The linked article below includes an interview with Martijn de Lange, CEO of parcel delivery firm Hermes UK, in which he refers to the human aspects of being a managing director.

I know – nothing to do with running an accountancy firm!

However, the idea resonated with me following a recent meeting of the Managing Partners Inner Circle, which we host, where several managing partners were talking about that headline question – what exactly does the job of a managing partner involve?

With teams of between 30 and 70 people, these managing partners were seeking insight, clarity and confirmation that they were on the right track.

All agreed that they were responsible for the strategic direction of their respective firms.

All also agreed that they were ultimately responsible for process and people improvement across their firms – although others might have the responsibility of implementing those improvements.

What struck me about this brief article was learning how the simple human touch should sit with every managing partner.

“There’s value in walking the floor,” says Hermes UK CEO Martijn de Lange.

Here’s the article in Management today – you’ll have to register to read it, but I think it brings to life the value of the human touch.