Executives are often separated from their companies socially because of their own accomplishments. Individuals in leadership roles are seen as difficult to approach, even intimidating in nature. Here are some tips for executives who want to stay in touch with their employees.
Meet with people in their own offices. Unless you are disciplining someone, it is better to meet them at their own offices. It's more personal to meet employees in their own space than to call them into your office. You also get a chance to see what it is like in the trenches.
Have lunch with your top performers. Show a personal interest in the successes of your top performers. This effort on your part reinforces their positive actions while encouraging them to express what they have accomplished (including the procedures used, specialized knowledge, and personal skills.)
Get introduced to customers through managers. Personal introductions to customers through project managers show customers that you are interested in what they are doing. In addition, your manager gets a chance to look good to customers by showing your support for them.
Meet with new employees periodically. In addition to meeting new employees when hired, visit about 3 months after the hire date to get their suggestions for improving your company. Often the prior experiences of new hires provide insights that can significantly improve your organization.
Give yourself a personal tour of your facility. Each week get a tour of a different part of your company, even take potential customers along if possible. Being seen in every department shows your interest while helping you become more familiar with what happens in your company.
Network at company social events. Turn every company event into an opportunity to network inside your own company. You'll discover new resources that can advance business objectives and match customers needs with real solutions.
These tips aren't just for top executives, but encourage your program managers and other executives to embrace these employee loyalty building strategies. It doesn't take much effort or time to produce noticeable results, even learn more about your company. When was the last place you touched based with your employees?
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