"Cool", I said. "What are you noticing different?"
"It's weird. The CEO doesn't expect me to really DO anything. But I better be able to communicate what is going on in my area in just a few words and speak clearly to the end results."
"It sounds like you're being pushed a bit?"
"Well yeah. I've always been measured by what I personally got done. Now, I just make sure that an awful lot is accomplished, and more importantly I've got to be able to wrap it all up in a sound bite!"
"So, how's it working for you?"
"At first it was very uncomfortable. Now, I'm learning that my job is really more about listening and asking good questions. I used to think I had to answer all the questions to be valuable. It's a shift."
And that's the difference between a producer (or an "operator", or "the front end") and an executive. Producers get things gone. Executives hold all the tension in an organization, all the risk, the biggest picture. Executives ask good questions, communicate clearly, and make things happen.
Onward!
V
