A recent conversation reminded me of how often employees hide from bosses. At some point in your career, you may have been in a workplace where the migratory patterns of the boss are carefully monitored by the employees. This does not mean that the mice play while the cat is away, but the cat's absence usually reduces stress. The amount of stress that is reduced may signal the quality of leadership. If the boss is regarded as more of an ally than an adversary, there should be only a minor reduction.
[It is amusing to see how many top executives fail to notice the minor ripple that precedes their movement through the factory floor or how the atmosphere is changed when they stroll into a crowded conference room.]
As for discouraging hiding, changing the daily routine may help, but building trust works wonders.
1 comment:
I remember the days....
When the District Manager left his office in Van Nuys , his clerk (Districts didn't get Secretaries. they got a clerk) called us to warn us in Sherman Oaks.
If travel time expired without him showing up, we called El Monte (next office to the East) and Thousand Oaks.
If he didn't show up at either place (El Monte was the only office east of us), Thousand Oaks called Oxnard, who called Ventura, who called Santa Barbara.
Unless he was spotted somewhere else.
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