May 2026 | 5min read
Can a volunteer ever make it to the “top”?
Most leaders struggle with distance. As they move “up” in seniority, they move further away from the work .. And that’s when things tend to break.
This is one of the biggest gaps I see in leadership development and team engagement as I continue to work closely with leaders, teams and organizations.
I recently spoke with my good friend, Vipin Saini, Executive Director, Seva Food Bank. In this episode of ConquerCast, we covered a lot, in a short amount of time:
- Whether pineapple belongs on pizza (Always a hot topic and neither of us were shy to state our position 😃)
- Leading through financial pressure
- Turning around a deficit
- Staying connected to your team
- Learning how to step away and recharge
All of this ties back to leadership, coaching, and personal excellence in real-world environments.
One idea kept coming up again and again: The best leaders don’t move away from the work. They stay close enough to understand it.
Volunteer to leader
Vipin spent over 10 years volunteering before becoming Executive Director at Seva Food Bank. So when 2025 brought real pressure, including a significant deficit, he wasn’t leading from theory.
He understood the work, the people and the impact of every decision. This is what strong leadership development actually looks like .. experience, not just position.
And by the end of the year, they turned things around!
Why this one felt personal
My connection to Seva Food Bank is personal.
It’s a place that’s meant something to my family from before the doors ever opened .. When we were in strategy meetings simply discussing the idea of Seva Food Bank.
And my Mom, who passed away from cancer in 2022, was one of the “kitchen aunties” making us all food so that we could continue planning and stay focused.
Although, when Momma’s food is THAT good, you need power nap afterwards 😃.
Five reminders as you move “up” in leadership
If you’re in a leadership role, or stepping into one, keep these reminders close by.
1. Don’t outgrow the frontlines
As your role grows, your distance from the work grows too. Stay close enough to understand what your team experiences every day.
This will look and feel different for each leader, team and during seasons of work.
2. You don’t need all the answers
As my mentor Dr. John Maxwell says, good leaders ask great questions!
If you’re always the one talking, you’re probably missing something. And this is actually a great question to ask of your team: What am I missing? What else do I need to know?
3. Your title doesn’t equal trust
You can be given authority (positional authority).
You earn trust through connection, in small, consistent moments. Connection is the single-most important building block of leadership.
Without trust and psychological safety, team engagement and performance will always suffer.
4. If you don’t manage your energy, your leadership drops
Rest isn’t a reward. It’s part of the job.
Or said in another way, if you’re operating on empty, that’s a disservice to you and your people. Because you can’t possibly be at your best and show up for your team how they need you.
This is core to peak performance.
5. Growth comes from doing less and better
Most leaders think they need more.
More tools.
More time.
More effort.
Usually, they need less, which allows for more focus and consistency. “Thinking time” as I like to call it.
If you want to go deeper into leadership, team engagement, and real-world coaching insights, don’t miss this conversation with Vipin.
💥 I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT PINEAPPLES AND LEADERSHIP 😃
Conquer your potential!
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