Ex-Apple board member reveals the word he never wants to hear from employees: 'No one can...'

Mickey Drexler held a seat on Apple’s board of directors from 1999 to 2015.

At 80, Mickey Drexler can boast of being the chairman of clothing brand Alex Mill, former CEO of Gap and J.Crew Group, and a former board member of Apple. But when asked about his relationship with his employees, Drexler had something particular to share: he does not like being addressed formally as "mister".

Speaking during a LinkedIn interview, he said he would rather have colleagues and employees address him by his first name, like a regular person.

“No one can call me ‘mister.’ I don’t care who it is,” Drexler said recently, adding that the title goes against his leadership philosophy of being on the same level as the people he works with and those around him. “Even in restaurants, I [tell people to call me] Mickey, that’s it. I want them to feel not beneath me.”

Drexler emphasised he’s no different from the average employee — a perspective he believes more executives should embrace. While the demands of running a company can be all-consuming, he says staying connected with colleagues is a crucial element of strong leadership.

″You have to connect to the team. You can’t be in your ivory tower... You don’t learn in a bureaucracy [or] in an office,” he said. The veteran also noted that he doesn’t like the “bad connotation” of the name “CEO.”

Drexler boasts an extensive list of accomplishments in the apparel industry, including revitalizing Ann Taylor, transforming Gap into a $14 billion giant, and founding successful brands such as Old Navy and Madewell. He also held a seat on Apple’s board of directors from 1999 to 2015.