Ideas for Upper Management to Connect with the Organization

To make their vision resonate, leaders need to demonstrate that they personally care about the organization’s future and do so in an authentic, relatable way. Almost a quarter of the leaders we interviewed regularly host intimate groups to hear from junior employees, “whose voices are often faint,” in the words of one CEO. Personally connecting with people on the front lines was also a universal theme. Ideas include: ​

• Paying attention to communication even if not directly addressed: “I sometimes respond to emails not directed to me but I’m copied on to signal the importance.”
• Conducting skip-level meetings and in-person internal focus groups. One leader conducts “Meet 10” gatherings with ten employees across different levels every time he visits a regional branch or office. 
• Inviting junior team members to executive meetings to hear their perspectives and encourage their aspirations.
• Hosting breakfasts with different groups (such as high performers, new graduates, or new joiners) on a rotating schedule “to ensure I can meet every key group.”
• Personally conducting or reviewing employee satisfaction surveys: “Don’t leave it to your chief HR officer and the HR team.” 
• Maintaining an open-door policy for all employees to encourage spontaneous one-on-ones.
• Taking teams to casual settings outside the office. One Southeast Asian CEO said, “All big decisions are consulted on and taken in an informal setting.”
• Visiting every store at least once a year.
• “Walking the floor” and doing random pulse checks with employees.

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