5 Examples of Leadership Success in Troubled Times

Dealing with some rough times? Seeking some inspiration and perhaps a lesson or two in how to get through it all? Then consider the examples below...

I recently attended the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership’s Annual International Conference (http://www.greenleaf.org/annualconference ). This conference is the largest annual gathering for business professionals, thought-leaders and authors interested in leading through service first. When I returned, Warren Hunsberger (http://leadersheart.blogspot.com), founder of Leader’s Heart asked, “What do you think was the most impacting take away?” The key theme was loud and clear: in troubled times, the best way to lead is to serve.

Below I highlight 5 outstanding examples from the conference where servant leaders successfully navigated troubled times. These executives led with a servant’s heart, steering their struggling organizations by focusing on how they can better serve those they lead. As you face your leadership challenges, look at these examples as inspiration for business success in troubled times:

1) Principled Leadership Turns Around a Struggling company at SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance
2) Proof a Business Unit Can be Successful in Any Circumstances at a Delphi Manufacturing Plant
3) Recognizing the Benefits of a Long-Term Focus at Toro Corporation
4) Employee Engagement Delivers Financial Success at TDIndustries
5) Becoming an Industry Leader by Focusing on the People at Starbucks

1. Principled Leadership Turns Around SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance

When Vicki Pryor accepted leadership responsibility of this troubled company in 1999, she was told that most employees would need to be terminated. The company had a massive shortage of resources. In fact, most employees did not even have computers. Pryor explained many principles she used in her values-based, servant leadership during the turnaround of SBLI, some of these principles included:

• Recognize that what servant leaders must do today, is set an example
• Embrace that our beliefs are not enough, we must act on them
• Courageously (bring together the team) in a spirit of community to serve each other

One way in which Pryor herself set a good example was by saying she would not hesitate to fire an officer of the company for disrespecting employees at any level. In addition, she said that politics and back stabbing was not permitted in the organization. The policy at SBLI was clear: if an employee is caught doing either once, they are warned, caught doing it twice and Pryor said they would be “out the door”.

Measurable Success from Servant Leadership in Troubled Times:
Through their perseverance and servant leadership, Pryor and the SBLI staff were able to retain 90% of those individuals the board originally told Vikki she would need to fire. The company that was in such a dire state in 1999 is now a $1.4 Billion company spanning 49 states, financially empowering their customers everywhere. There were 77 employees at that time, but the organization has now grown to more than 200. In fact, SBLI was even voted one of the top 50 companies to work for in NYC.

2. Proof a Business Unit Can Be Successful in Any Conditions at a Delphi Manufacturing Plant

When Tom Green and Mary Miller were in charge of the Delphi brake manufacturing plant scheduled for closure in two years, their greatest concern was safety. Wouldn’t the quality and safety slip, now that the staff were distracted and knew they would eventually be out of a job? By practicing servant leadership during the shutdown period they actually created a profitable, successful business unit. Green and Miller followed three principles:

• Listen, don’t talk;
• Ask, “What do
  
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