The collaboration revolution has ushered in a huge increase in interdependent working relationships where lines of authority are not clear, along with the rise of so-called “self-managed teams” and the thinning out of management ranks in many organizations, all of which flatten hierarchies and widen the spans of control for managers. In this environment, the only way to make sure you are aligned and going in the right direction is to lead up, down, sideways, and diagonally—from wherever you are right now. What does that look like?
When explaining leadership, General Schwarzkopf often cited an old military cliché: “When in command, take charge.” Let me amend that for the collaboration revolution workplace: Whether or not you are in command, take charge.
One of Schwarzkopf’s colleagues, another four-star US Army general, who must remain anonymous, once told me, “There is only one tool for leading others: communication.” Then he said, “It’s amazing how many people want to be leaders, but there is no rhyme or reason to how they communicate.” Let me put a fine point on that: If you want to take charge of anyone any time, you must communicate with rhyme and reason.
My firm’s decades of research show that the more rhyme and reason—substance and structure—that you put into your communication in any working relationship, the better things will go: fewer unnecessary problems occur, and those that do get identified are solved more quickly; resources are better planned and less often squandered; people are more likely to concur about what they’ve agreed on; and fewer conflicts occur within the ranks.
That’s true whether you are leading, taking charge of, or communicating with people up, down, sideways, diagonal or—like most people in the workplace—in all four directions. Just remember, the order of operations is very important: start by aligning yourself vertically, with your boss and the chain of command by managing up, and down with your direct reports. That’s your anchor. Then you can go sideways—and diagonal.
Diagonal working relationships are often the trickiest to manage—the ones where you’re working with people above or below your position on the organization chart, but with whom you don’t have a direct reporting relationship.
They might be someone higher up, maybe a peer of your boss or even your boss’s boss, but with whom you are sharing a task, responsibility, or project. Or you may find yourself working with someone who doesn’t report to you, but reports to one of your lateral colleagues, another manager at your level or below but not in your immediate chain of command.
What’s tricky about these relationships is the power differential. But it’s indirect power, which can lead to misunderstandings and stepped-on toes. When you are managing diagonally down, make sure to stay aligned with that person’s direct boss. If anything changes in your working relationship with this individual, keep the boss in the loop.
When you are managing diagonally up, make sure to stay aligned with your boss. You don’t want to disappoint this other senior person, but make sure you keep your boss’s authority in the situation front and center—and treat your boss with the utmost respect. Do this even if you are actually in “manager shopping” mode and looking to make a move. Even if you are consciously auditioning to possibly switch to this other manager, show that new manager how you operate. Demonstrate your respect for authority, structured communication, and alignment at every step. It’s the right thing to do and the impression you always want to make.
Improving the quality of your leadership, no matter your role, is one of the best career investments you can make: