I've been intrigued over the last couple of months how leaders have been so vulnerable to those around them in terms of their leadership or executive team. Vulnerable?
These execs sift, distill, fabricate and filter the information that is passed through to the leader at the top. Hence, the leader at the top could well be compromised or indeed, be accused of making poor decisions.
How do you get around this? The leader can't do everything and isn't the leader supposed to be able to rely on the execs around him or her?
It's a difficult one, but it is suggested here that it's the leader's job to ensure that they are in touch with all levels of the operation. Yes, I know that they don't have time, that they have a million other things to do, that they are not necessarily operational and need to be strategic.
I'm reminded of the MD of a large manufacturing operation who made it his business to weekly come out of his office and walk the factory floor. He'd not only get to know his employees who were absolutely delighted that the big boss saw their work and took an interest in them, but more particularly, he was gaining information about how the company was travelling from the shop floor.
How do you keep in touch with what's going on through your organisation?
(see "Articles" for an expanded article on this topic)
