Georgia Magazine - March 2012 - (Page 16)

From ‘Undercover Boss’ to servant leader: Joel Manby leads with love BY MARGIE FISHMAN I n Greek, there are four Dollar City. Their sons, Jack words to deﬁne love in and Peter, turned that ﬁrst all of its complexity—pasventure into a small family sionate love, friendly love, business. paternal love. Only “agape,” Jack and Peter led by also known as uncondi“osmosis,” Manby says, tional love, speaks to the treating others with dignity deepest sense of true love. and respect and creating a In the New Testament, it is At top: Herschend Family Entertainment CEO Joel Manby, of Atlanta, culture where employees deﬁned as sacriﬁcial love. felt valued. goes incognito at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., during the CBS For Joel Manby, presiManby’s task when he show, “Undercover Boss.” Above: Manby is a master of disguise dent and CEO of Herschend while leading a Ride the Ducks attraction at Stone Mountain Park. became CEO in 2003 was Family Entertainment headto construct a leadership 10 states, including Stone Mountain quartered in Norcross, love is framework to reinforce that culture Park in Stone Mountain and Wild agape—a verb, a way of life, a leadin a growing company. To that end, Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta. employees’ annual performance ership philosophy and a road map “If you treat your employees for company success. evaluations are based on “do” goals, Presiding over the largest family- well and your guests well, the proﬁt including standard ﬁnancial and perﬂows from that,” Manby says. owned theme park operator in the formance metrics. But they are also That vision is an extension of country and the ninth-largest themed judged on “be” goals, such as showthe Herschend family’s philosophy. attractions company in the world, ing appreciation for others’ contribuIn 1950, Hugo and Mary Herschend Manby has successfully integrated tions and dealing with issues assertacquired a long-term lease on servant leadership values (such as ively without lingering hostility. Marvel Cave, a local attraction near treating employees with kindness to Guided by a Christian ethos, the Branson, Mo. As tourists poured in, drive customer satisfaction) into a company has designed a matrix to the Herschends constructed a replica measure how often employees ad$300 million enterprise. The comof an 1880s town, what is now Silver here to its core values, from patience pany consists of 26 properties in More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE 16 http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - March 2012

Georgia Magazine - March 2012
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgie News
Calendar of Events
Currents
From “Undercover Boss” to servant leader
New Harmonies blossoms
Ellijay family business is for the birds
Around Georgia
Travel Guide
My Georgia
Georgia Gardena
Georgia Cooks
Snapshop

Georgia Magazine - March 2012