I believe that more today than ever. Another useful gem shared by a quite humous old man who wanted to become an actor, but ended up owning a private security business, selling it, and living a pretty good life with his wife of 35 years in Mexico.
Got me thinking about the jobs I’ve held and has reinforced for me that leadership is not always found in meetings, presentations, or strategy sessions. Sometimes it is found in something much simpler: a 15-minute walk with a hot coffee around the farm, hotel, warehouse, or factory floor.
That walk tells you a lot.
You see the condition of the operation.
You feel the energy of the people.
You notice the rhythm of the work.
You catch the things no one thought to mention.
Some signals are too quiet to be reported. They have to be observed.
That is why distance can be dangerous. The farther a leader gets from the ground, the easier it becomes to miss what is actually shaping the business.
All the positions I’ve held and leadership teams I’ve observed have taught me to respect that.
A leader does not need to hover over every detail, but they do need to be present enough to understand the reality their people are working in. That presence creates trust, improves judgment, and strengthens culture in ways that are hard to measure but easy to feel.
Sometimes the most strategic thing a leader can do is simply show up and pay attention.
The business feels it when they do.
First published on LinkedIn.