Leading Up

How do you influence an organization when you are NOT at the top?

I feel like this is a question a lot of people my age are asking, because most of us are not coming out of college as CEO's or Senior Pastor's of mega churches (which is probably the way it is supposed to be).

Yet, we have opinions. We are creative and intuitive. We have fresh eyes that maybe people who have been there for years do not possess. Will Mancini in his book Church Unique said that after only thirty days of being part of a new organization, you lose your fresh eyes and become ingrained into the culture and "way things are" of that organization. (Tip: Take strenuous notes the first 30 days at your new job. Do NOT bring up all of your critiques to senior leadership from the beginning, but make your own notes so you can then go back to these thoughts throughout your time at that organization)

So with all that said, how do we influence, not from the top, but from the middle or even the bottom? How do we make changes and philosophical shifts and challenge the status quo?

John Maxwell, in his book 360 Degree Leader, gives nine key steps teaching us how to lead and influence people above us in an organization. They are:

1. Lead Yourself Exceptionally Well
1. If you lead yourself well, managing time, money, resources, tough situations and family life, you establish trust and respect with those above you (especially when you do it at an early age). Leaders listen to those they respect and trust. 
2. Lighten Your Leader's Load
1. One thing Ken Idleman, Senior Pastor at Crossroads Christian Church, told me to do was to ask as many people as possible one question, "How can I help your ministry?" Now you can only do this if you are doing your job with excellence. But as I have lightened my superiors loads, I have helped make them and their ministries successful. And this has led to these people asking me my opinion on different aspects of their ministry. 
3. Be Willing to Do What Others Won't
1. Leaders are looking for team players that care more for the organization rather than their own achievements. The reason they look for people who have a whatever-it-takes attitude is because it reveals motive. Leaders listen to people who they believe have pure motives about the advancement of the ORGANIZATION rather than their own advancement. 
4. Do More than Manage--Lead!
1. This is a slight but very important difference. I don't remember where I heard this but someone said "Managers do things right, leaders do the right things." To manage is to think short term, focusing on tasks and efficiency. Managers answer the "how"question. Whereas leaders think long term, focusing on purpose and intangibles (i.e. morale, motivation, momentum, timing). Leaders answer the "why" question. When you begin thinking on the level of leaders rather than managers, this leads to influence. 
5. Invest in Relational Chemistry
1. Maxwell says, "All good leadership is based on relationships." This is true even for leading those above you. It is important to learn the heartbeat of the leaders above you. When you invest in knowing someone that intimately, you learn how they think, what they desire, what they are passionate about, and specifically you learn how best you can help them. What happens is they come to know you as well, and trust is established between the two of you. Trust always leads to influence. 
6. Be Prepared Every Time You Take Your Leader's Time
1. This is a BIG one. I have established more trust and respect with the pastoral staff and elders at the church I am at right now by simply being prepared. A few weeks into my internship, I decided I wanted to meet one on one with all of the pastoral staff and elders in order to learn from each of them what leadership looks like in the local church. I believe that I ended up meeting with 18 elders and 18 ministers. To these busy people, their time is at least equal to, if not more important than any other currency they have. So when we would meet for lunches or cups of coffee, I showed up with a list of 15-20 questions to ask them. There was not one meeting that lasted more than an hour and a half, with most of them lasting only an hour. Me being prepared with those questions showed people that I valued their time probably more than they did. 
7. Know When to Push and When to Back Off
1. Maxwell says, "Successful leaders make the right move at the right moment with the right motive." Memorize that quote. I have tried to take a "no-talking-except-when-asked" approach during my internship. Now this is a little different for every person in their particular situation, but the principle is the same. Proverbs 17.28 says, "Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues." Being known as the talker teachers people to tune you out. Know when to speak and when not to. The way to learn this, is to shut up for awhile and just observe. Watch the masters at knowing when to speak. When you don't talk you learn more. And if you are being led by a Level 5 Leader (which is from Jim Collins' book, Good to Great) you will notice that they are exceptionally good at this. So learn by watching them.
8. Become a Go-To Player
1. People who get things done in the midst of pressure have tremendous amounts of influence. Become someone that can be a go-to person. Never miss a deadline, instead,  turn things in early. Show that you are efficient and that you can be trusted. Remember what I said about trust, it leads to influence. 
9. Be Better Tomorrow Than You Are Today
1. Maxwell says, "The key to personal development is being more growth oriented than goal oriented." Focus on improving each and every day in your life. Never hope to arrive at some point in your career. Wanting to arrive limits your potential. Arriving equals aiming too low. Make growing your goal, and you will be shocked at the influence that you have with those all around you.

And those are the 9 key steps to leading those above you. Take these to heart and focus on what you CAN influence, not what you CAN'T. And pray that God will do immeasurably more than all you could ever ask or imagine.

Sy Huffer