USA TODAY International Edition
A CEO amid workers sits well with boss
Over the past seven years, I’ve watched my business, SquareFoot, a commercial real estate company that helps other growing companies find their next office space, grow from a handful of people in a cramped space to more than 50 employees filling rows of desks at our new offices.
We liked our old space in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, but we outgrew it. We moved to our new spot, nine blocks north, at the end of April, to better accommodate the team now and long- term.
My consistent aim throughout all of this growth has been that I remain at the center of the organization. I’ve entrusted valuable executives and employees to help expand our business – and they report back to me what I need to know – yet I remain curious about what’s happening throughout the office. So I made the decision to sit where the team is – right in the middle of the office.
This was a decision I made well before I was even the CEO of my own business, after seeing early on in my career a senior manager who sat on the floor with the rest of the employees. I decided then that when it was my turn to lead a team, I’d go that direction.
When we were a smaller team in tighter quarters, the impact of this decision was harder to measure. But since we got our bigger space a few months ago, with more room to spread out, I’ve noticed more people are coming by to see me and ask me questions as they go about their days. I am thrilled when my employees come seek me out.
This practice has paid dividends. It helps me understand the day- to- day activity of our business. For instance, we have a team of brokers working on deals. Since every deal is different from the next, they will occasionally have questions about how to handle a negotiation or a specific need. Once they spot me sitting nearby, they are more likely to come over.
I’ve been working in the commercial real estate industry for more than a decade, and I’m happy to be able to help junior members of the team find their footing. Providing mentorship to
ROBERT DEUTSCH/ USA TODAY
them is important to me, and I’m always open to opportunities to chip in or chime in.
The challenging part is making sure that I convey accessibility and that I am approachable to my staff, and that nobody perceives me as the principal listening in or watching close by. That’s not a simple task. I attend company social events such as monthly happy hours and our book club so the team knows I’m invested. I view the location of my desk as an extension of my commitment to making myself one of the many people who work here.
Other CEOs might be concerned with the lack of privacy . For me, working on confidential matters can be resolved by either booking a conference room or working remotely.
In addition to valuable business information I get through organic conversations, I’ve found that I’ve gotten to know my team better. I want my team to take their work seriously, but I also want them to be comfortable being themselves. And I believe that starts with me and where I elect to sit.