This month, marks the start of a unique move for the executive leadership at MKS&H. They have decided to challenge themselves to look more deeply for opportunities for their teammates to grow and strengthen their careers within MKS&H.  The focus is on servant leadership. In brief, the approach fosters a better work environment by placing the needs of teammates before the leaders. When your teammates see personal opportunity in their career and are inspired to come to work every day, the company thrives, and delivering remarkable client service comes readily. Our discussions and brainstorming sessions surrounding Servant Leadership brought to mind a group of students I had the privilege of working with called “Little Bang.” These students inadvertently cultivated servant leadership within the organization I was working for at the time.

The philosophy of the executive leadership was for the company to give back to the community. We thought the best way to do this would be to start a mentoring program. Our vision was to make it a lasting experience and bring real value to the participants. We decided that our mentoring program would include 10 students starting in 8th grade. Sadly enough, what inspired us to choose that age was the reported dropout rate occurring at that time for children between 8th and 9th grade in Baltimore city. It was the second highest dropout rate behind the transition from 9th to 10th grade in the city’s high school system. Our goal was to help this small group of students graduate from middle school and see them all the way through to their graduation from high school.

We looked at a number of places, finally selecting a middle school in the Highlandtown area that looked like its students would greatly benefit from the program. We met with the principal and head counselor and told them what we had envisioned. They loved the idea and supported us in making it happen.

The program’s structure was simple. The students would come in once a month and work from 9- 3 p.m. A bus was provided to pick them up and drop them off. A strict schedule was to be followed and each student was assigned two mentors from within the company. As they learned the specific roles and responsibilities of their mentors, they had to transfer that knowledge to an assigned team project. The team project was to develop a product and take it to market. This was to be done over the five years they were in the program. In addition, a curriculum was created around strengthening the group’s general development. In these meetings we met to discuss “Life Lessons,” such as business etiquette, the importance of a resume, etc. We also incorporated speakers into the program from all walks of life, such as then Mayor Martin O’Malley, IBF Light Middleweight Champion, Vincent Pettway, Former Battalion Chief and Public Information Officer of the Baltimore City Fire Department, Hector Torres, and from the city police department Major Ruffino Garcia.

The first time the group met at our facility, the students were very quiet. They had spent most of the day with their department mentors and as a group brainstorming a team name. For a team name they decided upon “Little Bang,” appropriately chosen since the company at the time was called “Big Bang Products.” At the end of the day, I circled back with the newly formed Little Bang group to tell them a little more about myself and to see if they had any questions. I told them that I would be meeting with them each time they came in and recapped the value of participating in the program. In addition, I told them I would be there for them if they needed anything. From the back of the room, a young man by the name of Michael raised his hand. I called on him. “Mr. Gib, by anything do you mean, you will you come to my soccer game?” he asked. I told him I would make it if possible. Another hand shot up. A girl spoke up and asked, “Will you be there for our graduation from middle school?” Of course I’ll be there for your graduation and your mentors will be there too.

The questions were not in context of the situation; this was the group’s way of probing to see if I would be true to my word and if the company would really be committed to their development for such a long period of time. I could only image the countless times before when these students had been promised something and then let down. Through this small interaction it quickly became apparent, that for many, this would be their first experience of someone outside their circle of influence serving and supporting them.

Nevertheless, as the mentor group became established in our organization’s environment you could tell that the impact of serving was not only felt on the students but on the entire office. Each time the students were scheduled to come in, you could sense the excitement building. The mentors and teammates would be buzzing about the success of the children, what new information they were going to share with them, and how the group’s product project was coming along. The level of synergy it created was unexpected and deeply valuable for everyone. We were creating a culture of servant leadership through an uncommon source.

I look forward in future posts telling you about the great accomplishments of the Little Bang group and the impact it had on me as a leader and on our organization. But for today, I challenge you to take a moment and think about what you can do differently to better serve a teammate or your community as a business leader.