Maverick Author
ERIC OLSEN
Former Army Officer, Manufacturing Executive, Practitioner of Humble Leadership
"I'm unskilled labor, where can I help?"
About Eric Olsen
Eric Olsen is a former Army officer and manufacturing executive whose unconventional leadership philosophy was forged in the motor pools of Fort Carson and on the factory floors of Fortune 500 companies. As a platoon leader during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Eric deployed 107 soldiers and $25 million in sophisticated aircraft repair equipment to support more than 10,000 troops across the Iraqi theater. Later, as General Manager of a global manufacturing facility, he transformed struggling operations into high-performing teams—not through conventional management techniques, but by showing up as "unskilled labor" and asking two simple questions: "Where can I help?" and "What do you need?"
Eric's leadership approach challenges the modern obsession with self-promotion and curated personas. His methodology combines military discipline with radical humility, proving that the most effective leaders aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. During his Iraq deployment, Eric's willingness to work alongside his soldiers in the motor pool uncovered critical equipment shortages that other units missed. By resourcefully equipping his unit from a military salvage yard, he enabled his soldiers to achieve four times the operational output of comparable units during their year-long deployment.
In civilian leadership, Eric continued this practice—spending early mornings in the warehouse operating forklifts and working in the recycling area alongside hourly workers. This hands-on approach gave him unfiltered intelligence about plant operations and built relationships that transformed performance. His philosophy: servant leadership is necessary but insufficient. True maverick leaders don't just serve—they genuinely believe no task is beneath them, and they prove it through consistent action when no one is watching.
Chapter: "Unskilled Labor"
"Servant leadership covers the actions of the leader, not the heart of the leader—and that is the secret weapon."
In his transformative chapter for Maverick Leadership, Eric Olsen reveals the counterintuitive secret that separates leaders who inspire fierce loyalty from those who merely manage compliance—and provides the proven framework for building unshakeable teams through humble action. Through gripping combat stories and corporate tales, Eric exposes how modern leadership has devolved into self-promotion, while maverick leaders achieve extraordinary results by doing the opposite: positioning themselves as equals willing to tackle any task required for organizational success.
Eric opens with a warning: you're going to ask for your money back. In a world of "get rich quick" leadership hacks and "four easy steps to promotion" advice, Eric's approach is the opposite. Leadership isn't about standing out in the crowd or optimizing your LinkedIn profile. It's about showing up in the motor pool or the scrap room and genuinely asking, "Where can I help?"
The chapter's most powerful moment comes from Iraq. While preparing vehicles for combat deployment, Eric discovered his company had only two ring mounts—the equipment that allows soldiers to defend convoys from attack. By working alongside his soldiers as "unskilled labor," he learned what the formal chain of command never revealed. His subsequent trip to the DRMO salvage yard equipped his entire unit, building trust that would carry them through thousands of miles of convoys through Fallujah, Ramadi, and Baghdad.
"You must believe you are not above doing whatever needs to be done to make the organization great. It's a matter of heart and worldview in addition to your actions."
Eric distinguishes his approach from typical servant leadership books: most focus on what leaders should do, but Eric focuses on who leaders must become. Through the historical context of first-century foot washing—a task so degrading it was reserved exclusively for slaves—Eric shows how the ultimate maverick leader modeled strength under control, serving without pretense while still making hard decisions and holding people accountable.
What You'll Learn
The Maverick Definition: Why being a maverick requires more than independent thinking—it demands combining unorthodox approaches with extraordinary achievement, like riding a 100-foot wave at Mavericks surf break.
The Heart vs. Actions Framework: Why servant leadership training teaches what to do but misses the critical ingredient: genuinely believing you are neither above nor below any member of your organization, and proving it through consistent humble action.
The Two Questions That Build Trust: How "Where can I help?" followed by "What do you need?" creates the conditions for team members to share what's really happening—and why this progression matters more than most leaders realize.
The Ancient Model: What the historical context of Jesus washing feet teaches about combining radical humility with strong decision-making—and why modern leaders miss the point by focusing on the act of serving rather than the heart behind it.
Three Transformative Takeaways:
1. If You Think the Job Is Beneath You, You've Already Failed
Modern leadership culture says you must curate your image, manage up, and ensure your boss sees you doing the right things. Eric's approach is the opposite: show up where stress is highest, offer yourself as unskilled labor, and genuinely help without expectation of recognition. You can't fake this. You can't think in the deep recesses of your mind that your time is better spent elsewhere. The moment you believe any task is beneath you, you become a hypocrite—literally wearing a mask to change your identity. Maverick leaders know they are equal members of the team with a specific role, not more important than others, just differently tasked.
2. The Magic Happens After You Prove You'll Get Dirty
Eric didn't learn about the ring mount shortage in a staff meeting. He learned it in the motor pool after moving vehicles and tracking down parts. He didn't discover the broken roll feeder from a production report. He heard about it in the scrap room while positioning pallets. Real intelligence flows when your team gets comfortable with you being there to help. After they see you sweaty and dirty, they talk like they do when they're just around each other—and that's where you find out what's really going on. This isn't surveillance. It's relationship-building that creates genuine communication.
3. Be Humble Yet Strong—Meekness Is Strength Under Control
The chapter's concluding principle challenges the false choice between being humble and being strong. Maverick leaders embody both simultaneously. Eric's willingness to work as unskilled labor didn't mean he deferred to every request or avoided hard decisions. When Jesus washed feet, he didn't let Peter's discomfort change the plan—he essentially said, "This is how we're doing it, or there's the door." Humble leaders still hold people accountable, still make unpopular decisions, still lead through difficulty. The difference is they've earned the right to lead because their team knows the leader isn't asking anyone to do something they wouldn't do themselves.
Eric’s Impact
Eric Olsen's leadership approach has transformed military units and manufacturing operations through a simple but profound shift: treating leadership as membership rather than position. His Iraq deployment unit achieved four times the operational output of comparable units while supporting the entire Iraqi theater. His manufacturing facilities moved from struggling operations to high-performing teams through his practice of working alongside employees in the least glamorous roles. Eric's philosophy proves that breakthrough results don't come from standing above your team—they come from standing beside them, proving through consistent action that no task is beneath you and no person is less valuable than you.
Connect with Eric Olsen
LinkedIn: Eric Olsen
