The mill had seen better days. Output was inconsistent, maintenance was reactive, and the workers kept their heads down, speaking only when necessary. Amir’s predecessor was known for barking orders and chasing numbers — and the morale showed it.
Amir came in with a different plan. Instead of spending his first week issuing instructions, he walked the floor quietly, talking to operators, fitters, and boiler men. He asked about their work, their challenges, and their ideas.
One day, during a boiler inspection, the senior operator, Pak Rahman, mentioned how the feedwater pump often failed because spare seals were always delayed. “We just make do until it fails completely,” he said. Amir didn’t scold him for not escalating the issue sooner. Instead, he stayed back that evening to call the supplier himself, arranging a faster procurement process. Within a week, the seals were in stock.
When the harvest season peak came, Amir didn’t hide in the office. He was on the floor in overalls, checking sterilizers, walking the loading ramp, even helping the weighbridge clerk during peak hours. It wasn’t about showing off — it was about showing up.
He started weekly "toolbox talks," not to lecture, but to listen. Workers spoke up about safety hazards, and he acted on them quickly. Soon, small changes began to pile up — new PPE for harvest truck drivers, shaded rest areas for ramp workers, and a clearer maintenance schedule.
By the end of his first year, production efficiency had increased by 12%, breakdowns dropped, and, more importantly, people were smiling at work again.
One evening, Pak Rahman pulled Amir aside and said,
"Boss, before you came, we were just working for our pay. Now… we’re working for the mill’s future."
Amir smiled. He knew then that servant leadership wasn’t about giving up authority — it was about earning respect. And in Sandakan, respect had transformed the mill from the ground up.
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