I was on a trip recently, which was attended by a number of other CEOs and business owners.
One of the CEOs was a man who owns a manufacturing company with multiple locations across the United States. We were discussing the challenges that come with multiple operations spread over long distances, the associated travel required, and the fact that there is little time to spend in the office taking care of the normal routines of business.
What I heard from him was a response I have found common among practically every successful CEO or business leader I have ever known.
“I find that if I am in the office more than one or two days a week,” he said, “I am doing a disservice to my company and my employees.” He further explained: “When I am out of my office, whether visiting our manufacturing facilities, engaging with employees, meeting with clients, attending community or industry events, or any other activity, that’s when the things happen that ultimately benefit the business.”
“I can’t really explain it,” he said, “but when I am out of the office yet still engaged in the business, I learn and gain information, have meaningful conversations, and engage in interactions which ultimately serve to grow my business and improve my company. None of this would have occurred if I had stayed in my office.”
He is absolutely correct. Getting out of the office on a regular and consistent basis is necessary and vital to the success of any business leader and the company or team he manages.
To be clear, I find office time both good and necessary for addressing paperwork, maintaining organization and conducting necessary internal meetings among staff. But I also find that in general, I learn or experience very little that benefits the company while I am in the office. To the contrary, I learn and experience a great amount outside of the office that benefits the company.
As a percentage of my time outside of the office, a very small amount typically involves formal meetings. The majority of my time away from the office consists of conversations or interactions with a number of people, whether employees, clients, business associates, or others such as the group of CEO’s and business owners mentioned above. However, it is these conversations and discussions that often reveal the most meaningful and valuable information I need and utilize in making decisions related to how my business operates, growth and development opportunities, changes that may be forthcoming and any challenges that lie ahead.
There are certainly a number of positions which require an individual to generally remain in an office environment, just as there are the positions where an individual is expected to be away from an office for the majority of the workday. However, there are many positions which provide or even encourage flexibility away from an office environment. It’s unfortunate when individuals who have this flexibility choose to rarely leave the comfort of the office instead to “focus on work,” when in reality, the time they are spending in the office may be the most unproductive way to spend their time.
Successful CEOs and business leaders have learned that good things happen when you get up and get out of the office.