Servant Leadership: The Key to Success

As the President of CrossMarc Services (www.crossmarcservices.com), I have seen my share of business failures and successes. On the second episode of Crossman Conversations CEO Edition, I had the pleasure of bringing Rodney Keys onto the show, who embodies the importance of servant leadership and its correlation to a successful business. I have known Keys for around twenty years, and he has always demonstrated that the CEO’s job goes beyond delegating and collecting money.

Keys is the President of the Keys Group, and the owner of several Fazoli’s franchises, Orlando International Airport establishments, and the Kissimmee Popcorn Company. Rodney’s father, Brady Keys Jr., started the Keys Group in 1967 after he played professional football. Since then, they have employed 150,000 youths and were ranked several times by Black Enterprise as one of the nation’s 100 top black-owned businesses.

I asked Keys what the secret to his family’s success has been in running a large company. He responded that he and his family strive to be frequently involved in all their enterprises.

“You can't just collect the money and expect people to do it right. You have to be in your stores. I have to go to my facilities, I have to make breadsticks, and I have to expedite the food to get it to the lobby. I have to show my employees how to engage with the guest,” Keys explains. “When we bought the popcorn company, my brother Brady, who's our V.P. of Operations, had to make popcorn, and learn how to make caramel. My advice is, whatever you're going to do, you have to be in that business more than everybody else.”

Keys discusses building a company culture that nurtures employees and trains them to treat a restaurant like their house. Keys also highlights the importance of investing in the future by hiring a youth for the first time and celebrating his or her victories in life.

You can hear more on Rodney Keys’ story and advice on running a successful business here: https://www.theshepherdradio.com/podcasts/the-crossman-conversation-ceo-edition/episode/s1e02-rodney-keys-ceo-and-a-top-level-food-service-entrepreneur-shares-on-the-keys-to-success/

Previously, on Crossman Conversations CEO Edition, Craig Ustler and I discussed the importance of thriving businesses in The City Beautiful. You can hear Ustler discuss the future of Orlando’s downtown and how it can be improved here: https://www.theshepherdradio.com/podcasts/the-crossman-conversation-ceo-edition/episode/s1e01-urban-developer-craig-ustler-is-johns-guest-on-the-debut-of-the-ceo-edition/

John Crossman is the founder of Crossman Career Builders, the host of The Crossman Conversation, and the author of Career Killers Career Builders. Check out Crossman Career Builders on YouTube. Connect with John on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.