The Common Good, Humility and Subsidiarity in Leadership

The Common Good: A Strategic Imperative for Profit and Value Creation

Today,  companies face growing expectations from shareholders, customers, employees, and society as a whole.  For me, the common good is not in conflict with profitability. It is even what can make profitability sustainable. It is central to long-term business success. It is not a distraction from results. When we align profit with the needs of people, customers and communities, we create stronger organisations and lasting value. 

The common good is about creating the conditions for people and communities to reach their full potential. In business, this means respecting human dignity, fostering collaboration, and driving innovation that addresses genuine needs and concerns.

When companies act in this way, they sharpen their purpose and gain legitimacy with stakeholders.  Profitability and social impact are not in competition. There are two dimensions of the same responsible enterprise. 

Trust is one of the most valuable currencies in today’s economy. It is earned by companies that consistently act in the best interest of the common good. Those that do so build stronger customer loyalty, more resilient supply chains, and deeper employee engagement.

The result is a reputation that strengthens market position. Customers buy from brands they trust. Investors favour businesses with sustainable long-term strategies.

Pursuing the common good does not reduce competitiveness. It makes it stronger.  

Innovation follows proximity to emerging needs. When we place the common good at the centre, teams listen closely, learn more quickly, and identify gaps earlier. That awareness leads to better solutions, new products, and market growth. We do not chase quick wins. We invest in solutions that last and improve lives. This approach creates new opportunities and builds business models that stand the test of time. 

Profit comes naturally when a company creates value, not only for shareholders but for all stakeholders. When the common good shapes business,  it builds ecosystems where success is shared rather than divided.  

This shifts profit from being a narrow target to becoming a measure of real contribution to society. It means that financial results are built on a foundation of sustainable value, rather than short-term gains.

The common good does not hold back ambition. It invites businesses to aim higher, combining responsibility with performance.  

Leaders who place the common good at the core of their strategy build organisations that endure and inspire.  The companies that succeed will be those that see profit and the common good not as rivals but as partners in long-term growth. 

Putting the Common Good into Practice

At CRYOPDP, the common good is personal to me. It guides how I decide, every day, what we do and what we refuse to do.

For patients: We always begin with one question: Who is the person at the end of this shipment, and are we protecting their dignity? If I cannot guarantee full traceability, the right temperature, and smooth rooting, we say no- even if it costs revenue. I stand with my teams when they stop a run for safety. Speed never comes before patient safety. When something goes wrong, we tell the truth, fix the cause, and share what we learned. In emergencies (such as border closures or power failures), we add coverage and reroute so the patient never pays the price.

For suppliers: We want our partners to grow with us. We pay on time, provide precise forecasts, and align SOPs to help smaller providers meet high standards and secure more work. I refuse to “squeeze” rates that lead to corner-cutting later. Instead, we run joint training, share data that reduces risk and waste, and co-invest where lanes support it. If a partner fails to meet safety or ethical standards, we walk away. A fair, strong network serves patients better than a fragile one.

For my employees: Our promise is simple: your safety and dignity come first. No load, no client, no KPI is worth risking that. Every colleague has the right to stop the line if conditions are not safe or compliant. We do not blame; we learn. I need clear goals, honest feedback, access to the necessary tools and training to excel, and the time to rest and spend with my family. I thank people in the moment and celebrate integrity as much as speed. When we care for our people, they care for our patients and partners, and the results follow.

 

The Power of Humility in Leadership: Building Stronger Organisations Through Virtuous Management

In a business culture that often rewards visibility and self-promotion,  humility can seem like an unexpected quality in a leader. From my experience, it is one of the strongest. Authentic leadership is not about dominance or self-glorification. It is about inspiring, empowering and elevating others. Humility is not weakness; it is a kind of strength that earns trust and loyalty.

Humility does not reduce authority; it makes it more credible. Leaders who practise humility build resilient organisations, unlock the potential of their teams and create cultures where people feel safe to contribute and innovate. When authority is combined with humility, it becomes a form of leadership that people respect and want to follow.

Authentic authority in business does not come from asserting power. It comes from recognising competence, character, and service.  Leaders who practice humility are secure enough to acknowledge their limits, listen deeply to others, and bring in people whose strengths complement their own. This openness does not diminish their charisma; it heightens it, it makes their leadership more credible, attractive, and trustworthy.

Humble managers can make difficult decisions without arrogance. They see leadership as a responsibility carried for the good of the organisation and its people, not for personal gain.  In doing so, they model a form of leadership that earns respect rather than demands obedience.

A company shaped by humility is a place where people feel free to grow and thrive.  Leaders who demonstrate humility create environments where ideas are shared, mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning, and growth is encouraged. When ego is set aside, the focus moves from competition to collective success.

This kind of openness drives innovation and problem-solving. It also helps attract and retain talent, especially among younger generations who want workplaces built on collaboration, authenticity, and shared purpose.

The best leaders put service before status. Their questions are simple:  How can I help my team succeed? How can our organisation best serve our customers and society? Leading this way builds loyalty, strengthens reputation, and creates sustainable success.

When leadership prioritises the well-being of others, companies achieve more than just profit. They become more human, more agile and better prepared to endure.

Charisma is often linked to self-assertion, but real charisma comes from attentiveness to others.  It is a mix of confidence and selflessness. Leaders who listen, recognise contributions and stay committed to a greater purpose naturally inspire those around them.  

These leaders invite collaboration, energise their teams and unite people behind a vision that is bigger than individual ambition. In this way, humility does not reduce influence. It makes it stronger.

In today’s competitive business world, humility remains one of the most potent and underappreciated qualities of effective leadership. It is not a step back from ambition. It is the base on which sustainable success is built. Leaders who practise humility strengthen their organisations, empower people and create lasting value for their companies, stakeholders and society.

By leading with humility, managers and executives demonstrate a form of charisma that uplifts rather than dominates, builds rather than consumes, and leaves space for genuine human growth.  

Practising Humility Every Day

Concretely, what does it mean? In my day-to-day life, I strive to lead with quiet humility. I listen first and speak last. The person closest to the work leads the discussion; one of my roles is to ask, “What do you need from me?” When I don’t know, I say so and I ask for help from the people who know better. That is not a weakness to me; it is a sign of respect for expertise.

I give credit by name and keep the spotlight on the team. When things go wrong, I take responsibility for my actions. We learn without blame: what happened, what needs to change, and who we thank. The goal is to praise in public, correct in private, and move on.

I try to make room for quieter voices. I invite them in, support their ideas, and encourage them to present their own work. I share the stage whenever possible.

I would summarise it this way: I do my best not to make my lamp shine by turning off others’ lamps. I aim to help switch more lights on.

 

Empowerment and Subsidiarity: The Foundations of Just Leadership in Business

The corporate world is becoming more dynamic and increasingly decentralised, and leadership has to evolve. Command and control are no longer enough. The real task of leaders is to empower and elevate. Authority is strongest when it creates space for others to act. Empowerment and subsidiarity provide the framework for doing this with justice, effectiveness, and respect for human dignity. 

Far from being a weakness, subsidiarity and empowerment are marks of mature leadership. They show that power can be used responsibly—not to hold control tightly, but to release potential and drive stronger performance.

Subsidiarity is the principle that decision-making should occur at the most local level possible, by those directly involved in the matter. In business, it is about trusting teams with responsibility,  respecting their judgment and stepping in only when support is truly needed.  

This is not a step back from leadership. It is leadership that creates trust, develops capability and ensures accountability at every level of the organisation. 

Empowerment is subsidiarity in action. It means giving people meaningful responsibility, the authority to make decisions, and accountability for the results. When employees are trusted in this way, they not only follow instructions but also take initiative. They take ownership, show commitment and become co-creators of success.

Leaders who empower others multiply their impact. By sharing authority instead of holding it at the top, they create agile organisations where initiative spreads, and innovation grows.

 

Exercising power in business means wielding authority not for domination or personal gain, but for service—serving the organisation’s mission, fostering the development of individuals, and promoting the broader good of the community. Leaders who embrace subsidiarity understand that proper authority is not diminished by sharing it wisely; it is strengthened.

A manager who practices subsidiarity recognises that their role is not to control every detail but to create the structures, systems, and culture that allow others to succeed. Such leadership requires wisdom, patience, and the courage to trust — but it generates greater loyalty, stronger teams, and superior outcomes.

When individuals are entrusted with responsibility and authority that match their role and capacities, they flourish. They take initiative, innovate, and strive for excellence. They also feel a deeper connection to the organisation’s mission and values.

Organisations that apply subsidiarity consistently perform better than those built on rigid, top-down models. They adapt more quickly to change, attract stronger talent, and align people more effectively around shared goals.

Leadership is too often confused with command and control. Empowerment and subsidiarity show another way. They provide a governance model that is both human and effective. When leaders treat authority as service, they trust people with real responsibility and provide support only when needed, creating the conditions for both personal and organisational growth.

Authentic leadership does not hold others down. It lifts them. Leaders who live subsidiarity know that empowering people fulfils their role more fully and builds organisations where justice, dignity and performance reinforce one another.

Practising Subsidiarity at CRYOPDP

I live empowerment and subsidiarity every day at CRYOPDP.

I start by pushing decisions to the person closest to the work. They know the lane, the risk, and the customer. I give the context and the guardrails, such as patient safety, compliance, ethics, and budget, and then I say, “You decide. I will stand behind you.” If they choose a path different from mine, I support them publicly and offer coaching in private.

My job is not only to control; it is also to create space. I do my best to remove blockers, secure resources, and clarify priorities. I keep approval chains short. I often ask, “What do you need from me to move?” not “Why didn’t you…?” When help is needed, we escalate early and simply. If the risk stays inside the guardrails, the team keeps the lead.

I share information widely so that people can take action. Everyone should see the same truth: service levels, risks, costs, and plans. I invest first in training and tools, not in more rules. After an issue, we run a short, no-blame review: what happened and what we changed. We refine the process and give credit to the individuals who contributed to its improvement.

This is what subsidiarity means to me: authority as service, power used to lift others, not to hold them down. When people have real responsibility, they grow, and the company grows with them.