Volume XXIII, Number 38 (Issue 1147) September 22, 2025
Advice for a New Leader
Get out!
Get out of your office and among your people. Go on a listening tour right away. Visit every office, market, and department. Use this opportunity to introduce yourself, share your vision for the organization, and enlist your people’s help in realizing that vision. While you are at it, ask them how you can help? This is an ideal time and way to start removing some of the obstacles that get in the way of your team’s realizing more of their potential. That is, after all, one of the main roles of a leader.
Get out among your customers. Consider using that same listening tour as an opportunity to introduce yourself to your organization’s client base. While a reception is nice, it can lack the sort of intimacy that creates connections. Thus, consider hosting breakfasts or lunches for ten to twelve of your top customers in each market. If the market is large enough, schedule both a breakfast and lunch. Small gatherings can also provide an opportunity to connect with key prospects. You might consider mixing customers and prospects if you are confident your existing customers will sing your organization’s praises as such testimonials can help move a prospect into the customer column.
Get out among the civic and community leaders in each of your markets. Use these conversations to affirm your and your organization’s commitment to being a steadfast partner – one that is willing to provide financial and manpower support as well as volunteer leadership.
One of the remarkable things about being a new leader who makes a concerted effort to get out, besides providing an opportunity for some face-to-face marketing, is that new leaders can more easily make changes since they are not bound by or tempted to defend legacy decisions. Another
benefit is the new leader represents a fresh set of eyes and ears when it comes to seeing things for what they are, not as we imagine them to be.
Finally, get out of your own way. That means setting aside your preconceived notions about what is and is not working and what needs to be done to make things better. Your perspective is but one of many. Hence, the value of periodic listening tours combined with your authority to change things for the better is easily leveraged to help win fans and followers.
Soli Deo Gloria
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210) 260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
Transforming Potential into Unmatched Performance
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