#169: Jeff Lamb - President:COO of Vari - The Servant Leader

As President and Chief Operating Officer of Vari, Jeff oversees corporate strategy and has led the charge for the development of VariSpace, the company’s new commercial real estate venture.

Jeff has 38 years of corporate leadership and board experience, spanning nine industries. His “people first” approach to operational models was born working for Roger Staubach and developed over 12 years working at Southwest Airlines. He began his culture tutelage at Southwest under Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus, and then spent another eight years fine-tuning people-centric strategies for the company’s Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly.

On this episode, Jeff dives deep into the concept of Servant Leadership and how it played a critical role in his corporate career. He also discusses his learnings from working under several incredible CEO's, why leaders need to be 'available', his work with Vari, advice for fathers and more. Enjoy!

Follow Chris on Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/FortWorthChris
Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/
Learn more about Chris Powers & Fort Capital: https://www.FortCapitalLP.com
Follow Fort Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-capital/

Listen & Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oIeNSaSJ4zkTQOXiedyOr?si=dEM48cSPQ9OIQ1HiD8sjrg

Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fort-with-chris-powers/id1410549811

00:04 - Jeff’s Background and Career

09:19 - What does ‘Servant Leadership’ mean to you?

15:13 - Jeff’s Experience Working at Southwest Airlines

17:40 - Working with Pat Lencioni of The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team

19:29 - The Transition out of Southwest and into Vari

24:05 - Did Vari already have a Servant Leadership path in mind & what did you do to make your mark there?

28:07 - What are Workspace Solutions?

29:01 - How do you see the Office industry going forward?

32:56 - What’s your target market tenant?

34:57 - In-Office as a Competitive Advantage

37:18 - What traits and characteristics makes a great CEO?

42:18 - Great Availability is Better Than a Great Vision

49:03 - How do you convey to your employees that you’re ‘available’?

53:11 - What are Your Biggest Takeaways SW

55:35 - Why do people generally not reach their full potential?

57:31 - What have you enjoyed most about mentoring young people and how do you approach it?

1:03:47 - Words of Wisdom for Future Father in-Laws

1:05:32 - Advice on Being a Good Father

1:10:05 - Advice on Having a Good Marriage

1:12:44 - Do you have a childhood experience that shaped who you are today?

1:15:49 - Is there something you believe in that most people around you don’t?

The FORT is produced by Johnny Peterson & Straight Up Podcasts