Chapter 4

Ideas when you are leading from the middle

In many ways, leading in the middle of the organisation is far harder than leading from the top. In the middle, you have fewer resources, less control, more bosses and more conflicting priorities than you do at the top. And at the top, it is perhaps easier to see the big picture and set the grand vision. When you are leading from the middle, you cannot chart your own independent course as your big idea has to support the strategy of the firm. But this should not stop you making a difference. A couple of examples will illustrate the point.

The facilities manager

The senior partner had made a big speech in which he said the future of the firm depended on much better teamwork. If they were ...

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