This document discusses common myths that leaders in the middle of organizations believe about leadership. It identifies five myths: 1) that leadership skills will only be developed once reaching the top, 2) that influence only comes from being at the top, 3) that one will be in control only as the top leader, 4) that more freedom comes with climbing the ladder, and 5) that most will become the top leader. The document argues that leadership is about influence, not position, and that one can develop leadership skills and influence others from any level in the organization.

1. 360 Leader - The Myths
Developing your Influence from
Anywhere in the Organisation

2. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader - The Myths
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Document Revision
Revision Date 6/7/2015
Table of Contents
360 Leader 3
The Myths 3

3. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
What myths of leading in the middle of the organisation
have you bought into?

4. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
Before we delve into the myths I want to remind you of
Law #2 in the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.
You can influence anyone at any time in any situation.
Your level of influence with that individual will
determine how ‘easily’ you influence them (or not).
Through my own research and having assessed some
45,000 leaders across the globe. One thing I can assure
you of. The higher your level of influence in an
organization and in life with the people that you work
with, play with, worship with, sell to, or buy from… the
FEWER SKILLS of influencING you NEED to use.
Conversely. The lower your level of influence with
someone, the more influencING skills you need to use.
This is critical for people in the middle to understand.
WHATEVR your position in relation to another person in
the organization… your LEVEL of Influence and your
ability to use influencING skills (Motivating, persuading,
cajoling, negotiating and so on) determines your total
influence on that person.
Just because you are not the top person in the
organization does not mean that you cannot influence
(i.e. lead) If anything, it’s a cop out to suggest that you
cannot lead until you are at the top. It’s an excuse. But
that is the POSITION MYTH that many leaders in the
middle hold.
Leadership (how you influence another) is a choice you
make, not a place you sit.

5. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
“When I get to the top, then I’ll learn to lead”
“When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.” John
Wooden
Remind yourself about Law#3 in the 21 Irrefutable Laws
of Leadership is “Leadership develops daily, not in a
day.”
I’ve met more leaders who hold onto this myth than the
others. Or at least it seems that way. In fact, 80% of my
work as a leadership coach comes to me because of
this… In particular, I have found that the stronghold of
this myth lies in HR. “We’ll invest in their leadership
development…. When they have the position of leader”
TOO LATE!
You’ve just gone and promoted someone into a senior
leadership role who hasn’t yet bothered to learn how to
lead! Now we’re playing catch up.
Develop your leadership deliberately daily and soon you
will have the job title to go along with it. And guess
what? You’ll be better prepared and ready to actually do
the leadership they’re paying you to do.

6. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
The INFLUENCE Myth is where someone thinks “If I were
on top, then people would follow me.”
I know several leaders in the middle like this. Are you
one of them?
In quite a few cases I’ve met them because they’ve been
given the position and now find that, well, no-one is
following them. This is the person that says “It’s lonely at
the top”. Well if it’s lonely at the top, you ain’t leading –
you’re taking a walk alone.
Are you sure people will follow when you’re on top? Just
by being given a leadership title enables you to do that
does it?
To accomplish anything as a leader you need to
remember the Law of Buy-in 14
th
from the 21 Irrefutable
Laws of Leadership.
People buy into the leader, then the vision.
A position doesn’t make a leader, but a leader can make
the position
You may be able to grant someone a position, but you
cannot grant them real leadership. Influence must be
earned.

7. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
“When I get to the top, then I’ll be in control”
You know someone who thinks this. They’re the person
who’s usually complaining about the current leadership,
often cynical, perhaps scoffing. And they say something
like this “If I were in charge, then I would get everyone
to…”
OK, fantastic. For the rest of today, I hereby give you the
title “President of the United States of America”. Now
you have the title. What have you done about the
enormous debt burden? When are you going to reduce
taxes? When are you going to withdraw the troops?
When are you going to sort out the banks? When are
you going to… and the list goes on. Very swiftly you will
realise that the leadership title means nothing.
What you find is that a leader has to give up to go up.
The leader has to remember the Law of Sacrifice.

8. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
More FREEDOM as you climb?
Well I’ve never seen it to be true.
In many organizations, as you move up the ladder, you
may even find that the amount of responsibility you take
on increase faster than the amount of authority you
receive.
I remember when I took my first area management
position to run firstly 3 pub hotels in central London,
which swiftly increased to 6, then 12 and all without any
further increase in my authority or any increase in my
support team. I had the title, and I had the power. But
the weight of the additional responsibilities meant that
something had to give. No way would I get more
supporting resources… more authority.
The solution. GIVE POWER AWAY!
Seriously. It’s called the Law of Empowerment.
It’s like playing golf. At some point you need to learn that
the club is there to do a job. When you let the club do
it’s job… great shots are almost effortless… and they go
further… and with better direction. The tighter you grip
the shaft the worse it is.
The same is true if you hold a dogs leash too tight.
Pull back on the horse’s reins and the horse will go
faster? No, it will slow down.
Empower your people. They will take a load off you… if
you give them your power.

9. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
Reality: Most People will never be the top leader in an
organization.
If everyone who genuinely believes that they will make it
to the top of their organization did so… who is going to
do the work?
Only when leaders in the middle reach their potential,
will leaders at the top reach their potential.
When we make ourselves better, we then make the
leader better. And when the leader is better, they bring
the people who made them better up higher. Maybe one
day they move on and maybe then you get their position
at the top. But don’t you want a team full of people who
are at the top of their game. And that’s what we should
all strive for. To be at the top of our game, not the top of
our organization.
A Leader’s potential is determined by those around him
or her.

10. 360 Leader - The Myths
360 Leader
The Myths
Individuals can become better leaders wherever they are
in the organization. Improve your leadership and you can
impact the organization. You can change people’s lives.
You can be someone who adds value. You can learn to
influence people at every level in the organization –
even if you never get to the top. By helping others, you
help yourself.
Which of these myths have you nought into already?