OK Bosses

“The senior team gets it, but further down they don’t get it.”

I’ve heard this statement or similar sentiments expressed many times in executive settings. It particularly comes out during some crisis or in the course of a faltering “transformation” process, when blame is being shifted down the chain.

Unfortunately, it’s a mindset that’s not too far from the surface in normal times. Many times, it’s revealed in how senior leaders respond to issues being surfaced from the front-lines, whether these issues are taken with seriousness, discounted or delegated.

The “Iceberg of Ignorance” study by Sidney Yoshida highlighted that senior leaders have a low awareness of the front-line challenges and issues that are impacting their business. In his analysis, he argued that only 4% of front-line problems are known to executives!

Regardless of the accuracy of the percentage, when senior leaders discount, ignore or neglect input from employees they put the business at risk and feed an us-versus-them mentality in both themselves, peers and among employees.

Executives need to constantly remind themselves that without having first-person interaction with front-line staff and customers, they will fall victim to their own biases and echo chambers.

Adopting An “In-Service” Mindset

Thankfully there is a very effective way to avoid this trap, but it requires a mindset shift.

It’s embracing an In-Service mindset, that your role is to be In-Service to others.

In-Service to your customers, your colleagues, your team, and stakeholders. Being In-Service means you are actively concerned for the well-being of others, showing empathy, and take their concerns seriously.

Adopting this mindset is not as easy as it seems. It takes humility, courage and a certain vulnerability to resist having all the answers and to admit you can benefit from the expertise of others who occupy the lower reaches of the organization.

However, the benefits are obvious, in terms of personal development, business performance and in positively impacting organizational culture. And never having to say “they don’t get it” again.