I want to share a simple idea. It sounds almost obvious, but it can be surprisingly powerful.
I call it: Everybody Knows Betty.
I was working with a hospital and asked a group of frontline staff a simple question. If the CEO walked in, would you recognize him?
Most people couldn’t say for sure.
Same with other senior leaders.
But when I asked about the Head of Nursing, the response was immediate.
“Oh yeah. Everybody knows Betty.”
Why?
Because she was there. On the floor. Talking with people. Listening. Showing up in ways that didn’t inconvenience others — only herself.
She was visible. Human. Accessible.
And because of that, she had something many leaders don’t.
Trust.
That didn’t mean people always agreed with her. But they listened. And she listened back. That’s a different kind of influence.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll talk more about this idea. What it really points to is something deeper — what I call level three support or resistance.
It’s not about what people say in meetings. It’s about what they feel when you walk into the room.
- Do they trust you?
- Do they believe you understand them?
- Do they see you as someone worth listening to?
Those answers shape everything.
I’m curious what you’ve seen. Have you worked with a “Betty”? Or have you been one?
Please leave a comment over on LinkedIn. That’s a place where everybody can read it and join the conversation.
About the Author, Rick Maurer
