Senior leaders exert influence by leading in three directions: up, down, and across. These audiences may have different needs, priorities, and communication preferences. For this reason, it is worth reflecting on how you are practicing leadership in each direction.

Please post your response to the following prompts on the Discussion Forum:

• Describe two examples of how you have led in each direction (up, down, and across) within the last month.
• If no examples come to mind, consider why this might be. Have you missed an opportunity? Did you intentionally decide not to lead in a specific situation?
• Do you actively pay attention to how you lead in each direction? Why or why not?
• What challenges have you encountered trying to manage these competing leadership priorities?

After you have submitted your responses, reply to any of your peers' posts, offering a new perspective to encourage further discussion and critical thinking. Use direct quotes, examples, and references from resources in this competency to guide your thinking.

Discussion Post Rubric

Criteria	Insufficient	Proficient
Original Post	Post does not meet the required length and does not develop ideas for further discussion. Post lacks structure or depth, does not express opinion clearly, and shows little understanding. Post is written with unprofessional language and does not include proper citations. Post contains poor spelling and several grammatical errors. Post was submitted after the assignment deadline.	Post meets appropriate length requirements and presents clear ideas for further discussion with others. Post is well structured with logically sequenced sentences and is written in formal language. Contribution is thoughtful, analytical, and original. Post incorporates meaningful connections to the course resources, with appropriate citations and personal reflections. Post is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Post was submitted by the assignment deadline.
Reply Post	Reply comment does not add value to the discussion or shows little understanding of the original post. Reply does not express opinion clearly, and/or shows no relationship to the original post. Reply is written in informal language. Reply contains several spelling or grammatical errors. Post was submitted after the assignment deadline.	Reply shows insight, depth, and understanding. Reply is relevant to the topic and references supporting material from the course. Personal opinion is expressed in a respectful manner and is clearly related to the original post. Reply is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Post was submitted by the assignment deadline.