How Servant Leadership Drives Manufacturing Success for Lance Thrailkill & All Metals Fabricating

 

Servant leadership isn’t a new philosophy. It is, however, not the norm in business, especially in industries like manufacturing. Lance Thrailkill, CEO of All Metals Fabricating, has been using this leadership style for some time, seeing the benefits for the employees, himself, and the company.

“My job is to be a servant to everyone underneath me and position them to be successful at work, giving them the tools they need, and a comfortable environment to thrive,” Thrailkill said.

He learned servant leadership from his father and grandfather, neither of whom were familiar with the term.

“It was just part of who they were. A great story about my grandfather is that when he took over the company, he worked another job at night to make payroll. An employee who worked here at the time said he knew by this that my grandfather would take care of him,” he said.<

Servant leadership has its advantages and applies to even the manufacturing world.

“A lot of manufacturing is run with micromanaging. It’s an old school way of leading. We like to think we’re forward-thinking. People want to be trusted. When they are, they feel empowered,” Thrailkill noted.

This commitment to employees really being the heart of the company is also good for business. IndustryWeek recently named All Metals Fabricating as a 2019 Best Plants winner. Thrailkill said the award and the praise from the publication were humbling.

Leadership is also critical in times of uncertainty. Thrailkill spoke about how servant leadership has been a guide during COVID-19.

“We are an essential business, so we remained open. We wanted our workers to feel safe about working. So, we bonused them every day and provided PPE, antibody testing, and lunch for about six weeks,” he said.

The company’s commitment to servant leadership has made a substantial impact on all parties, leading to amazing success for their operations and employees. Listen along as host Daniel Litwin gets into the details of Thrailkill’s servant leadership in action.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

grid stability
Data Centers Are Emerging as Key Players in Grid Stability
March 22, 2025

As energy systems face increasing strain from rising demand and the transition to renewables, flexibility is becoming the new gold standard for grid reliability. Surprisingly, data centers—once seen solely as power-hungry infrastructure—are stepping up to meet the challenge. With the ability to rapidly reduce consumption or activate standby power during price spikes or grid emergencies,…

Read More
Small-Town America
The Power of Embracing Change in Small-Town America
March 22, 2025

As innovation spreads beyond urban centers, small towns are increasingly finding themselves at the forefront of economic transformation. Whether it’s a tech company setting up shop or a new industry planting roots, these shifts present a rare chance for rural communities to redefine their futures. But opportunity alone isn’t enough—it takes local leadership, a collaborative…

Read More
data centers
Embracing the Cold: A Smarter Path for Sustainable Data Centers
March 21, 2025

As the digital economy accelerates, so does the need for sustainable infrastructure to support it. Data centers, the engines behind our connected world, consume enormous amounts of energy—especially for cooling. Traditional methods rely heavily on electricity and water, straining both the environment and the bottom line. But companies like Applied Digital are reimagining what’s possible…

Read More
Ellendale AI Data Center
Applied Digital Ellendale AI Data Center: February 2025 Update
March 21, 2025

As AI and high-performance computing (HPC) continue to push technological boundaries, the demand for powerful, efficient infrastructure is more critical than ever. In February 2025, Applied Digital’s Ellendale AI Data Center marked significant progress in meeting that demand. The team announced that ELN02 has officially powered on its first lineup, a major step toward full-scale…

Read More