Leadership People First Story: The Lesson from Lou
This Leadership People First Story takes me back to my time at Staples.
I met Louis when we were both running e-commerce operations. I managed Southern California — the largest facility in the network — and he managed the smaller Northern California site. For context, my operation was about four times the size of his. Bigger team, bigger budget, bigger pressure.
My background was in engineering, and I was obsessed with numbers.
Productivity, accuracy, damage rate, housekeeping score, safety metrics — everything was measured, tracked, and reviewed.
No accidents. No excuses.
The message was clear: numbers don’t lie.
At that stage, I was a new director, hungry to prove myself. I didn’t just want to run a building — I wanted to run the best building.
Every morning, we held quick huddles. Every week, a one-hour metrics review. I had more graphs on my walls than art. It was all about measurable excellence.
Then one day, my boss asked me to visit Stockton to spend a few days with another director, Lou Holtkamp.
The Visit
Lou’s operation was maybe a quarter the size of mine. I figured it would be a good chance to “share best practices.” Honestly, I was looking forward to mentoring him.
When I met Lou, he wasn’t what I expected. Oversized glasses. A sweater that looked straight out of a 1980s yearbook. Soft-spoken, almost awkward.
He didn’t radiate command presence — but there was something calm and genuine about him. His people clearly liked him.
After some small talk, I told him I’d like to walk the floor and review his layout — to help him “see what’s possible.”
He smiled, nodded, and we headed out.
We had barely taken 30 steps before Lou stopped to talk with one of his order pickers.
Five minutes passed. They were laughing, talking about the employee’s daughter and her first softball game.
A few minutes later, it happened again. Then again. And again.
Every few aisles, Lou would stop, talk, listen, laugh, and shake hands.
It wasn’t performative. It wasn’t for my benefit.
He knew every person’s name, their story, their challenges, and what mattered to them outside of work.
By the fourth stop, I was irritated. I had flown up to teach him something — but it felt like he was wasting my time.
The Why
When we finally made it back to his office, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Lou,” I said, “why do you waste so much time talking to your employees? I get saying hello, but ask about their families, their kids — don’t you think that’s a bit much? We have numbers to hit.”
Lou smiled calmly, unshaken. He leaned back, looked at me, and said:
“Jim, you lead with the numbers. I lead with the people.
The numbers will always follow the people — they just don’t follow you yet.”
That line changed everything.
Lesson Learned
That day changed how I understood leadership.
I realized Lou’s people didn’t just work for him — they worked with him.
They showed up for him because he showed up for them.
I had spent months chasing metrics, building dashboards, and tightening processes. But Lou was building something I hadn’t yet learned to measure: trust, respect, and commitment.
Over time, I noticed something else — his “small” building consistently outperformed expectations.
Not because of systems or strategy.
Because of culture.
That was the day I learned the most important leadership equation of all:
People → Performance → Profit
Get it in the wrong order, and nothing works.
Get it right, and the numbers take care of themselves.
If you’re reading this, Louis, I love you.
Leadership Takeaway
Leading people is more than tracking metrics — it’s about building relationships that create results.
You can buy efficiency, but you can’t buy loyalty.
You can train performance, but you have to earn trust.
When leaders prioritize people first, numbers become a byproduct of belief.
Internal Links
External Links
FAQ Section – Leadership People First Story
Q: What is people-first leadership?
A: People-first leadership focuses on building relationships, trust, and culture before chasing results — understanding that performance follows engagement.
Q: Why do people-first leaders succeed?
A: Because teams that feel valued outperform teams that simply follow instructions. Trust fuels accountability, and accountability fuels performance.
Q: How can I lead with people first?
A: Spend time listening. Know your team’s stories. Recognize effort before results. Lead with empathy, and let numbers follow naturally.
