Ivory Tower

"Get out of your Ivory Tower and get to know your people. It is the only way you can know what is really happening in your department." - Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln often visited Generals in the field and had even been known to set up camp with his troops during battle.  He met with his Generals often, in their offices, their homes and in the field principally to provide leadership and direction but also to view first-hand and listen to all.  He did this so he could make informed, accurate decisions without having to rely solely on the word of others.

Lincoln is considered to be one of the nation's best leaders.

It is no different today.  In order for any business or team to succeed, you need good leaders.

Whether you are a principle in a school, a driver working with a crew or a dispatcher or department head, you must be in the mix of things and view the day to day in order to make positive suggestions and see who is doing their job and how you may lend positive change.

In one of Ken Blanchard's books, who is the author of The One Minute Manager and many other books on how to organize, coach and lead, he refers to those department heads or supervisors that just poke their heads in and reprimand as "swoop down managers".  They just swoop down, spew their negativity and then swoop away...leaving behind dejected employees in their wake.

Nothing really changes and nothing positive comes out of it.


The late Charles Campbell, owner of Studdard Moving in KS, was in the moving business for over five decades and right up to his last days he would wake up early and meet his crews before they left in the morning. He would go over their equipment with them and the information on their paperwork.
Charles "inspected what he expected" and stay involved.


So get out of your office, sit with your employees or visit your classes.  If you are a driver or a crew leader, watch how a packer or loader is doing their job.

Ask questions, help, and make suggestions.

Be part of the solution: teach, change and climb down from your Ivory Tower.