Leadership has always fascinated me, not because I have always had great leaders, but because I have always tried to learn from every one of them. My journey as a leader did not begin in a boardroom or at a conference table. It started years ago at Chick-fil-A, where I worked under one of my first leaders who taught me what it meant to care deeply about people while also expecting excellence. The pace was fast, the expectations were high, and I learned quickly that kindness and accountability could exist in the same space.
From there, I moved into the collections business, where the leadership style was very different. The environment was tough, competitive, and numbers driven. Even there, I made it my mission to learn from the leaders around me. Some led through pressure, while others led through example. I realized that even when I did not agree with a leader’s approach, there was always at least one thing I could take away and use to make myself better. During this time, I met a leader who taught me the importance of appreciation, recognizing someone’s effort and taking time to tell them so.
When I transitioned into banking, I worked with leaders who focused on process, compliance, and consistency. I learned the value of structure and discovered that doing things “by the book” did not have to mean being rigid. It could mean being reliable. It was here that I began to understand that leadership was not about who you managed; it was about how you showed up each day, building trust and caring about others.
For the last 11 years, I have had the privilege of working in the credit union industry, and this is where my leadership perspective truly matured. I have worked alongside leaders who have challenged me, encouraged me, and sometimes even frustrated me. In every case, I have grown. I have learned that being coachable is not about agreeing with everything your leader says. It is about being open enough to see value in their perspective, even when it is different from your own, and finding common ground when you can.
Two lessons stand out most from all these experiences. The first is to be kind, not nice. Being nice often means avoiding hard conversations. Being kind means you care enough to tell the truth, even when it is uncomfortable, because you want the other person to grow. That is real leadership. Most people do not enjoy tough conversations, but great leaders have them because they care about both people and performance.
The second lesson is that sales is like a relationship, and you can't effectively lead needs-based salespeople without understanding this. It is built on trust, communication, and consistency. I learned this lesson from my grandfather, although I did not realize it at the time. He told me one time when I asked about the secret to a long happy marriage..."son, you always have to treat her, like you're still trying to catch her". We should still be treating our existing members like we are still trying to catch them for the first time. Our leadership style and thoughts are shaped not only by the bosses we work for but also by the people in our personal lives who model integrity and care.
As you reflect on your own journey, think about your relationship with your leader. Ask yourself, what can I learn from this person? What parts of their leadership could make me better? And how can I stay open, coachable, and committed to growth?
That is what leadership is all about: learning from every experience and every person along the way while continuing to grow.
If you want to learn more about how ServiStar can help build trustworthy and confident leaders, please contact us today.