Today is Manufacturing Day in the United States, a day to celebrate the industry 和 inspire the next generation. 每年10月举行. 6, it’s a day when many companies invite the public in to educate them on what opportunities exist in the industry, but also to recognize the people who are the backbone of our economies.
希望, it’s also a reminder to these companies that recognition shouldn’t just be reserved for one day a year — whether it be Manufacturing Day or even an annual review. Recognition is for every one of your people, as often as possible.
A few years back, while at one of our Thiele Technologies (now BW Integrated Systems 和 BW柔性系统)植物, I had a conversation with the leadership team about recognition 和 the challenge of saying “thank you.” Vice President of Operations Brett Dexheimer told me a story about a Thiele team member named 布鲁斯.
A few years earlier, the plant had experienced a labor stoppage. It was a pretty tense st和off — strikers banging on the president’s car as it came through the picket line. 布鲁斯 was a passionate Union member 和 was at the front of the group banging on the car. Eventually, the strike was settled 和 everyone came back to work.
Later, a project manager told Brett, “I’ve been working on a project with 布鲁斯. We were struggling to get this machine to run for a customer check out, 和 we were all frustrated — the engineer, the project manager 和 布鲁斯, who was there as the test team member on the project.
I finally said, ‘OK, let’s give it a rest. We’re all tired, it’s getting late. We’ll come back tomorrow 和 get a fresh start.’ 布鲁斯 said, ‘Would you mind if I stayed? I want to try a few things. Maybe I can have it working for you guys in the morning.’ Now, that’s what I consider true leadership.”
Brett said, “I have seen a real change in 布鲁斯 since we had all our struggles. It was all I could muster a while back to pull 布鲁斯 aside at the end of the day as he was walking out the door 和 say, ‘嘿, 布鲁斯, I’ve seen a real change in you. I appreciate the leadership you’re showing, the contribution you’re making. I just want to let you know that I really appreciate it.’”
I said to Brett, “Why don’t we get 布鲁斯 in here? Ask him if he remembers that. This is part of our learning 和 the evolution of our journey.”
布鲁斯 came in 和 stood against the wall awkwardly as they related the story to him. I asked him if he remembered when Brett gave him that compliment. It had been about six months.
布鲁斯 said, “Do I remember? Do you know what it’s like when the big boss pulls you aside 和 says something like that to you? I thought about it all the way home in my truck, 和 I thought about it all the way back the next day. I still think about it nearly every day.”
See how something so seemingly small 和 simple can have such a big impact?
Manufacturing often has a reputation as being a very masculine industry — a bunch of gruff guys who never cry 和 keep their feelings close to their vest. And many people have been taught that emotion doesn’t have a place in business, that successful people leave it out, 和 that brutal honesty is the only way.
We want to make it safe for people to care 和 to express caring. We bring emotion into business in a constructive way. It seems so obvious 和 easy to recognize people, 和 in most cases, it costs very little.
So, leaders, use this Manufacturing Day as call to action. How often do you tell your people you appreciate them? How often do you stop 和 say “thank you”? How often do you celebrate your people in big 和 little ways?
Recognizing 和 celebrating people for their contributions is one of the most important ways we let people know they matter. Use this day as a reminder to make it an organizational priority.