How to lead from the middle

Are you at times discouraged with the lack of responsiveness by others in your company to requests or recommendations that you make? Or perhaps you are not getting the results you would like in your process of transforming prospects into clients?

Everyone occasionally experiences the frustration of feeling they are not being heard, but why is it that some individuals appear to struggle to get what they want while others seem to do so effortlessly? The simple fact is that in order to influence the behavior of your employees, clients and colleagues you must intentionally leverage the power of your leadership role. For many business owners or entrepreneurs this premise creates an uncomfortable reaction because they may not consciously desire to be a leader or acquire power. Regardless, you cannot afford to underestimate the critical roles that leadership, power and influence play in your ultimate success. Therefore, to gain your desired outcome, you may have to broaden your perspective of what constitutes leadership.

Leading From the Middle
Most people recognize the importance of gaining respect from colleagues and clients. In fact even employees who don't aspire to have a defined leadership role in a company will often exhibit behaviors that positively impact others. Think about your own workplace. Do you have untitled colleagues whose opinions or approval are continually sought, both by those who are “under” and “above” them? Those people have figured out how to lead from the middle, serving in an influential role without the benefit of a formal title. There's no reason why you can't do that as well.