So here we are…
The advice itself is simple. Get out and talk to people. It’s your job.
When I first pushed this with both leaders, there was hesitation. After some discussions, they admitted they had been staying too close to their desks. Used email and texts too much. Too much distance from the work and the people doing it.
Where Persistence (nagging) Pays Off
Then they changed their behavior.
They started talking to employees, then customers, competitors, industry peers, and allies. Their assumptions were replaced with conversations. Clarity returned. Execution improved. Momentum followed.
That is why the persistence (nagging) exists. This simple action works.
When leaders bring me an issue (people), I always ask two questions:
- When was the last time you talked to them?
- What did they say when you spoke to them?
Those answers tell me quickly whether someone is engaging or managing from a distance. Too often, engagement happens late. An email days later. A conversation after damage is done.
The research and the practice agree. Engagement works best in the moment. Presence matters when it is timely.
Disengaged Leaders
We talk a lot about disengaged employees. It may be time to talk about disengaged leaders. At that level, disengagement often looks like avoiding the core job. The job is connecting. The job is listening. The job is leading people, not managing inboxes.
Jamie Dimon recently said this almost word-for-word. Get out. Talk to people. Be curious. Be humble. Tell the truth. Avoid arrogance and bureaucracy.
This is harder than it sounds. It requires openness and curiosity. It requires hearing things you may not like. That is how trust is built.
People do not automatically give you permission to lead them. You earn that permission through connection. If you do not connect, something else will. A competitor. A frustrated coworker. A phone.
Belonging drives engagement. You cannot create belonging from behind a desk.
Walk the floor. Listen. Ask questions. Stay close.
The leaders who finally did this told me the same thing. They love it. Their people feel it. Their businesses feel it.
If you’d like to change how your organization moves, you can start here.
Get out. Talk to people….It’s your job.
Three takeaways:
- Leadership is presence. If you are not talking to people, you are not leading them.
- Timing matters. Engagement works best in the moment, not days later in an email.
- Permission is earned. People give you permission to lead through connection, not position.