Servant Leadership Replaces Command-and-Control in Trucking Fleets

Ninety-five percent of trucking consists of mom-and-pop operations where leaders wear every hat on the rack, yet the executives running some of the industry's best-known fleets say one style now separates managers from real leaders: putting people first.

FleetOwner spoke with several influential transportation leaders about what drives performance, and despite differences in fleet size and operation, they shared common traits — open communication, servant leadership, hiring for attitude, and continuous learning.

Why do fleet leaders say trucking is a people business?

"Trucking is a people business," Ken Roemer, president of PacLease, told FleetOwner. Ron Flanary, SVP of operations at Southern Glazer's, calls the business people-centric in the same way. Since employees spend 40 or more hours a week at work, Flanary said, "as senior leaders, it's incumbent on us to create that environment where at least we give them the opportunity to be fulfilled and happy."

That starts with conversation. Flanary skips memos and long emails in favor of regular, in-depth talks with team members. "They all know exactly what we're trying to accomplish and what our big, meaty goals are, and the way that we're going to behave as an organization and as a leadership group to get there," he said.

Roemer takes communication further: "I've always believed you can't communicate too much. That goes for our employees, our leaders, our dealer network, and our customers."

At Southern Glazer's, drivers get a direct feedback channel. "We have a feedback model with our drivers where they can give feedback to the routing team and to the leadership team every day based on what they saw," Flanary said. Drivers, unlike office and warehouse staff, are on the road talking with customers and absorbing routing changes firsthand.

Explaining decisions matters as much as making them. "If you want people to really get behind a decision, you have to explain the thinking behind it. When people understand the 'why,' they're a lot more likely to buy in and move forward with you," Roemer said.

What replaced command-and-control?

Both executives say barking orders no longer works. "The old approach of just giving orders and expecting everyone to fall in line doesn't really work anymore," Roemer said. "Instead, people appreciate transparency and context. This builds trust."

Flanary practices servant leadership by "sliding into the background" and letting team members shine — giving them "oxygen," room to make a few mistakes, and the lessons those mistakes produce. Every leader needs a few battle scars, he noted.

Roemer's version: hire good people and let them perform. "I've learned that if I feel the need to micromanage someone, I probably missed something in the hiring process," he said. His formula is simple: "Remove obstacles, provide support, and give [team members] the space to succeed."

For drivers, that means reliable, safe, well-maintained equipment and routes designed for success, whether through optimization or customers the driver already knows. "You have to lay the foundation for them to be successful, and then you have to create the culture where they know what's expected," Flanary said.

Does attitude beat aptitude in hiring?

Shari Pheasant, a repair shop owner and one of FleetOwner's 2026 Women in Transportation, put it bluntly: "Hire for attitude, not aptitude." Skills can be taught; the desire to learn cannot. And when things go wrong, "when you fire, you fire for attitude, because the attitude affected the aptitude," she said.

Culture also carries history. "We've been in business for 46 years, and we're proud to be part of Paccar's 121-year legacy," Roemer said, citing values of quality, innovation, integrity and operational excellence. Setting expectations early means "when employees understand their purpose and the value they bring, the culture you want starts to show up naturally throughout the organization," he said.

Flanary builds culture around employee growth: "I'm going to have the type of environment, and I'm going to have the type of culture that's going to get [employees] ready for the next level. So, you make it about them."

Can leaders ever stop learning?

No, and they shouldn't try. "I'm always learning. I read a lot," Flanary said. "The trucking industry is always evolving, so as a leader, you have to stay on top of emerging trends, new ideas, and what your customers need," Roemer added. Amy Hudson, COO of Mike Albert Solutions and a 2025 Woman in Transportation, said: "I listen to podcasts every single day—that's what I do with my commute time."

Humility ties it together. "If you think you already know the answers, then you really don't need everybody else on your team, and then they don't develop, and they don't grow," Flanary said. A mentor once told him "you can never really be successful if the only person you're worried about is yourself" — advice he still works by, making his team, boss and company successful first, expecting it to come back to him.

As fleets compete for drivers and talent in a tight labor market, the leaders framing their own success around their people's — rather than the reverse — look best positioned to retain them.