Kate Hawkesby: CEOs on the ground is hopefully the norm nowadays - rather than the exception

I tell you what’s a good look - CEOs who walk the talk - and we’re seeing a bit more of it these days which is great. Because I think we’re at a time now where we expect more of our leadership, one of the things we expect most is that they’re the real deal. That they ‘walk among us’ and seem a little bit human. More and more you’ll see bosses or those in leadership roles sitting at desks in open plan offices rather than being squirreled away in a vault somewhere removed from the hoi polloi. When I started out my media career many moons ago as a naïve 21 year old intern at TVNZ, bosses were tucked away in upstairs offices. You got summoned to them by a PA who would brief you before you went in – so as to prepare you for ‘face time with the boss’. “He’s in a good mood today you’re lucky..”, or “hope you’re not going to be too long in there because he’s flat out today..” There was this constant middle man go between, between you and the manager. Even walking up to see the manager was a big deal. People would see you going along towards the ‘management’ corridors and say stuff to you like ‘hope you’re not in trouble!’ So there were mind games being played on you before you even got to their door. Then when the Pitbull PA or the executive assistant finally allowed you in, the big boss would reach into his filing cabinet and pull out your contract or your folder (pre everything being online) and take a good hard look at the notes before looking up to engage you. A nerve wracking time? To say the least. Thank god those days are over. At least I assume they’re over, please tell me if they’re not where you work, but I’m assuming those days are well and truly over. These days the boss is just another one of you, they’re on the shop floor, they go to pub quiz night, they play on the work social sports teams, they keep communication lines open - or the good ones do anyway. But I raise all this because my parents were at the airport the other day, it was absolutely chocka, school holiday madness, they were waiting to check in, and this guy comes over and offers to help. He’s helping others, he sees them struggling – confused as to where to do bag drop or something, and he offers to help them. He does their bag labels, points them in the right direction, walks them to where they need to be, sorts it all out for them. Anyway, turns out, it’s Greg Foran. Now this isn’t new; Air NZ’s CEO is often out at the airport working the floor in various departments. Staff know it, passengers know it, it endears management to people, it means they’re visible and approachable.. two key attributes of modern leadership. But if you ask Foran he’ll tell you he does it because it helps him get to know the company – and every aspect of it, better than any time in a board room will. Nothing like being on the front line. So that’s impressive, it’s noted by customers, it’s appreciated by staff, it sends a good message that he's one of the team, and that he's not above lugging bags onto a travellator. CEOs on the ground pitching in is hopefully more often nowadays the norm rather than the exception. And if it's not, it should be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.