Jeff Bezos recently made a surprise visit to an Amazon fulfillment center and a Whole Foods store to thank employees working the front lines to get essentials to people during this crisis. There are news reports about what motivated him to do it. No matter what motivated him, there is a lesson here: Don’t wait for a crisis to visit with employees.
Leadership is about people. But how do leaders inspire people and connect with them when schedules are flooded with meetings? VISIBILITY. It’s one of the most powerful forms of informal communications and it delivers a mighty message: I care. I’m here. Talk to me.
When leaders walk the halls or visit stores, plants and distribution centers, employees receive a message that the work they do matters. It’s motivating and offers a form of recognition that can pay dividends for some time after the visit. Employees need to see their leaders as humans, not an untouchable, detached corporate figurehead.
Even the most time-strapped leaders find ways to engage their employees and build a sense of community by being visible. But it takes commitment. It takes time carved out on the calendar on a regular basis. Here are some simple ways leaders can increase their visibility, help build connections with their teams and spark dialogue:
- Informal visits to staff meetings. There doesn’t always have to be an agenda. Sometimes just showing up to listen, ask questions or ask for ideas is enough.
- Informal hallway meetings. This is a face-to-face conversation with small groups. Pick a topic to discuss, ask for ideas or celebrate successes.
- Walk the halls tours. This is a great way for a leader to add a personal touch, maintain visibility, ask/answer questions, say hello and ask employees about their kids or their dogs.
- Quick breaks (coffee, candy, donuts), standup meetings in the leader’s office. This provides periodic touch bases with individual teams or praises teams for their hard work and contributions to the organization.
- Monthly lunches with the leader. This is an informal get together where the leader invites employees on a rotational basis. It’s a great way to build connections and chat without a formal agenda.
- Brown bags. An optional lunch open to anyone to discuss a particular topic, answer employee questions and ensure their voices are heard.
When a company has various locations, executive team members can set up a schedule and divide up who goes where throughout the year. Doing so humanizes the executive team. When they can thank employees in person, get to know their stories and what motivates them, it shows employees the company cares. And when leaders show up not just to talk, but also to listen, they can learn a lot about what’s working, what needs improving and perhaps better ways of doing business.
