To be a great leader, you need to truly believe you are there for your team, and not the other way around. It’s called Servant Leadership. And very few people understand and have lived the principles of servant leadership as intentionally and as deeply as today’s guest.
Phil Sponsler has spent more than 20 years as a driving force for continuous improvement while building teams at Orbitform. In one of the first episodes of The Clarity Advisors Show, he and host Ken Trupke talked about servant leadership. Phil’s wisdom and insights were so valuable that we’re sharing them again in today’s show.
Timestamps
(02:59): Some of the lessons from Phil’s twenty-two years at Orbitform
(04:39): “Do’s and don’ts” of having people feel safe
(06:49): Eighteen years of improvements to make Orbitform a secure place to work
(08:29): How to cascade processes down through an entire organization
(12:17): Creating and selecting mid-level leaders with high levels of courage to do the right things
(15:25): Stratospheric results come from having leaders, mentors, and mentees aligned with the organization’s purpose and values
(16:51): Pivoting the organization, introducing new products, and thriving during the pandemic
(25:15): Phil’s best advice to young leaders on how to think about, build, and grow their team
(26:44): Fundamental books people need to read if they want to become a leader
Episode Quotes
“Leadership is something that has to be cultivated and grown, and great leaders end up providing safety and security for their folks.” (Phil)
“We are all human beings, so the team is built of human beings, not robots.” (Phil)
“Being a leader, you have to have a high level of courage to do the right things.” (Phil)
“You have to grow your mind.” (Phil)
“Everybody talks about having a networking process. Be somebody that people want to network with you.” (Phil)
Recommended reading
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
- We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway
- The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
- The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
- Leading Jesus’ Way by Mark Deterding
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
Follow/Connect with Phil Sponsler
- psponsler@orbitform.com
- Phone: 517-206-8217
- Phil Sponsler on LinkedIn
