David Gergen argues that effective leadership is not just about managing subordinates — it requires the ability to influence in all directions simultaneously. Leading down (your team) is the obvious dimension, but leading up (managing your boss, board, or senior stakeholders) and leading sideways (collaborating with peers, cross-functional partners, and external allies) are equally critical and far less intuitive. Gergen draws on his experience serving under four presidents to show that the leaders who accomplished the most were those who mastered multi-directional influence, often spending more energy managing up and sideways than down.