Hosts: Mike Ogle and Rodney Apple

In This Episode:

We speak with Steve Szilagyi,  in this captivating podcast we discuss leadership innovations during one of the most volatile talent placement eras we’ve seen in recent memory. Steve also provides his greatest lessons learned about servant leadership to get the most out of people by developing them and providing clear goals and the tools they need to succeed.

Advancing Talent Through Servant Leadership — with Steve Szilagyi

Hosts: Mike Ogle and Rodney Apple
Guest: Steve Szilagyi, Senior Vice President, Customer Solutions, MSC Industrial Supply Co. (at the time of the conversation).

In This Episode

Steve Szilagyi walks through a career that started on the warehouse floor and grew into senior leadership, sharing concrete lessons on servant leadership, hiring for character, mentoring with intention, and preparing the next generation for an increasingly automated world. Along the way, he explains why growth has been his compass, how to develop teams that thrive, and what great early-career professionals actually do to stand out.

“I say supply chain is pretty simple. It’s people and boxes and trucks. With an emphasis on the people.”

From the Warehouse to the C-Suite

Steve’s path started in a grocery distribution center during school, moved through Kurt Salmon Associates consulting, Wesco Distribution, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Lowe’s, and then to MSC. That range gave him a front-row view of operations, systems, and the people side of change. The consistent thread was a bias for learning by doing and stepping toward bigger mountains when the next challenge called. (SCM Talent Group) That challenge now includes the position of EVP of Supply Chain at Advance Auto Parts.

Growth as the North Star

Career moves were never about titles alone. They were about environments where he could stretch, contribute, and keep learning. When the next mountain wasn’t visible, he made a move. If you lead teams, that clarity matters: your best people need stretch, purpose, and a line of sight to real problems worth solving.

Servant Leadership, Practically

Servant leadership, for Steve, is not abstract. It looks like this in day-to-day behavior:

• Cast people in the right roles. Put wide receivers at wide receiver, not on the line. Fit beats friction.
• Reinforce positively and often. Specific, regular feedback fuels performance.
• Care about people as people. Teams rise when leaders genuinely care about individuals and growth.
• Help people succeed inside the company. Coach, mentor, stretch, and clear roadblocks.
• Make voices heard. The answers live with the people doing the work; get to the front lines and listen.

These habits build the culture you want: one that is accountable, curious, and resilient.

What He Hires For

When Steve interviews, he starts with character, then looks for teamwork, personal accountability, curiosity, and system thinking. Technical skills matter, but they are not enough if someone cannot lead themselves and others.

“I’m looking for character first and foremost… Looking for accountable people who speak the language of personal accountability.”

“I’m looking for people that can see the whole picture… understand how the role of the supply chain fits in the bigger goals of the organization.”

If you are building a team, bake these traits into your interview loop. Use scenario prompts that surface accountability, cross-functional thinking, and how candidates create trust.

For Students and Early-Career Pros: Show What You Learned

Steve’s advice to interns and new grads is direct: do not just list tasks; demonstrate learning and insight.

“If you do an internship… I want to hear about what you learned.”

Another powerful practice is setting a destination. Even if it evolves, saying out loud what you are aiming for tends to pull you forward.

Pull Quote: “Do the job you’re in the best. Knock it out of the park.”

Mentorship that Works

Steve frames mentorship as a lifelong continuum, not a single, formal arrangement. His rule: the mentee owns the logistics.

“I’m willing to have a mentorship relationship, but you own it.”

He also reminds us that the “wisdom of the world is on the bookshelf.” Read widely. Learn from the greats. Then put the lessons into action.

The Future of Supply Chain: Math and Humanity

Automation is accelerating. Underneath the machines are models, statistics, and engineering. Leaders will need a working command of the math to shape and scale technology.

“Underneath the automation is the math.”

At the same time, supply chain remains a team sport. Character, connection, and leadership behaviors carry careers.

“If you can connect, you can lead.”

Action prompts for teams:

• Invest in training on statistics and optimization for managers who make network and inventory decisions.
• Pair tech initiatives with change-leadership playbooks: communication cadences, role clarity, and field feedback loops.
• Hire for curiosity and system thinking, then rotate high-potentials across plan-buy-make-move-deliver to build breadth.

Leadership Scar Tissue: The Feedback Moment

In one story, Steve describes a town-hall feedback session facilitated by pollster Frank Luntz. Employees used dials to score leaders’ messages in real time. The early feedback stung. He leaned in, listened, adjusted his approach, and improved engagement over time. The lesson: leaders grow fastest when they make feedback visible, safe, and actionable.

Five Takeaways You Can Use This Quarter

1. Audit role fit. List your direct reports and confirm each person’s “right-seat” alignment; adjust where strengths and seats mismatch.
2. Institute a front-line listening loop. Spend scheduled time on the floor each week with a simple “What should we fix?” prompt, and route fixes quickly.
3. Hire for accountability and curiosity. Use structured interview scenarios that require owning outcomes and exploring system impacts.
4. Upskill on the math. Prioritize stats and modeling courses for leaders involved in automation, planning, or optimization.
5. Coach interns on learning narratives. Require reflection memos that capture insights, not just activities.

Who is Steve Szilagyi?