To Lead Climb “or Slide” Down From Your Ivory Tower

You have reached the pinnacle of your organization. You are in charge and, ultimately, the buck stops with you. You are to be congratulated for achieving your career goal, but beware…You could lose it all if you become too isolated from the workers you depend upon to do their job.

Climb down from your ivory tower office. Do not depend solely on the reports of your inner circle of how things are going. Your immediate staff filters what they tell you, what they think you need to know, and may “protect” you from lower level rumblings of discontent to protect their own hides.

Take a tip from those who specialize in action learning for leadership development: mix it up with your troops to find out what’s really going on in your organization. Set up all-company gatherings where employees are encouraged to ask questions and speak their minds. Drop in on leadership development programs so you have a chance to meet the up-and-coming talent. Hold meetings with managers from all parts of the company, a few at a time so you can listen to what is bothering them.

Only then will you get a true pulse of how your leadership strategy, approach and style are working.