From Lipstick On A Pig by Torie Clarke:
The higher one makes it in the corporate or public 
world, the more tenuous the grip on reality. That's a problem. I think every CEO should try to interact with real people as often as possible. Attend focus groups of actual customers at least once a year, preferably more, and hear what real people have to say about your product. Don't just read the analyses of highly paid consultants who may or may not want to deliver the honest assessment if it's a harsh one.
The importance of human contact will never change, unlike information technologies, which evolve constantly. And the change is so fast, it's impossible to say which tool will work and when five or ten years from now. But the best principles will remain the same.
