Connecting Part 2: Leading Across

Connecting is crucial to the success and momentum of your organization. Most people focus on connecting to those they lead. Few put the amount of energy into serving their peers.

Here are a few ideas for you from John Maxwell’s The 360 Degree Leader to consider as you learn how to lead across.

How to Lead Across:

1. Let the Best Idea Win - Leaders learn to listen to the best ideas of their counterparts. To listen means to truly know the perspective of the other person’s position and fully hear their ideas before assuming an answer.

2. Be Real - Most issues in the workforce come because people have something to prove or something to lose. Admit your faults and worry less about what others think.

3. Be a Friend - The most important aspect of peer relationships is trust. Trust is only developed when people know that you are for them, not for their downfall. Therefore, learn to develop trust with your peers and practice showing them you are for them (even when they may not appear to be for you).

There is a simple exercise that you can do to be intentional in leading across. Make a list of those that you have similar roles or are counterparts. Ask yourself if they believe you are for them. Then answer if you are for them or not. Don’t worry at this point if you feel they are not for you, but focus first on the realities of your own persona towards others.

Once you make your list, lay out simple ways that you can serve them and connect to them over the next 60 days. After 60 days are over you can then evaluate once more if they are for you or not.

Connecting well is hard, but worth it in the long haul.

Posted on February 17, 2010 in Personal Growth