True Leadership
March 9, 2007
Three weeks ago I was privileged to speak to Payless ShoeSource, the largest shoe retailer in the world, in Kansas City. During the time I was with them, I experienced the best example of true servant leadership I have ever encountered!
I was the closing keynote speaker for their annual leadership conference, and right after I finished, there were shuttles scheduled to take the attendees to the airport. At the end of my presentation, each attendee was given a copy of my book which I co-authored with Ken Blanchard, The Simple Truths of Service As Inspired by Johnny the Bagger. Even though they were supposed to get to the shuttles, many of the attendees stayed to have me sign their books.
Because I personalize each book that I sign, the lines take longer than when an author simply signs his or her name and the same short signature to everyone. After about 20 – 30 minutes of signing books, I glanced up to the next person in line and it was Steve, the Senior Vice President of Retail Operations! I could hardly believe that he had waited in line with all the other employees to have me sign his book. Not long after him, I realized the next person in line was Mike, who is Division Senior VP for Retail Operations, Northeast and
International.
This experience told me more about this wonderful company and its leaders than anything else they could have shared with me. The fact that their senior leaders would stand in line just like everyone else was a message about servant leadership that I will never forget. If you have a chance, I highly recommend that you purchase Payless stock. I have!
