Leading Up: Influencing Your Boss Without Undermining Them | Ep. 65 | The Science of Leadership

While conventional wisdom places the leader at the top, Tom Collins and Justin Hamrick challenge this view to explore Leading Up—the art of influencing those in authority above you, often without holding a formal leadership position. This concept is vital because success often depends on bringing ground-level insight to the ultimate decision-makers.

The hosts discuss why leading up is a moral imperative for the success of any organization, especially since all human organizations inevitably place "wrong people" in some leadership roles. Leading up requires humility and sacrificial service to the larger mission, even when there's a risk of the leader taking credit for your ideas.

Key Takeaways for Leading Up:

• Be a Good Lieutenant: Help your leader do their job as well as possible.

• See Them as an Ally: View your boss as a partner, not an adversary.

• Bring Solutions, Not Just Complaints: Come with proposed solutions or evidence of thoughtful analysis, especially for issues that affect the entire organization, not just your silo.

Key Takeaways for Encouraging Leading Up (If you are the Boss):

• Set Clear Expectations: Explicitly state that you expect and need your team to speak up and lead up.

• Never Respond Negatively: When dissenting information is brought forward, take it graciously, say "thank you," and commit to looking into it. Punishing honesty will quickly ensure you stop receiving information crucial for wise decisions.

 

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

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To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Bradford, A. R., & Cohen, D. L. (2017). Influence Without Authority, 3rd ed. Wiley.

Ferrazzi, K. (2020). Leading Without Authority: How the New Power of Co-Evaluation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration. Crown Currency.