PART 7

Keeping the Power

At the start of this book, I said that too many people leading from the middle think their position is weak and lacks influence. These people tell me they struggle to convey any power or authority when “everyone knows” they have a boss that is making the “real decisions.” And you know what? They're right! Those people leading from the middle are middle managers, not leaders in the middle. That feeling of powerlessness those managers have doesn't come from the fact that they're in the middle. Middle managers lack power because they give it all away.

Leaders in the middle who serve up and coach down own their power. That's the single difference between middle management and leading from the middle: power. But once you own that power, how do you keep it? The first part of the answer is the same as what got you to this point: You choose to own it. Your power is completely yours to own or give away. The second part of the answer to keeping the power is you must execute that decision by mastering all the issues covered in this book.