As the Senior Vice President of Operations and Transportation for FedEx Freight, Gary W. Bouch faced a life changing vision of leadership, and unlike many executives, did something. The result would be a leadership environment called “People First,” the design of an experiential learning model that can be measured, engaged the workforce, and did prove positive results. The FedEx Freight story is a good example of how even a very successful company has the potential to lose their values because of success, and a merger, unless a senior leader takes ownership of consistently and repetitively championing the values. It is a story of personal courage, meaning, corporate political risk, how values are operationalized and measured, and a story of how powerful values can be resonating deeply inside of people. It is also a reminder that leadership is hard work, that leadership and putting people first is an everyday job, and that success can bring complacency unless it is countered by leadership.

History

October 25, 1982, was the birth of what would become the nation's leader in less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation. Sheridan Garrison started the operations of Arkansas Freightways by opening twenty centers with next-day transit times in mind. The industry laughed at Sheridan (he preferred first names), saying, “He must be crazy.” After a very short time of operations, the competition's tone changed from laughter to pensive concern. “How is he doing this?” At the time, Sheridan would answer that in some very concise statements: “If you are going to be successful in this business, it is all about people.”