It's all about the numbers, and that's a problem.
"They think that profit is a purpose," Author Lisa Mcleod says in response to The Motley Fool's Brendan Byrnes' question, "What are some of leadership's biggest mistakes?"
Lisa continues, quoting legendary business consultant Peter Drucker: "Profit is not the purpose of the business, but it is the test of its validity."
Specifically, the overemphasis on the numbers, at the expense of a narrative about the customers, is at the heart of it. This focus on the numbers over all else appears to be happening at Goldman Sachs (GS +4.24%) and Papa John's (PZZA +0.63%) right now.
There is a second mistake that sales leaders make: neglecting to get out in the field. This lack of exposure isolates management from the realities of what is happening between the organization and the customer. Great leaders, on the other hand, are in front of customers on a regular basis.
See more in the following interview video.
