Leadership doesn’t start at the top— it starts with you. Scaling Pyramids: Leadership Lessons from a Mid- Level Bureaucrat is an honest, engaging, and research- informed exploration of what it means to lead from the bottom and middle of an organization— especially within complex systems that aren’t always built for innovation, agility, or humanity. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience as a federal law enforcement officer, diplomat, educator, and public servant, author Christopher Stitt brings a rare combination of street- level credibility and scholarly insight to the leadership conversation. Throughout the book, he weaves together personal stories from his global assignments with contemporary leadership research from behavioral science, organizational psychology, and decision- making theory. The result is a practical and thought- provoking field guide for those who are tired of waiting for permission to lead— and ready to make a difference right where they are. In these pages, you’ll find lessons on how to influence up, down, and across your organization. You’ll learn how to build trust, coach others, think strategically, and maintain your integrity even when politics or process get in the way. You’ll discover why the middle of the organizational pyramid isnot a waiting room for the next promotion— it’s the center of gravity where culture, performance, and credibility are either built or broken. Whether you’re managing teams in a government agency, navigating the corporate hierarchy, or trying to make change from within a large institution, Scaling Pyramids offers you a road map grounded in both lived experienc and real evidence. With a voice that is both candid and deeply practical, Stitt reminds us that leadership isn’t about rank— it’s about showing up, stepping up, and speaking up in the moments that matter. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underutilized, or underestimated in your role, this book is for you. It’s time to lead. Not someday— now.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Why This Book, My Path Through My Bureaucracy Part One – Leading Yourself Understand Who Shaped You: Differing Role Models Understanding Your Values: A Scout Is… Understanding Your Strengths and Weaknesses: I May Like Computers Better Than People, But I Still Need People to Run the Computers Understanding Limits: It’s Not a Stroke, Just a Migraine Self-Care and Personal Growth: Take an Excursion, Get Some Perspective, Use Your Head in a New or Different Way Manage Your Followership Style: Change Is Constant, Even in the Same Organization You Still Need to Make Adjustments Managing Impressions – “Start Slowly, Then Taper Off” Part Two – Leading Others 8. Differentiating Motivations: Employees Are Like Snowflakes, No Two Are the Same 9. Building Alliances: If You Want to Lead the Pack, You Need to Identify and Deal with the Alpha 10. Team Dynamics: Reprimand All to Punish No One? 11. Leadership Character: When Making Rules, Plan to Enforce Them 12. Developing Others: Be a Good Dungeon Master 13. How to Use Awards: “You Like Me, You Really, Really Like Me!” 14. Collaboration: The Spotlight Is Brighter When You Share It Part Three – Leading Organizations 15. Communicating Up the Pyramid: We Need to Feed the Beast, but We Try to Give It Bites That It Can Chew 16. Communicating Vision: The Problem with Having a Vision Is Getting Others to See 17. Navigating the Pyramid: Managing Up Can Be Tough, Try Managing Sideways First, Then Up 18. Leveraging Project Teams: “I Am Not a Committee” 19. Building Relationships: Show Up, Even If You Aren’t Sure You Feel Like It 20. Simple Encouragement: Smile and Wave 21. Roadblocks: But What If the Section Head Is the Problem? 22. Having an Impact: Lead Well and Not Only Will People Follow You, They Will Name Their Children After You 23. Staying Motivated: Starting Is Easy, Finishing Is Another Story Epilogue