Top Management - Forgotten to lead from the front? The bane of the cozy corner room.

I have been bitten by a “reading history”, bug. Something has provoked my interest in Indian Medieval history of late, and why not? Isn't it true that "the one who forgets history is condemned to repeat it?”

In a passage in it, there is a narration of the life of an Afghan raider of the Sur clan, later to be known as Sher Shah Suri. His conquest and expansive reign was short lived, 1540-45. What is interesting here is that in the 5 years when he was king from his fort in Chunnar, Sher Shah defeated Humayun the great Mughal twice, and the latter barely  escaping with his life, but with the great Kohinoor Diamond!

But finally, Sher Shah in his attempt to capture the fort of Klinjar in Rajasthan, died at the battle front when a rocket rebounded off the wall of the fortress and landed on a pile of ammunition, which exploded to badly burn and char the Afghan. He was a departure from many of the other kings, in  being constructive for the lower strata of people. He reorganized the administration and weeded out corruption from the army ranks (poor man didn't have an Anna then), and many other acts that are admirable. But a raider and looter he remained.

I think in terms of today I wonder how many of the leaders - CEOs, Presidents, VPs, go to  face the gunpowder? How many come down the ladder to the front end staff to understand, empathize, absorb, and act? They need to come down not only to empathize , but to align to what is "on the ground", and what the employee is saying, thinking and serving the consumer. High level decision making, we see happening without a full understanding of consumer speak. Once an individual reaches top-management, he is sucked into other shareholder priorities. I have seen insular decisions made all the time.

I know of only one retailer who does, and it shows in his business.

This is true of all businesses, where the cozy corner room removes the decision makers a long way away from reality. That is unwise for any business. Sam Walton again stands out, for this obsession with being in close contact with the front end associates. Who is our Sam Walton?