Offices design today is more likely have an open plan than a maze of walls and doors. Still, the idea of the “corner office” as a seat of power and leadership endures.
Which brings me to my favorite column in my favorite daily read: Adam Bryant’s weekly “Corner Office” column in the Sunday Business section of the New York Times. For several years Bryant has been asking CEOs a series of simple yet powerful questions to unlock the ways they think, communicate, hire and lead. Corner Office is particularly focused on the interpersonal aspects of leadership, which are where most people face their most difficult challenges in the workplace. Leaders of companies and organizations are invariably skillful at communicating their ideas, asking great questions, hiring the right talent (and firing, when needed), and negotiating for shared success.
As an Entrepreneur Coach, I get to work with creative and driven leaders who have the confidence to take big risks as they bring their ideasinto the world. Entrepreneurs start out in the corner office … even when they are the only person in the room(!). I am consistently impressed that most entrepreneurs – while confident taking risks and doing things their own way – are equally committed to learning from others. They lean on advisors, colleagues, employees, books, articles and videos to find guidance and ideas that help them think and act smarter. I often recommend that they make Corner Office a part of their weekly diet. So I’ll make the same recommendation to you: Check out Corner Office, and enjoy the view.