Be present and be visible. That is a lesson many leaders could learn from the U.S. President. Before hurricane Sandy hit the eastern seaboard, the President was visible in publicly discussing the preparation actions being taken to help mitigate the storm’s effects.
After the hurricane hit, the President was present to review the damage, and was again highly visible in explaining how state and federal agencies were working together to assist those in need. Some political commentators are even suggesting that these actions by the President swung enough undecided voters to clinch the election.
Regardless of a person’s political convictions, the lesson any leader can, and should, take to heart is to be present and visible both on a day-to-day basis and during challenging times. In business, many front-line employees rarely see their leaders unless it is once a year during some type of all-hands meeting. Those leaders who are most in-touch with what their employees and their customers are thinking – the leaders who are present and visible – will have what it takes to prevail in tough times.
