I don't care how high up the corporate ladder you are, if your making decisions that impact the everyday worker than you should be able to step into their shoes from time to time to remind you how your restructuring, budgeting etc effect their work lives.
I don't think CEOs, VPs or any other upper level managers understand how their lower level employees days go. This goes across the board for most jobs. They make changes at the executive level that impact everyone without careful consideration of their employees.
In a world run by the idea of profit this viewpoint probably will stay a pipe dream of mine especially in the US but I think a good CEO or VP would benefit from doing the hard work every now and then just to keep things in perspective. At least go undercover boss for a few days haha