Leading Up, Down, and Across with Ally Leadership

Hi Leaders,

Most leadership training stops at one direction: managing your team.

But real leadership? It’s 360°.

And if you can’t lead across or lead up, you’re leaving influence, clarity, and trust on the table.

Here’s what happens when you don’t lead in every direction:
Silos grow. Politics fester.
The team stops collaborating and starts protecting.

And neuroscience backs this up.
When peer tension goes unchecked…or managing up feels unsafe, your brain flags it as a threat.

That’s when people retreat.
They get quiet.
They hold back.

So if you want your leadership to scale, you have to lead in all directions.

→ With your team.
→ With your peers.
→ With the person you report to.

That’s where the ALLY model comes in.

And that’s what I’m going to break down for you next: how to lead well → up, down, and across, without losing credibility, connection, or yourself.