Summary on the 360 Degree Leader

It's been very very long time I didn't write book summary. The only reason is - I didn't finish reading any books. :p

Only until today, I finally finished 1 book - The 360 Degree Leader by John C.Maxwell. It took me almost 6 weeks to complete the whole books. --"

Below are the chapters of the book in summary. The title of each chapter carries the meaning clearly. Here are the break down:

Section 1: The myths of leading from the middle of an organization
Myth 1 - The position myth: "I can't lead if I am not at the top"
Myth 2 - The destination myth: "When I get to the top, then I'll learn to lead"
Myth 3 - The influence myth: "If I were on top, then people would follow me"
Myth 4 - The inexperience myth: "When I get to the top, I'll be in control"
Myth 5 - The freedom myth: "When I get to the top, I'll no longer be limited"
Myth 6 - The potential myth: "I can't reach my potential if I'm not the top leader"
Myth 7 - The All-or-Nothing myth: "If I can't get to the top, then I won't try to lead"

Section 2: The challenges 360 degree leaders face
Challenge 1 - The tension challenge: The pressure of being caught in the middle
Challenge 2 - The frustration challenge: Following an ineffective leader
Challenge 3 - The multi-hat challenge: One head...many hats
Challenge 4 - The ego challenge: You're often hidden in the middle
Challenge 5 - The fulfillment challenge: Leaders like the front more than then middle
Challenge 6 - The vision challenge: Championing the vision is more difficult when you didn't create it
Challenge 7 - The influence challenge: Leading others beyond your position is not easy

Section 3: Lead up
1. Lead yourself exceptionally well
2. Lighten your leader's load
3. Be willing to do what others won't
4. Do more then manage - lead!
5. Invest in relational chemistry
6. Be prepared every time you take your leader's time
7. Know when to push and when to back off
8. Become a go-to player
9. Be better tomorrow than you are today

Section 4: Lead across
1. Understand, practice, and complete the leadership loop (caring->learning->appreciating->contributing->verbalizing->leading->succeeding)
2. Put completing fellow leaders ahead of competing with them
3. Be a friend
4. Avoid office politics
5. Expand your circle of acquaintances
6. Let the best idea win
7. Don't pretend you're perfect

Section 5: Lead down
1. Walk slowly through the halls
2. See everyone as a "10"
3. Develop each team member as a person
4. Place people in their strength zones
5. Model the behavior you desire
6. Transfer the vision
7. Reward for results

Section 6: The value of 360 degree leaders
1. A leadership team is more effective than just one leader
2. Leaders are needed at every level of the organization
3. Leading successfully at one level is qualifier for leading at the next level
4. Good leaders in the middle make better than leaders at the top
5. 360 degree leaders possess qualities every organization needs.

Special section: Create an environment that unleashes 360 degree leaders

The whole chapters are quoted directly from .

It's very clear that this book is trying to tell us the wrong ideas and thinking of common people. A leader is not just to lead below, he/she must be able to lead above and across as well. He need to maintain the relationship with the boss, the peers, the subordinates and even the peers of boss and peers subordinates well too!