What business approach separates the absolute best companies from the average ones?

What mindset and behavior shift can transform a team of employees from people who just show up to people who actively strive for the best?

What are the differences between an inspiring and masterful leader who brings out the best in people and a leader who just manages a team?

To start, today’s best companies are horizontally integrated. These organizations are shifting away from the more traditional model of being focused purely on efficient production and working through fragmented teams and departments. Companies that are horizontally integrated are shifting their focus to delivering a brand experience by encouraging collaboration, innovation and working outside of comfort zones. These organizations are purpose-driven, value-driven, and mission-driven, seeking to build connections and are continuously focused on the “who” and “why” behind the work.

But in order to leverage horizontal integration in their business, leaders must be willing to step into a horizontal approach to leadership – and this one aspect that distinguishes a standard leader from a masterful leader.

Horizontal leadership is not focused on titles, hierarchy, and personal status – it’s focused on facilitating movement, collaboration, and activities around a shared vision.

Horizontal leaders are purpose-driven: they are connected to and aligned with the mission of the organization, and they infuse their organizations with meaning and purpose.  

They act with integrity – ensuring that when faced with difficult choices, they act in accordance with their own morality, and make the right choices.

They are trustworthy and allow themselves to be vulnerable and ask for help when they need it, deepening connections and relationships.

Horizontal leaders set an example and model the values of the organization and the behaviors that they’d want their employees to emulate. They are collaborative and interconnected – approaching teams in a manner that builds alliances and morale. They are empathetic and they bring their full selves to work, and therefore, they are able to see their team as full people, too.

This is in stark contrast to vertical leadership.

Vertical leadership is one of the ego. Vertical leaders need followers and status. They seek to be dominant and create a hierarchy instead of a web. They see leadership as an opportunity to be in control and make themselves look good, instead of seeing leadership as an opportunity to rally people around a positive mission.

This approach is obvious by their behavior – vertical leaders make demands, give orders, and see their employees as people to direct. They’re less likely to recognize their full needs as humans and more likely to only focus on their output and productivity.

Because of that, vertical leaders can alienate employees. When they feel that their leader is only invested in themselves, employees are going to be less likely to approach them with personal issues, show vulnerability or be loyal.

While horizontal leaders build morale, satisfaction, and overall engagement in an organization, vertical leaders build their employees resentment, frustration, and the perception of not being valued.

While horizontal leaders drive growth and productivity by recognizing the whole person and building interconnectedness, vertical leaders seek to drive growth and productivity by reprimanding, punishing or ordering.

While a horizontal leader wants to improve an organization to better serve the customers and be of value, vertical leaders want to improve an organization for their own power, prestige, and status.

A horizontal leader sees their team as thought partners and experts in their own domains and therefore elicits their feedback and values the contributions that they bring. A vertical leader sees their team as people that work beneath them whose opinions aren’t as important as theirs.

Unfortunately, horizontal leadership isn’t as widespread as it should be. For every leader that is purpose-driven and empathetic, there is another leader who is the opposite.  And in an increasingly horizontal workforce where employees are seeking deeper engagement, meaning, and fulfillment from their work, horizontal leaders will have the advantage when it comes to retaining top talent.