading Time: 10-12 Hours, 320 Pages in Book
John C
...
360-DegreeLeader
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What is offered there is a simple, straightforward
online questionnaire that asks people to rate themselves on
issues related to leadership in three different areas
...

At the end of each part of the book is a review
summarizing the key points of the previous chapter, useful
for quick reference and as valuable talking points when
encouraging and emphasizing the importance of the 360Degree Leader
...
23, No
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Maxwell

necessary to become a 360-Degree Leader, refer to the
values discussed in part VI
...
The
pointers in this section will help develop 360-Degree
Leaders in any organization
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CONTENTS
Section I: The Myths of Leading from the Middle of
an Organization
Leadership Myths # 1-7
Section II: The Challenges 360-Degree Leaders Face
Leadership Challenges # 1-7
Section III: The Principles 360-Degree Leaders
Practice to Lead Up
Lead-Up Principles #1-9
Section IV: The Principles 360-Degree Leaders
Practice to Lead Across
Lead-Across Principles #1-7
Section V: The Principles 360-Degree Leaders
Practice to Lead Down
Lead-Down Principles #1-7
Section VI: The Value of 360-Degree Leaders
Special Section:
Create an Environment That Unleashes 360-Degree
Leaders

Business Book Review™ Vol
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11 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved

Page 10

The 360-Degree Leader

John C
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BBR Reviews are intended as
a service to busy professionals, as we recommend only those books that are worth your time to read in their
entirety
...


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