April 26, 2026
If the ideas inside your organization flow from top to bottom, you have a problem.
If my decades of business leadership taught me anything, it’s that those closest to the work know the most about it. At Tractor Supply Company, suggestions for improvement almost always started in the stores, then ran up through the distribution centers and finally, landed with our leadership team at the Store Support Center. For this reason, I recommend that all leaders consider how they might get closer to the work they support – in other words, get closer to the action.
In my professional career, I always did my best to stay engaged with the folks on the front lines. At Tractor Supply, buyers and executives were regularly inside our retail stores talking to salespeople and customers. Even a simple conversation can impact the future buying and operating decisions of an organization. And the learning opportunities do not have to start and end inside your own shop. Visit factories, distribution centers, any entity that touches the work you do. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of conversation these visits will inspire. What if we packaged it this way? What if we shipped it that way? Plus, there is a certain morale boost that comes from taking a team field trip with no agenda but to be curious.
Paying attention to your professional competitors is another method of staying close to the action. No matter the industry, you will forever have competitors who are just as interested as you are in innovating and improving. Make sure you have an awareness of what’s happening in your sector – not just inside your organization. Your company may be the best for now; but as long as your competitors keep innovating, it’s crucial that you do the same.
Attending trade shows and industry events is another way of keeping your finger on the pulse of your industry. Just by talking to your peers, you will send yourself down a learning path with the potential to produce amazing results. The most valuable experiences come with some amount of effort, though; be sure to listen carefully and ask the right questions. In any case, you are likely to learn more at your worst trade show than you are behind a desk.
As you grow in your leadership role, think carefully about how you plan your weeks. Ask yourself: “how much of my desk time could be delegated?” If you can reasonably off-load a quarter of your administrative burden, imagine how much more time you could spend on the ground with those closest to the action.
You cannot effectively run a business if you are distant from the work. You cannot advance positive change and hold credibility with those most affected if you sit behind a desk all the time. If you want to unlock your organization’s fullest potential, get close to the action!
published Nashville Business Journal
