Walter L. Williams, Jr.

Engineer
Columbus, Georgia

A native of Birmingham, Ala., Walter L. "Willie" Williams sees leadership not as an act, but as a way of life. He has served as chairman of the Columbus District Safety Committee for nearly a decade, and he takes his commitment to promote safety in the workplace seriously.

Willie graduated from Western-Olin High School in 1966 and went on to serve his country in the armed forces. He is also an active member in his church. Willie's dedication to "leading by example" has earned him the respect of his peers and justifies his standing as one of Norfolk Southern's "leaders of the present." Here, he gives his take on leadership and talks about who inspired him to lead.

How important are your leadership roles to you?

They are very important to me. I strive to be a role model to the point that I can have a positive effect on the actions of those around me. I see and then try to meet needs to make my community and my workplace a better and safer place.

Who has had the most profound affect on your life, specifically encouraging you to lead?

It would definitely be my mother, Olivia. She encouraged me to be the best at whatever I do. I remember her saying, "Be the task great or small, do it well or not at all."