Listen and Learn

Anyone who is involved in management in any company should read John F. Lawrence’s April 27 column (“Bosses Should Try Harder to Lend an Ear”) at least four times a year. As one becomes more successful, one can easily believe in his own omnipotence and omniscience. This addiction can only be fed by isolation from all of those other than the usual “yes” men who are always available to those in a leadership position. In our company, top executives regularly lunch with top salespeople. We let them know that we are not interested in what they like about the company, but what can be done to improve it. We also visit two offices each week and rap with individual salespeople.

I believe top executives who practice these methods will learn a lot that they never would have known about their own company.

Also, the mere fact that they made an appearance, and listened to some of the gripes, will make their employees feel better--even in cases of gripes which are not justified.

FRED SANDS

President, Fred Sands Realtors