In a recent Fortune article, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon didn’t mince words: “Get out of the office and into the real world.” It wasn’t just a throwaway line—it was a reminder to leaders everywhere that real insight, real influence, and real leadership don’t come from behind a desk. They come from the trenches.
Dimon was making a larger point about understanding the competitive landscape. He warned executives that they risk falling behind if they stay siloed in their corporate bubbles, only paying attention to headlines and PowerPoints. “Go talk to your clients. Go look at your competitors. Go see what people are doing. Don’t just read about it in the newspaper,” he said.
This hit home for me—not just because it’s solid advice—but because it speaks to something I’ve seen time and time again in nonprofit leadership: the leaders who actually show up, who roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, are the ones who build the most trust and earn the most loyalty.
As I’m writing my first book, Too Good to Ignore, I’m thinking about this idea through a different lens: don’t just lead from above—lead from within. The leaders who stand shoulder to shoulder with their teams, especially when things are chaotic or uncertain, send a powerful message: You’re not in this alone. And that message resonates more deeply than any motivational quote or staff memo ever could.
When You’re in the Trenches, You See Things Others Miss
There’s a tactical advantage to being present. Whether it’s shadowing a frontline staff member, sitting in on a youth program, or joining a community meeting unannounced, leaders gain more in an hour of field time than they often do in a month of reports. You start to notice things that aren’t making it into your inbox—small inefficiencies, culture shifts, or great ideas that no one felt confident enough to email you about.
Presence breeds insight. And insight leads to smarter decisions. But there’s something else at play too.
Don’t Let Your Team Fight Alone
When a leader is visibly present—not just during celebrations but during challenges—it changes how the team operates. People feel braver. They stretch further. They feel seen.
I remember walking into a center during a particularly hectic after-school dismissal. The site was short-staffed, the noise was at full volume, and the vibe was shifting between organized chaos and actual chaos. I didn’t pull the manager into a conference room to debrief. I jumped in—held a classroom door open, helped a kindergartener with their coat, chatted with a parent about their concerns. It wasn’t about the tasks. It was about sending a signal: “I see you. I’m with you.”
That moment mattered more than any policy update I could’ve sent that week.
Lead Like You Want to Be Followed
Leadership isn’t about your title. It’s about your posture. The best leaders I know don’t act like they’re above the work—they’re embedded in it. Not every day. Not every hour. But often enough that their team knows they understand it. And more importantly, they respect it.
So here’s my advice to any manager, director, or VP reading this: don’t just manage from the balcony. Get on the floor. Show up unannounced. Ask real questions and listen without fixing. Spend an afternoon shadowing your team. It’s not just good for morale—it’s good leadership. You can’t lead what you don’t understand.
And if you’re wondering how to fit that into your overloaded calendar, start small. Block one hour a week to be in the field, no agenda. Let your team see that your leadership isn’t just theoretical—it’s personal.
Dimon said it best: get into the real world.
