Here’s the Crazy Thing Mark Zuckerberg Plans to Do That Every CEO Should- Valutrics

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been known to undertake some interesting New Year’s resolutions. They’ve included only eating meat that he’s killed, learning Mandarin, and building a simple AI system for his home.

This year, Zuckerberg plans some extensive travel — even more than his usual schedule. He wants to talk to Facebook users in every state in the U.S., which is the company’s biggest source of ad revenue. It might sound like an attempt to whitewash controversy, like that of fake news sites getting oversized promotion, and that might be part of it.

But Zuckerberg has a history of interest in the experience of customers. This is a smart move that more CEOs should emulate.

Too many companies are run by executives who have lost touch with the majority of their customers — who don’t understand what they want and need and the pressures the feel. If nothing else, last year’s election results should have made that clear. There’s a giant gulf between business as usual and people.

It’s true for companies as well as government officials, and I’d argue that’s part of the attraction of the program Undercover Boss. We all know reality television isn’t actual reality. But there is some nagging itch that gets scratched when someone can see chief executives struggling with the basic activities of their companies and think, “It’s about time someone at the top found out what we all know.”

People love technology, use it all the time, but also fear it for good reasons. There’s the concern about the loss of privacy and worry that artificial intelligence and automation could wipe out millions of jobs without creating opportunities for replacements. Here’s what Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page:

Going into this challenge, it seems we are at a turning point in history. For decades, technology and globalization have made us more productive and connected. This has created many benefits, but for a lot of people it has also made life more challenging. This has contributed to a greater sense of division than I have felt in my lifetime. We need to find a way to change the game so it works for everyone. My work is about connecting the world and giving everyone a voice. I want to personally hear more of those voices this year. It will help me lead the work at Facebook and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative so we can make the most positive impact as the world enters an important new period.

Zuckerberg says that as he’s already spent extensive time in 20 states, he’ll need to get to 30 more this year. That’s a trip every other week.

Not only does the plan sound good and fit into what I think is Zuckerberg’s real interest in trying to help improve the world, but it’s smart business. The more you know about customers, the more effective your strategy is likely to be. Your products and services will be better. No company has ever lost money by knowing too much about their customers.

Whether there’s a PR element in this or not is immaterial. Even if he didn’t want to, Zuckerberg would be likely to learn more about people and the issues they have. When you head the biggest social network in the world, that’s smart and good.