Strong leaders, who put themselves on the front line, are quite often those whom others want to follow. Weak leaders, who cling to the back office, often lack enthusiasm or personality that no amount of training will ever change.  

Who is running your business?  

According to a leadership study conducted by Development Dimensions International (DDI) together with HR.com and the Institute for Human resources, back office clingers can be costly. How costly? A survey of 300 Human Resource professionals revealed the following about weak leadership:  

• 69% said it caused lower rates of employee engagement

• 65% said it caused a loss of productivity

• 59% said it resulted in higher turnover “of themselves or team members.” 

This study also revealed that 56% of those surveyed agreed that the number one reason for leadership failure is lack of interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups.  People who work on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives than those who don’t.  It can be difficult to practice and fine tune these skills if you are clinging to the back office.  

In contrast, front line leaders often lead by walking around. The “walk around” leadership approach traces its origins back to the 1940s. Its popularity expanded in the 1980s after being included in the book, In Search of Excellence. Steve Jobs was the ultimate practitioner of this leadership approach, taking it beyond Apple employees to their external customers. At its core, it means leading from the front line, walking around, being visible, connecting with employees, sharing ideas, and inviting suggestions for improvement. It’s not so much about catching people doing something wrong, but instead, catching them doing something right.  

1. Front Line Leaders See Things Differently 

Leaders don’t always realize what an impact they make by how they act, how they carry themselves, and even where they sit. The best leaders are those who realize how motivating it is to people they lead when they roll up their sleeves and jump in to get the job done.  

Joe Masueto is a front line leader. In 1984, he invested a small sum of money into a few early model computers and launched Morningstar from his one-bedroom apartment. Today, Morningstar is a global organization and a billion dollar provider of financial products on Wall Street. Amazingly, Joe doesn’t work in a big fancy corner office. Instead, he works in a very small cubicle just like the rest of the employees, where the walls are low and everyone can see him. His office neighbors are often recent college graduates. Joe wants to be where the action is taking place—not in the big back office. 

Bob Jones is a front line leader. He owns a fast food restaurant in the small town adjacent to where I live. Word-of-mouth travels very quickly in a small town. When he first opened his business two years ago, I noticed that he would rotate from the food preparation area, to the cash register, and then to the dining area. On more than one occasion, I even observed him cleaning tables, emptying trash cans, and greeting his patrons by their first name. My first thought, “This won’t last!” It reminded me of what some refer to as the “lease-up phase” in our industry—the romancing period. I was certain that in a short period of time he would be clinging to his back office desk or not even show up. Well, I was wrong. His level of engagement with his employees and customers has not changed since the day he opened the door—he is to be admired.   

Front line leaders see things differently.  

• Leadership is not defined by the size or placement of their office.

• Leadership is not a title—it’s a mission.

• Leadership is not determined by the number of characters that follow their name.

• Leadership is not measured by their date of hire.

• Leadership is not their position—not where they sit.  

In the book, “You Don’t Need a TITLE to be a leader,” the author Mark Sanborn, reveals the keys each one of us can use to improve our leadership, company, and enhance our careers. Genuine leadership – leadership with a “little l”, as he puts it, is not limited to the executive suite. Rather, it is shown through our everyday actions and the way we influence the lives of those around us. Front line leaders see things differently.  

1. Redirecting the Back Office Clinger 

I expect at this point you have probably drilled down your mental list of managers and have sorted out the ones who are back office clingers and the ones who are front line leaders. Now what? Don’t give up on your back office clingers just yet. While there are some who need to move on down the road, there are others who just might need a little redirecting. They need to understand the importance of walking the walk, working on the front line, giving credit, and taking responsibility.  

• Walk the Walk- Leadership doesn’t depend on who you are, what you say, or how you say it, but only on what you do. In the book, Walk the Walk, written by Alan Deutschman, his message is simple: “If you want to be a leader, you have to understand the impact of your actions.” It’s a great book which forces you to look in the mirror and see the type of leader you truly are or are not. It then encourages and inspires you to deliver. He mentions Ray Kroc in his book, the McDonald’s empire builder, as an example of walking the walk. Ray’s message was, “Cleanliness counts and if cleaning isn’t beneath me, it isn’t beneath you.”  Early employees of McDonald’s remember him personally picking up trash around the restaurant and scraping gum with a putty knife.  

• Work on the Front Line- No matter how dedicated and inspired the employee, they want to see that their leaders are willing to jump in, too.Employees who are inspired by their manager’s leadership will get in the trenches and get the job done.  Working on the front line with employees sets an example as well as the hard work you put in while you are there. It’s also the place to sincerely acknowledge and appreciate everything your team does.  This acknowledgement is far more motivating than any amount of money.

• Give Credit and Accept Responsibility- Too often leaders get caught up in their ego and the glamour of leadership. They fail to recognize the responsibility. A great leader is someone who owns the decisions he or she makes, accepts responsibility, and recognizes that it takes a team to get anything done.  This is what leading from the front line is all about. Ask for suggestions and recognize great ideas. Encourage employee dialogue about ways to improve products, processes, and even service. If someone's idea leads to a positive result, make it known. Accept responsibility and give credit where and when it’s due. 

Whether you’re the leader of a fast food restaurant, billion dollar company, apartment community, or even a country, your ultimate success will more often than not depend on the mutual respect and care you consistently demonstrate for the people you lead. People are not interested in working for someone who just shouts orders daily, conducts annually performance evaluations, or clings to their cozy back office. They want a leader who will coach them by providing either direction or support as they seek to attain their personal work goals. They want a front line leader. 

Who is running your business?