360 Degrees Manual ENG

8/3/2019 360 Degrees Manual ENG

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360 Degrees LeadershipThe Art of Leading from the Middle

Course designed by:

Adetola Sogbesan, ITF 121 (JCI Nigeria)[email protected]

234-802 290 4983

PARTICIPANT MANUUAL


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Credits

The 360 Degree Leader:

John MaxwellPublished by Nelson Business


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Summary

There is almost nothing much like followership! In most cases, organization No one will ever complain of anyorganization existing with too many leaders. Organizations can never have enough! However, most organisations

narrow their vision to a limited number of leadership positions, and when hiring leaders, they think only in terms offilling the top spots.

That is the reasons why we do not hear of followers, we are all expected to be leaders in every aspects of ourpositioning within the organization.

Leadership is a complicated and difficult skill, one that no single person ever maters. There are some things you dowell as a leader, and some you do poorly. It is same for all leaders, the same for you. Even the greatest leaders fromhistory had blind spots and weak areas.

So whats the solution? Organizations need to develop leadership teams at every level! A group of leaders workingtogether is always more effective than one leader working alone. And for teams to develop at every level, they needleaders at every level.

Objectives

To make participant understand that leadership does not reside at the top alone. At the end of the course, participantswill understand the need to see deeper and discover their leadership qualities, understand the concept of leading fromwhere ever in hierarchy, Know how to influence effectively, and be ready to be a 360 degree Leader!

Program of the Training

1. Introduction-Leadership-Inward looking

2. 360-degree Leadership Defined3. Values of 360 degree Leadership4. Red Alert

5. Final Thoughts

How to get the best from this Training!

Keep an open mind! Learn to unlearn, so that you can learn! Be ready to look inwards and trust your intuition! Challenge yourself! Have fun!


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1. Introduction

The statement, everything rises and falls on leadershipis often said by John Maxwell, and this is true. So, whenwe are discussing the performance of an organisation, we cannot but talk about leadership.

Now, how do we define a leader?

Stephen Covey helps us out here, A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation,and yells: Wrong Jungle!

A leader is "a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of agoal". A mnemonic for this definition would be 3P's - Person, People and Purpose asillustrated by the following diagram.

Is leadership a position of office or authority? Or, is leadership ability in the sense that he is a leader because heleads? We all may know or hear of people who are in positions of leadership but who are not providing leadership. Aposition of office is no guarantee of leadership but it helps in the sense that a leadership position usually commands alistening ear from its people and that is a good starting point for anyone who desires to be a leader.

A leader by its meaning is one who goes first and leads by example, so that others are motivated to follow him. This isa basic requirement. To be a leader, a person must have a deep-rooted commitment to the goal that he will strive toachieve it even if nobody follows him!

This leader can and should not be exclusive to those at the top alone. We should recognize that a successfulorganization will need this leadership to be present at all levels.

Leadership differences

They are homonyms but not synonyms. There are "Big L" leaders and "small l" leaders. The problem is that the oneswe most want are the small l types and they don't get quite the press of others.

So, to put it in a nutshell: Leaders don't necessarily lead leaders aren't necessarily Leaders Leadership sometimes shows leadership but sometimes doesn't and there isn't a lot you can say or do leadership doesn't only reside in the Leadership

2. 360 Degree Leadership

John Maxwell says, Ninety-nine percent of all leadership occurs not from the top but from the middle of anorganisation.

That is a fact! Take your time to reflect and see if this is true. Let us imagine the following:You have just found a magic wand that allows you to change three work related activities. You can changeanything you want.How would you change yourself, your job, your boss, coworkers, an important project, etc.?

Principle of 360 Degree Leadership

Leading down (those you're responsible for)


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Vision, building team, problem solving, inspiring, setting goals, establishing values, raising up leaders, leadingchange, etc.

A Good leader seems like they are not even there.

A good manager/leader should have his team in a position so that he can go away for a week or preferablymore, and see no impact on the team. Furthermore a good leader/manager should also always be lookingahead, therefore they are seeing (and possibly solving) potential troublesome problems/road blocks evenbefore their team members even hit them. Now this is not to say that a good leader doesnt do works, as youllsee in the next point.

A good leader leads by example

Followers, are called followers for a reason, they often follow by example. If you have a negative opinion on acertain practice, for example sending out a daily update, they will likely have the same negative view. Despitewhat you may think, they will be watching you, and watching you more closely then you may think, thereforeyou MUST lead by example.

Leading up (those you're accountable to): Be a Go-To Player

The go to player is the one that the boss goes to in crunch time, whenever there is something very importantor when there is a crisis, it is where you want to be. It is an important relationship to have with bosses to getthe most opportunities, the most freedom and to achieve goals.

Leading up is not passive or manipulating. It involves wise use of influence, relationship, prayer and trust.

While leading up, a 360-degree leader helps his or her boss do the leading, does the dirty work that othersrefuse to do, and acts like a leader in a job that might not have all the perks of the top leaders.

Lateral leadership (your peers) - mutual servant hood or win/win negotiation. "Friendship is the foundationof influence," "the framework for success," and "the shelter against sudden storms." If we check properly, youfind that friends listen, find common ground not related to work, are available after business hours, have a

sense of humor, and tell the truth when others won't. All of these things add up to earning influence

Self Leadership - you win or lose right here!The "experts' would say that we should spend 50% of our energy here. It is THE difference between averageand outstanding leadership. Most leaders plateau over time and flatten out. Few leaders keep growing theirwhole life. The difference is 'self leadership'

Reflections again!

Your magic wandgave you anotheropportunityMakea wish!

Discuss what youwould change if youbecome the boss for

a month


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3. Values of 360 Degree Leadership

The question now is: How do I apply leadership principles if I'm not the boss?

It's a valid question the we try to answer through this course. The values of a leader from the middle will help us. Youdon't have to be the mainleader, to make significant impact in your organization. Good leaders are not only capable ofleading their followers but are also adept at leading their superiors and their peers.

1. A Leadership Team is more effective than just one Leader

Leaders Who build Teams

As a leader in the middle, if you develop a team, you will be making your organization better and helping it tofulfill its vision. You will be adding value no matter where you serve in the organization. As you do that, keepthe following ideas in mind:

Visionary Leaders are willing to hire people better than them

If you could hire someone who you knew would move the organization forward, but you would have to paythem more than your salary, would you hire them?

360-Degree Leaders are willing to hire people better than themselves. Why? Because their desire is to fulfillthe vision. That is paramount. Anytime leaders find themselves being selfish or petty, they can be sure thatthey have wandered far from the vision. The way to get back on track is to put the vision first, and leteverything else settle back to its rightful place.

Wise Leaders Shape their People into a team

Leaders begin to develop wisdom when they realize they cant do anything significant on their own. Once theyrealize that, leaders can also develop more humility and begin working to build a team.Each of us needs others on the team to complete us.

360-Degree Leaders dont build so that others can take a menial role and serve them. They dont hire othersto do the dirty work or to become errand runners. They look for the best people they can find so that the teamis the best it can be.

Secure Leaders Empower their teams

No amount of personal competency compensates for personal insecurity. That is so true. Insecure leadersalways have to go first. They are consumed with themselves. And that self focus often drives them to bringsecond-best people around them.

On the other hand, secure leaders focus on others, and they are happy to let their teams get all the credit.Their desire to see others succeed drives them to equip, train, and empower their people well. Anytime youfocus on others, empowerment naturally becomes the by-product.

2. Leaders are needed at every level of the Organisation

What happens without a leader?

Put together a group of people without a leader, and watch them. They will drift. When there is no good leaderon a team, in a department, at the top of an organization, or heading a family, then the following results areinevitable.

Without a leader, Vision is Lost


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If a team starts out with a vision but without a leader, it is trouble. Why? Because vision leaks. And without aleader, the vision will dissipate and the team will drift until it has no sense of direction.On the other hand, if a team starts with a leader but without a vision, it will do fine because it will eventuallyhave a vision

Without a leader, decisions are delayed

Not all good decision makers are leaders, but all good leaders are decision makers. Often it takes a leader tomake decisions and if not to make them, then to help others make them more quickly.

Without a leader, Agendas are multiplied

When a team of people come together and no one is clearly the leader, then individuals begin to follow theirown agendas. And before long, all the people are doing their own thing. Teams need leadership to provide aunifying voice.

Without a Leader, conflicts are extended

One of the most important of a leader is conflict resolution. In the absence of clear leadership, conflicts alwayslast longer and inflict more damage. Often it takes a leader to step up, step in, and bring everyone to the tableto work things out. When you lead others, you should always be ready to do what it takes to help your peopleresolve their conflicts.

Without a leader, morale is low

Napoleon said, Leaders are dealers in hope. When leaders are not present, people often lose hope andmorale plummets. Why is that? Because moralecan be defined as faith in the leader at top.

Without a leader, production is reduced

The first quality of leaders is the ability to make things happen.

Leaders are creative in finding ways to help others become productive. Sometimes it means laying out achallenge. Sometimes it means giving people training. Sometimes it means encouraging or putting upincentives. If the same thing worked for every person in every situation, then there would be no need forleaders. Because every person is different and circumstances are constantly changing, it takes a leader tofigure out whats needed and to put that solution into action.

3. Leading Successfully at one level is a qualifier for leading at the next level

Growing organizations are always looking for good people to step up to the next level and lead. How do theyfind out if a person is qualified to make that jump? By looking at that persons track record in his or her currentposition. The key to moving up as an emerging leader is to focus on leading well where you are, not onmoving up the ladder. If you are a good 360-Degree Leader where you are, I believe you will be given anopportunity to lead at a higher level.

As you strive to become the best 360-Degree Leader you can be, keep the following things in mind:

Leadership is a Journey that starts where you are, not where you want to be

You cant get anywhere until you first know where you are. To know how to get where you want to go, youneed to know where you are. To get where you want to go, you need to focus on what youre doing now.Award-winning sportswriter Ken Rosenthals said, Each time you decide to grow again, you realize you arestarting at the bottom of another ladder. You need to have your eyes fixed on your current responsibilities,not the ones you wish to have someday. Ive never known a person focused on yesterday to have a bettertomorrow.


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Leadership Skills are the same, but league of play can change

f you get promoted, dont think that because your new office is just a few feet down the hall from your oldplace that the difference is just a few steps. When you get called up to another level of leadership, the

quality of your game must rise quickly.

No matter what level youre working on, leadership skills are needed at that level. Each new level requires ahigher degree of skill. The easiest place to see this is in sports. Some players can make the jump fromrecreational league to high school. Fewer can make it to the professional level.

Your best chance of making it into the next league of play is to grow on the current level so that you will beable to go the next level.

Great responsibilities come only after handling small ones

Youve got to start small and work up to it. A person who has never led before needs to try to influence oneother person. Someone who has some influence should try to build a team. Just start with whats necessary.

St. Francis of Assisi said, start doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you aredoing the impossible. All good leadership begins where you are. It was Napoleon who said, The onlyconquests which are permanent and leave no regrets are our conquests over ourselves. The smallresponsibilities you have before you now comprise the first great leadership conquest you must make. Donttry to conquer the world until youve taken care of things in your own backyard.

Leading at current level creates resume for the next level

When it comes to leadership success, history is also similarly disproportionate. Your track record where youwork now is what leaders will look at when trying to decide if you can do a job.

If you want to get the chance to lead on another level, then your best chance for success is to lead well whereyou are now. Every day that you lead and succeed, you are building a resume for your next job.

4. Good Leaders in the Middle make better leaders at the top

Today, great leaders are few and far between and 360-Degree Leaders are almost nonexistent. Most leadersare highly positional, and they try to keep as much distance as possible between their followers andthemselves. Its one of the reasons there is such a difference between the haves and the have-nots.

In places where the top leaders try to keep everyone else down, the overall leadership is usually pretty poor.Why? Because when all the power is at the top and there are no leaders in the middle to help them, the topleaders cannot lead very effectively.

Its hard to overestimate the value of 360-Degree Leaders in the middle of an organization. In fact, goodleaders anywhere in an organization make better leaders at the top and make for a much better organizationoverall.

Every time you add a leader, you get a better team

Good leaders maximize the performance of those on their team. They set direction. They inspire their peopleand help them work together. They get results. This is easy to see in sports where the only thing that changeson a team is the coach. When a better leader comes in, the same players often perform at a much higher levelthan they did before.


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The same thing happens in any kind of organization. When a strong leader takes over a sales team,performance goes up. When a good manager takes over at a restaurant, the operation runs more smoothly.When a better foreman runs the crew, the people get more done.

If you were to look at your entire organization (assuming its not a mom-and-pop-sized operation), you wouldbe able to locate the quality leaders even before you met them. All you would have to do is look for the teamswith consistently high results. That is where the good leaders are.

Every time you add a good leader, all the leaders in the Organisation get better.

When a good leader joins the team, it makes the other leaders take notice. Good leaders bring out the best,not only in their followers but also in other leaders. Good leaders raise the bar when it comes to performanceand teamwork, and this often challenges other leaders in the organization to improve.

Good leaders in the middle add value to the leaders above them

Leaders in the middle of an organization are closer to the people in the trenches than are the leaders on top.As a result, they know more about whats going on. They understand the people who are doing the work and

the issues they face. They also have greater influence at those lower levels than the top leaders.

When there are no good leaders in the middle of an organization, then everything in the organization waits onthe top leaders. On the other hand, when good leaders in the middle use their influence and commitment toassist the top leaders, they stretch the top leaders influence beyond their reach. As a result, the top leadersare able to do more than they would ever be able to do on their own.

Good leaders in the middle release top leaders to focus on their priorities

The higher you climb in an organization as a leader, the more you will see but less you will actually do. Youcant move up and keep doing all the tasks that you do now. As you move up, you will have to hand off manyof your old responsibilities to others.

If the people who are supposed to do those tasks dont perform them well, then you will have to keep taking

those things back. You probably will not be able to do your new responsibilities effectively if that happens.For this reason, the leaders at the top can only be as good as the middle leaders working for them. When youperform with excellence in the middle, you free up your leaders to perform with excellence above you.

Good leaders in the middle motivate leaders above them to continue growing

When a leader grows, it shows. Growing leaders continually improve in their personal effectiveness and theirleadership. Most of the time that makes their leaders wants to keep growing. Part of that comes from healthycompetition. If youre in a race and someone is getting ready to pass you, it makes you want to pick up yourpace and move faster.

There is also the contribution factor. When team members see others on the team making a significantcontribution, it inspires them to step up. There is a natural joy that comes from being on a team that isfunctioning on extremely high level.

Good leaders in the middle give the organization a future

No organization keeps moving forward and growing using yesterdays ideas and ways of doing things. Futuresuccess requires innovation and growth. And it requires the continual emergence of new leaders. Todaysworkers are tomorrows leaders in the middle of the organization. And todays leaders in the middle will betomorrows leaders at the top.


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While you function as 360-Degree Leaders in the middle of the organization, if you keep growing you willprobably get opportunity to become a top leader. But at the same time, you need to be looking at the peopleworking for you and thinking about how you can prepare them to join you and eventually take your place in themiddle. You will be able to spot potential leadership candidates because they will be more than just good

workers.

TODAYS WORKERS TOMORROWS LEADERS

Implement current ideas Generate new ideas

Identify and define problems Solve problems

Get along with the people they have Attract sharp people

Work within the current framework Take risks

Value consistency Value and spot opportunities

5. 360 Degree Leaders possess qualities every Organisation needs

Defining Qualities of a 360Leader

Adaptability Quickly adjusts to change.

Leaders in the middle may not be the first to know, but they are often the ones in charge of implementation.Adaptable managers in the middle are willing to embrace a change operationally even if they are not yet readyto do so emotionally.

Discernment Understands the real issues.

Good leaders cut through the clutter to see the real issues. A smart person believes only half of what hehears, but a truly smart person knows which half to believe.

Security Finds identity in self, not position.

Effective 360leaders are secure enough in who they are to not worry about where they are. Instead offocusing on reaching a position, they focus on reaching their potential.

Service Gains fulfillment in serving everyone.

A servant leader serves the missionand leads by servingthose on mission with him or her. The true measureof leaders is not the number of people who serve them but the number of people they serve.

Resourcefulness Finds creative ways to make things happen.

Creativity is the joy of not knowing it all. We seldom, if ever, have all the answers, but we always have theimagination to create solutions to our problems.

Maturity Puts the team before self. Nobody who possesses an unrelenting me-first attitude is able todevelop much influence with others. A mature leader sees beyond his or her personal vantage point and hasthe courage to make sacrifices which advance the team.

Communication Links to all levels of the organization. We often think of communication in organizations asbeing primarily top-down. Leaders at the top cast vision, set direction, reward progress, etc. However, goodcommunication is a 360-degree proposition. In fact, oftentimes the most critical communication comes fromleaders identifying problems or solutions at the ground level and sending them up the chain of command.


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4. Red Alert

Over the years, a set of common myths has hindered leaders in the middle of an organization. On account of thesemyths, would-be leaders have failed to grasp the extent of their potential influence.

Myths about leading from the Middle

The Position Myth I cant lead if I am not at the top.

If I had to identify the number one misconception people have about leadership, it would be the belief thatleadership comes simply from having a position or title. When we conceptualize leadership in our minds, wetend to picture the names atop the organizational chart. When asked to name a leader, most of us would listpresidents, CEOs, or general managers. We erroneously think leadership is position, when in reality,leadership is influence.

The Destination Myth When I get to the top, then Ill learn to lead.

Human nature exaggerates yesterday, overestimates tomorrow, and underestimates today. Leading todayprepares a leader for more and greater responsibility tomorrow. If a leader doesnt try out leadership skills and

decision-making processes when the risks are low, theyre likely to get into trouble at higher levels when thecost of mistakes is higher and the exposure is greater.

The Influence Myth If I were on top, then people would automatically follow me.

People who have no leadership experience tend to overemphasize the importance of a leadership title. Aperson may be appointed to a position, but he or she must earn the right to lead. The position doesnt makethe leader; the leader makes the position.

The Inexperience Myth When I get to the top, Ill be in control.

A bold young leader may become impatient when eyeing areas for improvement within the organization: If Iwere in charge, we wouldnt have done this, and we would have done that. Things would be different aroundhere if I were the boss. The desire to improve and the self-confidence to make changes are admirable

leadership qualities. However, without real-life experience, a young leader is l ikely to overestimate the amountof control held by leaders at the top. The higher you goand the larger the organizationthe more yourealize the complex mix of variables that control the organization

The Freedom Myth When I get to the top, I ll no longer be limited.

Climbing the ranks of leadership does not earn the leader a t icket to freedom. Rights decrease andresponsibilities grow as you ascend the corporate ladder. Leadership at the highest levels is accompanied bya daunting set of challenges.

The Potential Myth I cant reach my potential if Im not the top leader.

In reality, most people will never be the top leader in an organization. They will spend their careerssomewhere in the middle. Strive to reach the top of your game, not the top of the organization.

The All-or-Nothing Myth If I cant get to the top, then I wont try to lead.

People who are motivated by advancement may be tempted to abandon their influence when they hit a barrierto a bigger promotion. These people look at an organization, recognize they will not be able to make it to thetop, and give up. Their attitude is, If I cant be the captain of the team, then Ill take my ball and go home.

5 Final Thoughts: Summary & key learning points

Being a 360-Degree Leader is about more than just doing a good job now and making things easiertoday for the people working above and below you.


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It is about making sure the organization has a chance to be good tomorrow too. As you teach others to perform 360-Degree Leadership, you will be giving the organization greater

depth as well as strength. You will be helping to raise the bar in such a way that everybody wins.

Organizations rise and fall on the merit of their leadershipat every level. Successful organizationscannot afford to wait until someone gets to the top to start leading. They need 360leaders now.Why? Because leaders generate value!

The common denominator of thriving companies is the presence of competent leaders at every levelof their organizational structures. Invest in the leadership potential of your personnel and reap thebenefits of skilled management that is responsive to change, continuously improving, and consistentlydelivering results.

Becoming a 360-Degree Leader isnt easy. It takes a lot of work, and it doesnt happen overnight. But it is worth every bit of the effort. The better 360-Degree Leader you become, the greater impact you will be able to make.

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360 Degrees Manual ENG