When I come across a leader who consistently remains seated at their desk or in meetings, it raises red flags for me. While I am not a fan of a constant open-door policy, having your door closed all the time is much worse. You must get up from your chair, leave your office, and circulate among your employees. In addition, you also need to be in the field regularly, meeting with your top customers and business partners. Leadership is an active, not a passive, activity.
It’s tempting to remain in the office and constantly monitor events. If anything significant happens, you will be there to navigate the ship. However, if you continually hover over your direct report, you will hinder their ability to take initiative and demonstrate their capabilities. What people can solve independently is incredible if the boss isn’t there to step in and/or assume the burden. Furthermore, adopting a top-down perspective can lead to a skewed perception of the reality on the ground.
People tend to respect leaders with whom they see and interact. The simple act of “management by walking around” the office or job site makes you visible and indicates you care about what is happening. You will get a lot of traction by asking basic employees questions like the following:
- “What does success in your role look like to you right now?”
- “Do you know where the company is going and why?
- “What could we improve around here?”
- “What’s the biggest obstacle to your success right now?” and “How can we help?”
- “What’s working well?”
- “What do you like (or not like) about working here?”
- “What did you learn today?”
Moreover, clients who do a lot of business with your company appreciate seeing the leader now and then. They want to know they are important to you and warrant your attention. You also have the opportunity to inquire about their needs, learn about industry developments, and stay informed about key issues, all of which are beneficial.
Once you grow beyond the startup phase, your efforts can sometimes feel less tangible, even though they are more critical. You must hire people to manage outcomes and let them tend to tasks. Your role shifts to that of oversight. You need to ensure all the parts of the organization are working well together, make sound business decisions, ensure a positive culture and work environment, position the organization for long-term success, and maintain critical strategic relationships. You need to observe, learn, and interact with your customers, colleagues, and employees. You grow smarter about your business by regularly interacting with the people who matter to its success. Doing any of these things from behind a desk is extremely hard.