The View From Here
Why the view from the corner office isn’t what you think
“Too many corner offices are filled with people who spend their days enjoying the view through the windows rather than focusing on who is walking through their door.” — Me.
I spent most of my career working for my next achievement — my next raise, my next promotion, my next title, whatever. Whenever that achievement would come, I’d spend a short while patting myself on the back and then I’d start looking ahead again. I was constantly striving to advance my interests, my career, my status.
I was a high achiever, but I was not a leader. It wasn’t until I started to consider who would be sitting in my seat next that I fully grasped that the responsibility of a leader is to LIFT their employees and the organization:
· Listen — Listen to your employees. Understand the concerns they have and the challenges they face. Keep your eyes on who is coming through the door, and not on the view through the window.
· Identify opportunities — Engage stakeholders at all levels of the organization and identify the next generation of potential leaders.
· Focus on solutions — Help your employees find areas where they can directly impact the outcome. Empower them to find solutions.
· Take Action — Establish SMART goals for your employees and make time for follow-up. Hold yourself and your employees accountable for taking action.
By understanding the current challenges your organization faces, and by identifying and mentoring the leaders of the future, you will more effectively lead your organization into the future. You will also ensure that the next person to occupy your corner office does not spend too much time enjoying the view.
