Comments on: You should lead from the middle

By: Arlene Marie Daniels

Arlene Marie Daniels — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:47:53 +0000

This is a very, very informative read. Thanks! I believe what you said about the power of influence rather than force. I also believe in the trend of not going on the "traditional" career path.

Since we're on the topic of management and work here, I'd like to add this resource http://www.depressionatwork.com, it's for those managers and even employees who are under the office-corporate setting.

Gen X and Gen Y get depressed quite easily I think and it's great to know how they can be helped if push comes to shove. :)

Thanks again for the great post!

By: Bianca @ how to put on a condom

Bianca @ how to put on a condom — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:44:48 +0000

This is a good read. A good reference. Thanks for sharing.

By: samanta

samanta — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:57:04 +0000

good topik to talk to

By: boomer, gen x or y differing needs

boomer, gen x or y differing needs — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:17:18 +0000

[...] You should lead from the middle (penelopetrunk.com) [...]

By: Dirk

Dirk — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:14:11 +0000

I had the good (or bad) fortune of living and working in different countries and while I love the concept of leaders leading by ideas (which could turn anyone into a leader), in my experience, it would not work in the Arabian Gulf, Germany, or France, which are much more hierarchical and authority-driven than the UK or the States.

Still, worth thinking about!

Best wishes,
Dirk

By: March Madness Bracket

March Madness Bracket — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 04:41:59 +0000

Good to great also points out some metrics that Seth Godin leaves out but in my eyes leaders are the ones that end up proving themselves outside and in the battlefield because they actually make a difference in society and prove it with their actions think steve jobs or any past president (want say any names for argumentative purposes.)

By: Azz

Azz — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:41:05 +0000

agree 100% kathryn.

By: Link Love Monthly: January — SocialFish

Link Love Monthly: January — SocialFish — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:51:40 +0000

[...] You Should Lead From the Middle (Brazen Careerist) [...]

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:53:58 +0000

This is incredible–I do this all the time! I'm a Gen Y, and numerous times I've found myself leading from the middle. Not exactly the way other commenters have been describing this type of leadership–they seem to have pictured this sort of leadership from a corporate hierarchy perspective, where all the stakeholders are in a meeting together trying to reach consensus.

Of course that won't work–it's a corporation! It's hierarchical! The places this leadership method DOES work is by finding your tribe. In college, I wanted themed housing. Actually, I wanted an Ecohouse. But I talked to Residence Life, I talked to green-minded professors and staff…and before I knew it, they were all doing their thing, making it happen–I was just the catalyst!

Now, I wanted to participate in Earth Day by constructing picnic tables out of salvaged building materials. So I talked to people in the school district and the college engineering department and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore…and before I knew it, they're all doing their thing, making it happen.

All I've done is supply the energy and the direction. I found people excited about some aspect of my idea and they are using their own expertise to pull it together. There's no way I could have done this on my own, but with a group of like-minded people with diverse talents and resources it works! It's unnerving how little work each of us actually does…and how it doesn't actually feel like work.

Leading from the middle is an amazing experience. It's empowering, exciting, and a whole lot of other positive adjectives. Just don't expect this to work in a corporate atmosphere–it works best when you're reaching out to people in a community rather than a single company.

By: Gray

Gray — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:57:59 +0000

I work for 4 Boomer Bosses: The Boss, The Big Boss, The Bigger Boss and The Biggest Boss. I work in defense-engineering, the stuff you see on Discovery Channel, Modern Marvels. Whatever…. The Land of Dinosaur.

However, I am the only guy on the project doing "direct labor" in that my service to the project customer actually pays their bloated salaries while I make 1/2 of what the Biggest Boss makes on Overhead. Those impecunious bastards can never retire. The latest kooky investment advise has ruined each of them. I am the most junior engineer in my division. I am 42! There is no one younger than me. I will never be a Boss–the younger guys have been chased out by the difficult schooling and extreme lack of opportunity and promotion.

I will be the junior guy until they start dropping dead, then I will be in charge of what is left of the company. I will squat in their McMansions. With their boomer lifestyles and divorces, they have all completely alienated their kids–maybe I will visit them in the old-folks home. I'm the only friend they've got and I can't wait until they drop dead so I can see the first real promotion in 10 years!