This story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers – it’s also about knowing where to listen and what questions to ask.
This story, shared by Niven Postma, a partner that we work with at TomorrowToday, highlights exactly the kind of leadership shift we explore in our Building a Bionic Business framework – where technology amplifies human insight, but where every voice truly has the potential to drive transformation.
Here’s the story that Niven shared over on LinkedIn:
Last week, I told a group of executives a story that has profoundly shaped my beliefs about leadership.
It happened years ago when a very successful businesswoman told me about a time she had handed over the day-to-day running of her company to an acting CEO while she devoted herself full time to her son’s care.
One day, after leaving her weekly meeting with the CEO, one of her cleaning ladies came up to her and said she wanted to show her something. The owner followed this woman into the warehouse and as she entered, immediately realised that there was a serious problem. Wherever she looked, inventory was piled up in ways that bore no relation to the spreadsheets she had just been shown.
In a nutshell, the business was in serious trouble, and she had no choice but to step in to bring her company back from the brink. She managed to do so and after selling it for a small fortune a few years later, remained very clear on one thing: That cleaning lady had saved her company.
I’ve never forgotten what else she said: None of us can ever predict where our next best piece of advice is going to come from…
In a world that’s becoming increasingly automated, we believe the organisations that will thrive are those that stay deeply human at their core.
That’s the essence of building a bionic business: merging the best of human creativity and intuition with the power of technology.
📥 Curious how this applies to your team or organisation?
Our Building Bionic Businesses keynote or workshop could be just what you’re looking for.
Contact us if you’d like more information on how we can help your leaders and teams thrive in the decade ahead.
About Niven Postma
Niven is a leadership, strategy, and culture consultant who works with organisations around the world to unlock human potential and build enabling cultures. She’s an expert in organisational politics and author of the bestselling book If You Don’t Do Politics, Politics Will Do You. A world-class storyteller and keynote speaker, Niven shares daily insights on leadership, culture, and power dynamics over on LinkedIn.