Recently I had a conversation with an upcoming CEO. We were discussing another employee’s reactions to decisions being made. The employee is taking issue with the fact that in my world we do have employees that can work remotely, or from home. It is preferred that employees work at the office, but if a position in the company allows an employee to work remotely, we allow it occasionally. I am not a fan of the idea of a permanent remote employee for my company. I think there is a lot of collaboration, a sense of community, and general well-being from being in the office. After all, humans are social animals. I am about to digress from the intent of this musing.
Coming back to the employee who does not like this flexibility of remote work, it is interesting to explore that employee’s “why”. To fill in some of the color, the employee is a 25+ year employee and has a strong opinion on how work should be done. This employee leads with a boss attitude. If I can’t see an employee working, how do I know the employee is actually doing work?
This employee is not the only one in my company. One of the decisions I was asked to make was the hiring of a new manager who reports directly to me. Before my arrival, there was a decision that an internal long-term employee would get the promotion when the position became available. The heir apparent was even training to be the next manager. If you haven’t sensed where this story is going, that employee did not get the promotion. I went with someone from outside the company. Why? Well, that employee believed that it would be their role to tell people how, what, and when to do their jobs. I don’t need bosses, I want leaders who share a vision and look to provide the tools for others to make that vision happen. I want leaders who create an environment that helps others produce outcomes that serve the company and ultimately our customers.
It is an interesting cultural shift that I have brought to my company. It is challenging for some, especially those who believe it is best to be a boss….
at27
at 27 years 