Those who succeed at leading from the middle are artful, skilled people who demonstrate 4 key competencies:
1. Establish goals
2. Plan projects
3. Organise people
4. Execute projects on time and within budget.
To accomplish this, you must re-think what you want to achieve and how you’re going to do it. In essence, you’re not acting for yourself, but for the good of the business.
According to John Baldoni, author of ‘Lead Your Boss’, managers who lead up demonstrate they’re aware of the bigger picture. He urges readers to ask themselves:
1. What does the leader need? The boss is responsible for motivating people to get things right. What does she need to do her job better?
2. What does the team need? Teams don’t always pull together because egos get in the way. What if you stepped forward and helped bring everyone together?
3. What can I do to help the leader and team succeed? Perhaps you can take on more responsibility or step back and let others rally. Maybe you can sacrifice a personal need that allows the team to conquer a challenge.
What's Needed to Lead or Manage Up?
To lead up, you must:
· Establish trust by following through on your commitments; be impeccable with your word; do what you say you’ll do,
· Connect with others authentically and honestly,
· Get out of the spotlight; share the credit with others,
· Demonstrate that you can think and act for the boss by taking initiative and following through,
· Use common sense; think before you act; listen to others,
· Do what’s practical to help the business achieve its goals,
You will also need to think and act strategically:
· Challenge the status quo and conventionality,
· Reframe opportunities.
· Get out of your box and out of your cubicle or work area,
· Turn information into knowledge,
· Deal with ambiguity and uncertainty.
With thanks to Coach2Coach newsletter, February 3, 2010.
