The Ability to Lead from Summit or Basecamp | Accelerate Success with Lorraine Moore

A skilled leader stands at the summit and inspires others to traverse what may be a treacherous path to join him or her. He or she identifies the obstacles that may be encountered along the trail while providing encouragement and a sense of urgency. If you are fortunate, you have worked for one of these leaders. Visionary CEOs include Vittorio Colao, CEO of UK based Vodafone, Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, and Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever.

CEOs who can lead from the basecamp retain an understanding and appreciation of the dynamics at the frontline of the organization. They stay attuned to the customer experience.

At Amazon, CEO Jeff Bezos frequently requests that a chair is left empty at meetings to represent the voice of the customer. Amazon captures an extensive amount of data and fosters innovation by encouraging frontline staff to experiment with changes to shopping carts, and so on. Zara is a Spanish retailer who gathers both qualitative and quantitative data from their stores on a daily basis. Store staff are expected to converse with customers and seek out their opinions on how products could be improved. Zara attributes this regular and ongoing data gathering to bottom line results; their failed product introductions are almost 9 per cent less than the industry average and they produce nearly 10 times as much product as their largest competitors.

When leading from basecamp as well as from the summit Jeff Bezos and Amancio Ortega contribute positively to the bottom line. This is evident in their sustained financial performance. Their actions and practices contribute to policies that empower and motivate employees throughout the organization. Their behavior contributes to the folklore and storytelling that is a hallmark of organizations with a strong culture. Customer service is favorably impacted.

What’s your elevation? Basecamp, summit, or on the climb?

For more on leading from summit or basecamp, pick up a copy of my book, The 360 Degree CEO: Generating Profits While Leading and Living with Passion and Principles. Elevate your leadership performance by learning from some of the best. Order your copy from Amazon!

My clients accelerate their results – increasing profitability, leadership performance, innovation, and accountability. I would love to discuss how I might help you thrive and contribute to your overall success. Contact me today.

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