The previous CEO had been a man of metrics and mandates. He spoke in quarterly projections and viewed employees as overhead. Marcus, however, viewed them as the heartbeat. He spent his first month doing "The Rounds." He didn't ask about productivity; he asked about their kids, their hobbies, and the biggest "pebble in their shoe" at work.
The board of directors panicked. They demanded layoffs to protect the margin. Marcus refused. Instead, he called an all-hands meeting. He didn't stand on a stage; he stood in a circle with the staff. Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, ...
They didn't do it for the company; they did it for Marcus, and they did it for each other. The previous CEO had been a man of metrics and mandates