Leaders need to have a scuba diving team to find out what’s below the surface!
I once asked a CEO how employees accepted the new strategic direction. His response: “I don’t know, you’d have to ask them!” He assumed that his direct reports would do the right things to communicate the strategy and convince employees about the new direction.
As a leader, you need to know what is going on in your organization. You cannot just look from the bird’s eye view and focus on your KPIs.
It is important to have a team of trusted people who are in touch with all levels of the organization and able to draw a clear picture of the situation at any time, so you have accurate and valuable insights to work with. Sort of like corporate divers.
I am astonished when I, as part of my work, talk to senior managers and employees and “unearth” issues and problems in the organization that my client is not aware of. Sometimes they have a major impact on making progress and often hinder performance.
You want to catch any issues and negative dynamics early on, so you can deal with them.
Do you have a scuba diving team in your organization?
