I begin this post with the reality that I haven’t felt well the last few days. Multiple canker sores, a cold, and sinus issues had me tempted to rest and “work from home” today. But we had a 30th anniversary for one of our Plant Managers, so this was not really an option.
I decided to show up.
Here is what I discovered:
While I don’t want to bash “working from home,” its benefits are limited. Of course, you can get various tasks completed from home. Some argue that they are even more “productive” working from home. I think task-wise this is absolutely true, unless like me, you have a cute 2.5-year-old interrupting you!
Leading from home is a different story however.
Leadership is still about influence. Influence is earned face-to-face, listening, caring, and showing-up! Sending in a congratulatory email to our Plant Manager today would have sufficed if I had the Flu. But, when you have a cold, and some annoying oral pain, it is best to show up!
Showing up also leads to unexpected moments. Today, for instance, I found myself in the office of another Plant Manager shortly after the anniversary party. My role in this situation was to listen to some of the issues he was facing. We touched on various topics: scheduling, mold-changes, short-runs, etc., and I gained insight from our 30-minute conversation. This knowledge will help me become better at my job overseeing operations. In fact, I have actionable items from our time spent together.
This would not be so if I had been home today.
So, I am thankful I showed up today.
Grandpa would not have let a few minor health issues keep him from coming-in. So, neither should I.
Leaders, we need to suck-it-up and show up when we don’t feel well (unless we are really sick, and we all know the difference).
It is our job to set the example!