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🌴248. The Day She Walked Straight Into the CEO’s Office
Today’s walk-and-talk episode is all about a brilliant story that came out of a Work Fame webinar I ran this week.
One of the participants shared how, in her very first week at a big multinational, she got asked to get a CEO’s signature. Instead of following “the process,” she simply went upstairs, knocked on the door, and asked directly. The CEO was delighted, signed the papers, and she came back down to a horrified manager asking, “How did you do that so fast?!”
This story lit me up for a few reasons:
- Unwritten rules vs. reality — Organizations are full of “you’re not supposed to” guidelines that aren’t actually rules. Question them. Test them. Sometimes the simplest path is the best.
- Hierarchy is often manufactured — People are just people. CEOs are humans too, and most of the time, they’re pleasant and willing to help if you approach them with respect.
- Horizontal vs. vertical relationships — Drawing from The Courage to Be Disliked, influence often comes when you see yourself shoulder-to-shoulder with others, not looking up at them. Peer relationships (even with senior leaders) create more influence than deferential, vertical ones.
Alan Weiss says it best: “We often walk around the block to get next door.” This story is a perfect reminder of that.
So today’s invitation: Where are you making things harder than they need to be because of unwritten “rules”? And what would happen if you just took the elevator to level 12?
Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.
Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:
- Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel:Â Let's energise your next event.
- Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.Â
Let's connect on all the channels:
Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn
Leanne Hughes on Instagram
Visit my website: leannehughes.com
Email me: [email protected]
Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.
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By Leanne HughesToday’s walk-and-talk episode is all about a brilliant story that came out of a Work Fame webinar I ran this week.
One of the participants shared how, in her very first week at a big multinational, she got asked to get a CEO’s signature. Instead of following “the process,” she simply went upstairs, knocked on the door, and asked directly. The CEO was delighted, signed the papers, and she came back down to a horrified manager asking, “How did you do that so fast?!”
This story lit me up for a few reasons:
- Unwritten rules vs. reality — Organizations are full of “you’re not supposed to” guidelines that aren’t actually rules. Question them. Test them. Sometimes the simplest path is the best.
- Hierarchy is often manufactured — People are just people. CEOs are humans too, and most of the time, they’re pleasant and willing to help if you approach them with respect.
- Horizontal vs. vertical relationships — Drawing from The Courage to Be Disliked, influence often comes when you see yourself shoulder-to-shoulder with others, not looking up at them. Peer relationships (even with senior leaders) create more influence than deferential, vertical ones.
Alan Weiss says it best: “We often walk around the block to get next door.” This story is a perfect reminder of that.
So today’s invitation: Where are you making things harder than they need to be because of unwritten “rules”? And what would happen if you just took the elevator to level 12?
Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.
Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:
- Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel:Â Let's energise your next event.
- Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.Â
Let's connect on all the channels:
Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn
Leanne Hughes on Instagram
Visit my website: leannehughes.com
Email me: [email protected]
Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.