My CEO clients are very unique and very similar. They are all at the top of the Pyramid and enjoying the view. There are lots of smart people under them that are vying for a better view. Often these “executives” are very driven to get to the next level and then to the next. Heading higher and higher and getting closer to the top with each step they take. If only they knew…
It seems to me that the higher the executives get in this “pyramid scheme” that we call “corporate culture” the more ISOLATED they become. They feel the “need” to be the Shell Answer Man, we, their peers and so called followers feel one emotion more than any other. We feel afraid. We tell the Pyramid Prince that the view is great in the middle blocks and hope to hell that’s exactly what he or she wants to hear. We hope and pray he doesn’t come down unannounced!
Today I visited a number of different teams and watched a number of leaders in action. I witnessed the usual activities and saw a lot of traditional organizations. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Normal.
However, the ones that I can’t get out of my head, were anything but normal. Their leaders may not have been the most articulate, the smartest or even the most strategic. They were however one thing. They were WITH.
They were practicing the discipline of WITH. Magic.
They were simply hanging out WITH producers, account managers, supervisors, field engineers, administrative assistants, accountants, CFO’s, salespeople, support staff, and all kinds of other team members. Human.
The number one enemy of today’s CEO is ISOLATION.
How disciplined are you in being WITH your teams?
Work and Life?
Tell me more…
BUILT TO LEAD 
In the book “The Men Who Loved Trains”, the author speaks of the CEO of Conrail. This CEO promised the employees if they stuck with him, he would ensure their living, even though he was thinning costs. It’s funny, he was a Harley riding, down with the troops type guy. He would ride trains at 3am just to see how the crews felt. They speak years after his retirement of this…
Thanks Chet for reminding us that no one is too good, too big for being human.
Stinkin’ AWESOME…
Chet, you’re describing what the Navy calls “Leadership by Walking Around.” If a leader wants to really KNOW what’s going on, if a leader wants to CONNECT with the team, there is no substitute.
But here’s the best part that most miss…I spent a lot of time with my teams, getting out and about, anytime, anyplace.
Funny, but I thought it would help THEM; I was giving of myself to help them. Real big of me. But the opposite occurred — I GAINED so much more than I gave, in knowledge, in understanding, in energy, in passion, in commitment. When I saw them in action, so determined to see our team succeed, it humbled me and INSPIRED me to strive to be a better leader.
A word of caution: the leaders who get out and about to visit their teams have to be thoughtful how they use the information they acquire. A CEO who short-circuits a manager by responding hastily to a complaint or request from a front-line technician can upset the apple cart with the best of intentions. The savvy leader keeps his rpm in check and consults with other stakeholders before taking action.