Cambridge recently had 33 team members graduate from Dale Carnegie Leadership Training. This was not your typical death by PowerPoint training. Instead, team members were challenged with engaging activities that enhanced their public speaking and leadership abilities.

Last week, Meg Brown (Cambridge's VP of Human Resources) and I were invited to join a group of ladies from across Missouri to represent ‘Women Working in Manufacturing’ at the Missouri State Capitol. The Missouri Association of Manufacturing, by ways of Executive Director Michael Eaton and Marketing Manager Andrew LeGrand, organized the event as a way to understand how needs as individuals or for our industry are championed by our elected representatives.

Each year, on the first Friday in October, the manufacturing community opens its doors to the public. This is known as Manufacturing Day. Manufacturers try to give insights into the problems and solutions that the modern manufacturer faces. This year Cambridge had the pleasure of hosting an event on creators wanted that provided a glimpse into manufacturing.

In this episode of The Manufacturing Executive, Joe Sullivan talks with John Kramer, Chairman & CEO at Cambridge Air Solutions, 
and Marc Braun, President at Cambridge Air Solutions, about what it means to restore glory and dignity to manufacturing through both culture and business practices.

Public speaking, a presentation given live before an audience, remains a common fear for most people.  And being able to convey a message, share something personal or educate people plays a vital role in many institutions and in the art of developing solid relationships.

What happens when an employee is asked to leave behind the realities of their home life when they walk into their workplace? The outcome is a conflicted person who is forced to figure out where their loyalties lie. As leaders, if you can recognize, celebrate and try to help with different facets of their lives, you can tap into their "whole person" - somebody who is much, much more than somebody you just pay to complete a list of tasks.  If people are allowed to speak and act freely about their non-work life, they are likely to have a better sense of belonging, stronger loyalties, and often bring innovative ways to problem-solve to the table.