Visiting the troops: Why good managers spend time outside their offices
“The office is a dangerous place from which to view the world.”
That’s a quote from David Cornwell, the great spy novelist who wrote under the pseudonym John le Carré.
Such advice applies not only to spies but also managers. But too often, because of the pressures of time, managers spend too much time behind the desk and not enough time in the field. As a result, they lack the first-hand knowledge that managers need to operate effectively.
In this video, I present tips on what to do when an executive gets outside the office.
Posted by Issue #223: The Leadership Tips From John le Carre Edition | News From Nine North Records on January 23rd, 2012 at 3:39 pm
[...] He offers four tips for maximizing the benefits of getting out from behind your desk. “If the real work of your company is done outside your office, why are you spending so much time in it?” Baldoni asks here. [...]
Posted by Mark Cato on January 26th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
There is more than just getting out behind the desk. Engage the employee. My boss walks the floor every morning at 5 minutes past when the office opens and 5 minutes before the office closes. Just to make sure that we are in the office.
When I was in the Air Force, I had a squadron commander that never visited our detachment in Germany during the two years that he was the commander. Our detachment was the only one that he had.
Ironically, I saw the 2 star general (who was also the squadron commander's brother) and the wing commander every quarter for several hours. In addition, they would have dinner with the 11 members of our unit and their spouses. My commander would have had a hard time picking me out of a line-up while the 2 star and the wing commander knew my wife and I on a first name basis.