Servant Leadership | Letting Go of the Vine for Something of Greater Value
By: Meaghan Ziemba, Marketing Communications, MakingChips
2018 trends in manufacturing have forced many companies to refocus their business strategies to be more customer-focused and successful entering into 2019.
In the New Year, manufacturing leaders need to “let go of the vine”; in other words, they need to take on the necessary risks that will help the company grow and be successful. They have to take a leap of faith, embrace change, and take on a servant leadership role to maintain their competitive advantage.
At Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME), change provides us the ability to set our goals on something bigger and of greater value. It would not be possible for us to embrace change if servant leadership was not one of our core values.
Letting Go of the Vine, Taking a Leap of Faith
What does it mean to be a servant leader?
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
First, you have to let go of the vine-- let go of your ego.
Servant leadership is not about you, but everyone who works with you. Once you let go of your ego, you can start to understand and embrace the importance of all your employees.
“A servant leader is one who is very humble and encourages everyone to do the best they can do,” states Chris Rindels, Chief Mechanical Engineer at AME. “If everyone strives to do their best, then you can be the best company in your industry. It has to start with management leading by example.”
Self-centered leaders can be detrimental to a company’s success because they can sour the overall work environment with micro-management.
Servant leaders are open-minded, know their weaknesses, and admit their mistakes. They’re willing to learn and let go of the responsibilities they’ve outgrown so that others can use their skills to move the company forward.
Establishing Our Next Generation of Leaders
Servant leaders also provide the appropriate tools necessary for their employees to get better. They create opportunities for continual learning and growth so that our next generation of influencers can lead with confidence and integrity.
Effective leadership teams act as one, guiding and mentoring each individual towards greatness.
Through AME’s apprenticeship and internship programs, students work side-by-side with industry veterans. They gain hands-on experience while learning practical machining skills right on our factory floors. They are encouraged to use critical thinking to solve certain tooling challenges and share ideas that have the potential for future opportunities in manufacturing.
Servant leadership provides a platform for openness, transparency, and honesty--bringing some of the best ideas to the surface from the most unexpected places.
Read more about our Core Values