The 360-Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization by John C. Maxwell gives great advice on approaching the challenge of feeling stuck in the middle of a company with a healthy attitude. At its heart is Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself and what's come to be known as the Golden Rule, doing to others what you'd have them do to you.

Maxwell offers insights into both the problems of being in middle positions and practical tips toward solutions. As Maxwell himself admits, without an attitude of serving, some of his advice could become manipulative (e.g. without the attitude of a servant, actions such as conforming to your leader's personality or taking up his hobbies in order to get to know him can seem downright smarmy).

Peppered with stories that display the principles in action, The 360-Degree Leader focuses on servant leadership and serving those above, below, and alongside you. It also offers advice on knowing and managing expectations. Maxwell mixes well working toward high goals with working realistically. In essence, The 360-Degree Leader speaks from common sense and issues good reminders for those struggling at work.

The book also has some weaknesses. First, he uses masculine language exclusively. All pronouns are masculine, and all his stories and examples feature men except one. In that one, a woman leader provides a negative example of a leader who failed. This may alienate women who are also leaders in the middle of their organizations.

Also, because so much of what Maxwell says addresses attitude and serving, the book begins to feel repetitive.

Some principles transcend cultural boundaries. Other don't. For example, he views time as a commodity, which is not a view held by all cultures. (That view is a Germanic approach and practiced in the States but foreign to countries such as India and Mexico.)

Finally, the value section (Section VI), wherein Maxwell ennumerates the values of a 360-Degree Leader, may have better served in the beginning. This section answers the question, "Why is this important?", a motivational question, after the reader's decided on the importance of the matter simply by reading the book. Further, by the time he gets to this section, he's mentioned most of his points throughout the book.

The 360-Degree Leader offers good leadership advice for the work environment and volunteer organizations as well as for lay leaders in the church.

Review by Heather A. Goodman