Don’t “Check Up” on Them––Be WITH Them

Here's one of the slides from my SENSEI LEADER keynote:

When this slide pops up I ask, “OK, who likes this show? Raise your hand.”

Nearly every hand shoots up. Then I usually slam my hand on a nearby table and shout:

“I freaking HATE this show!”

Why?

How can some leaders be so obtuse? How can they NOT know at least something about what’s happening with people on the front lines?

“Management By Walking Around” is nothing new. Most people credit Tom Peters with coining the phrase and the acronym: MBWA. Some say it started at Hewlett-Packard in the 70s. 

Two thousand years ago Lao Tzu said,

“Fail to honor your people––and they will fail to honor you.” 

I used to play a game with my youngest martial arts students––my “Little Dragons.” I’d ask them, “What are the two most important words in martial arts?” They’d yell back:

“Pay attention!” 

I’d say these are the most important words in business, in life––and certainly in leadership too. 

That’s what it’s all about. And I wish I could remember who said this, but it’s one of the most beautiful and powerful things I’ve ever heard…

“The greatest gift you can give another human being is––your attention.”

Have I made my point?

People perform at their best when––and only when––they know their leaders care. That means you’ve got to be present…

One of my favorite movies is “Patton.” General Patton was a complex and and an even more complex leader––hated by some and revered by others. In one scene, Patton gets out of his jeep and starts marching with his men. In that moment, he becomes one of them––yet never loses his stature as leader.

You can see how much this means to the men. Here is someone who is already a living mythological figure walking with them shoulder to shoulder. 

Granted, this is just a movie. But there are many accounts of Patton in real life inspiring his troop simply by being present––by showing how much he cared about them.

Not to CHECK UP on them––to be WITH them!

One of the horrible distortions of MBWA is the idea that you’ve got to walk with the floor to “check up” on people. Nothing could be less effective, less meaningful and in some cases, more damaging than that. 

Who wants to be “checked up” on? How would you respond to the boss showing up only to look over the books or peak over your shoulder?

Just be present. Be a human being for a few minutes. Show that you really care!

A leader’s most valuable assets are respect, trust and loyalty. The best leaders know that these are not to be expected or demanded––but given. Unconditionally.

Leaders go first. Or at least they should! It’s the nature of the job.

If you want trust––give trust. When you spend time “with the troops,” just be with them:

• Listen
• Ask about their personal interests and concerns
• Get to know them as people
• Tell them how much you appreciate them

Simple compassion. That’s what we’re talking about. 

“But Jim, this is all nice. But who has the time?”

Believe me, I hear that at nearly every event. You can’t afford NOT to take the time.

Two of the biggest drains on businesses today are the high costs of turnover and lack of engagement. This is a direct result of people believing their leaders just don’t care about them. And sadly, this doesn’t just happen with lousy leaders. Even the best, most compassionate leaders sometimes fail to spend the time necessary to assure their people know they care.

To put it simply, the most effective leaders understand that they are servants––not masters of the people…

And paying attention to their needs pays!

Lisa Murfield, author of “The ROI of Compassion,” summed it up nicely in an interview with SHRM.org:

“The ROI of Compassion is found in reducing turnover, engaging employees, and reducing absenteeism, to name a few. When we care, we leverage leadership power that fuels great success. When we do not care, we invite obstacles and failure.”

Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t really hate “Undercover Boss.” It’s an interesting show and we can learn a lot from it. Most of all, we should learn how damaging it is when we don’t spend time with people––when we fail to pay attention to the people we serve.

Richard Branson said it beautifully:

“Take care of you employees and they’ll take care of your business. It’s as simple as that.”

Learn more about THE SENSEI LEADER MOVEMENT at TheSenseiLeader.com