On 14th May, the Manufacturers’ Alliance held its annual conference at Toughsheet Community Stadium, bringing together over 100 progressive manufacturing leaders focussed on the theme Positive Changemakers. Something that was truly brought to life by 11 inspiring speakers who each shared their personal journeys and inspirational stories on modern leadership.
All very different speakers, from a diverse range of backgrounds with unique experiences, yet a strong synergy emerged between each one highlighting the importance of purpose, values, culture, resilience and making a difference.
So what does it really mean to be a positive changemaker?
Purpose
Many of the speakers we heard from shared how important it is to have a strong sense of a purpose, a why, the reason you get out of bed each day. As individuals, beyond drive and motivation, it provides direction and strength to keep going even when we’re experiencing challenging times. For some individuals, that purpose was their families, providing for and being present for those they love. For others, it was to be able to wake up every morning with the drive to make a difference and lead positive change, whether it be in their businesses, communities or wider industry.
For businesses, purpose isn’t just what you do in terms of what you sell but why you do it, the wider impact you have and the difference you make. It’s essential it resonates with your team, your partners and your customers to foster a culture where people feel connected to the why and are inspired by the further impact you have.
Values
Values were another theme that emerged. Most of our speakers were clear on what their values were, used them to guide their everyday decisions and who they aligned with. They highlighted how their values weren’t just words on a wall but were embedded throughout the business and embodied by their team. For some, they also highlighted the importance of protecting them at all costs, even walking away from customers whose values didn’t align with theirs to protect their culture.
Another speaker shared how they had shifted to values-led recruitment, with the belief that skills can be developed but aligned values are essential. Hiring people who genuinely connect with their values resulting in higher performing teams, cultivating great cultures and driving sustainable success.
Positivity
Some of our speakers reminded us that while we can’t control what life throws at us, we can control how we respond to it and choose positivity even when faced with adversity. That life is a journey and we’ll experience highs and lows along the way, both of which we should appreciate and embrace as learning and growth opportunities. Many of our speakers shared the most challenging moments they had experienced and how they chose to remain positive, harnessing the power of mindset to keeping moving forward even just one step at a time to get through and provide leadership and strength to their families, friends and colleagues.
Resilience
Resilience was a key thread throughout the day. Most of our speakers shared the personal challenges they’ve overcome with honesty and vulnerability. What each of them shared was their ability to focus on the bigger picture and to “just keep swimming” understanding that sacrifice and struggle was part of the process and that perseverance would pay off. From missing precious moments with family to advocating for women in manufacturing despite backlash to stepping into the role of Managing Director whilst navigating grief, each of our speakers recognised that focussing on moving forward would lead to growth, development and success.
Making a difference
Each of our speakers was passionate about driving change and making a difference in the world, whether it was in their own team, business, community or across the industry in both the everyday and long term. They weren’t afraid to challenge the status quo, take risks and push through the boundaries of possibility for what they believed in. A shared desire was to educate, support and empower others to become changemakers with the belief that real impact is achieved through collective action.
Key industry topics that emerged included attracting, nurturing and retaining young talent into the industry, changing the perception of industry to make it an appealing career path, investing time in the younger generation and understanding their development needs. Equally important was the drive to build an inclusive manufacturing sector, increasing the representation of women in manufacturing, offering flexibility and fostering cultures in which they can thrive.
Conclusion
To be a positive changemaker is to lead with purpose, uphold values, remain resilient, choose positivity when challenges arise and to drive positive change to make a difference whether it be small acts every day or influencing industry change. The stories shared at the Manufacturers’ Alliance Annual Conference highlighted that driving positive change is about the journey, overcoming challenges with resilience and taking small, consistent actions every day to achieve extraordinary results.
