I still remember the call with the Groupon UK CEO, just as I had been named the India CEO
The call was brief. Congratulations, a few pieces of advice and an ending remark
“Call me whenever you feel like. It’s lonely at the top”
I didn’t make much of the last remark. Because I never thought it would be true for me. And it still isn’t.
I love my colleagues, speak to them everyday on things beyond work, have vacationed with them. And share a wonderful chemistry.
But what I crave for – is to hear from my customers and employees.
Honest, unfiltered feedback.
I get 100+ emails everyday from customers and reply to each of them. Mostly are to solve their problems. Very few are sharing ideas, experiences, their life. I love receiving those. Have made a few friends as well.
I get 5-10 emails a week from employees. Mostly offering terrific ideas. But in a 240+ group, it’s lonely not to get more.
I feel loneliness at a different level.
It’s driven by knowing the fact that people are perhaps intimidated to reach me because of my fancy title. That they feel it’s not worth my time. Or I won’t respond
And then I read this today
http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/09/tips-for-cold-emailing-intimidatingly-powerful-people/
It’s beautifully summarized as follows
Too many people are afraid to write. Do it some time and see what happens. Just ask: What’s the worst thing that can happen? And: What’s the best thing?
The top is lonely. And scary.
Make it less so for me! :)
Nice article, Ankur. It’s not often that we see a CEO touch upon this topic. I Came across this TED talk a few months ago:
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability
Vulnerability is an underestimated but valuable Human trait that allows for developing real connections and relationships.
Thanks a lot for your comment Joel. This TED talk is definitely one of my fav ones
I have never shied away from mailing you whenever I had something to say/share, and I will definitely continue to do so. I genuinely believe that you are extremely approachable as a boss and that’s an absolutely wonderful quality.
Thanks Sahil – always appreciated your candidness in thought.
This is a wonderful post. Not always do we see managers or people on top being so open to talk. Much worse is putting up the ‘I am so busy, I don’t have time for this’ face.
Maybe because they try to be a leader rather than getting it naturally or learning leadership genuinely. And also they don’t realise that the 2 minutes you spend with your employee can also be great mentorship.
Mentorship again should be revealing the boss’s experience and learnings rather than giving a speech.
Great post. Couldn’t stop reading your blog and reflecting on each and every line and getting inspired by it.
I learnt it the hard way, Soumya. But I am glad I eventually did :)