Here’s a simple, free, and exceptionally great leadership tip.
And it’s one you likely already know, but sometimes forget. Or just don’t do it enough.
This leadership tip was shared with me years ago by one of my leaders who mentored me. I have practiced it in every leadership environment since then. It’s one of the smartest things I do.
It’s genius. Simple. And, best of all, it’s free.
Do you want to be a better leader?
Implement this leadership tip today. And repeat often.
Ready?
Get out of your office.
See how simple that is. And you made it this far in the post just for that.
But I’m telling you it works.
Walk the building. Tour the grounds. Talk to people.
It takes you out of your paradigm. It puts you on more neutral ground. You appear more approachable.
- Ask questions.
- Talk to people doing the work.
- Let people ask you questions.
- Smile. Engage.
- Hear stories.
- Get feedback and input.
- Reinforce vision in person.
It’s so simple. Yet how many times do we neglect it because we are stuck at a desk? Doing paperwork. Answering emails from the people we could see in person.
Full disclosure. I wrote about this principle the first time over a decade ago. It was pre-COVID and we weren’t as adapted to video meetings. I don’t think those are going away and virtual leadership is hear to stay. (Leading virtually might be the subject of another post.) So, obviously this now has more limited application. It won’t apply as well to those not in a physical office setting. So, the challenge for those becomes – how do we replace the intimacy of being in the same building with people? (Again, I may work on that post soon.)
Still, leadership looks so much different when it’s done with the computer screen in front of us. Email can never replace the value of human interaction. People are more than names on a page.
The best leadership is always done in real time, but with real people. Eyeball to eyeball. Face to face. (And I would add even if that is via video conferencing.
You can’t do it exclusively, but when you can it’s masterful.
Get out of your office today. Get with real people. Improve your leadership.
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