Multi-Directional Leadership™

Most are familiar with the idea of “Managing Up.”
And we all know many leaders have direct reports to “Manage Down.”

But here’s the truth, there are actually five directions in which leaders and aspiring leaders must manage.

If left unmanaged, these blind spots can quietly stall your growth, limit your influence, or even create a self-inflicted glass ceiling.

I developed the Multi-Directional Leadership™ Framework after watching too many talented leaders plateau, not because they lacked ability, but because they weren’t leading in every direction they were expected to.

The Five Directions:

• Upward: Aligning with executives and managing senior stakeholders

• Downward: Empowering, developing, and driving team performance

• Across: Influencing peers and leading through collaboration

• Outward: Representing your organization with clients, partners, vendors, and communities

• Inward: Grounding yourself through self-awareness, resilience, and integrity
  

Here’s the thing, every leader, whether an individual contributor, people manager, or executive, is expected (often without it ever being said) to manage relationships in all five directions effectively.

Most of us lean naturally into 1–2 of these. Maybe you’re the manager every team adores. Or the ultimate collaborator. Or the external networker who shines outside the organization.

Whatever your strengths, growth requires two things:

• Leaning into what you do best

• Being intentional about your blind spots

And because leadership never happens in a vacuum, I encourage leaders to use 3D Lenses:

👤 Self – How am I showing up?
👥 Team & Talent – How am I equipping those I lead?
🏛 Culture – How does this align with my organization’s values and expectations?

Taken together, these perspectives provide a roadmap for holistic leadership impact.

So let me ask: Which direction do you lead in most naturally and which could use more intentionality?


💬 Share your thoughts below, I’d love to hear from you.