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It’s Just Business…

Posted on by Charli Matthews
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You may be interested to know that I graduated from The University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) with a Business degree, and I have to tell you that deciding to start with a title for this blog as “It’s Just Business” was a struggle for more than one reason. Recently, I was at the #KnowYourValue conference in New York City, and it truly energized me! I took in everything Mika Brzezinski said like it was a prophecy. But when the phrase “It’s just business” came up, I immediately had a negative reaction.  I have never believed that what we do is ‘just’ about business or that our value to the organization we work for is “just business”.  Saying it’s just business seems to devalue what we do each and every working day.

What we do is important… it impacts our ability to make a difference and it’s how we move up in an organization. So many women have a habit of saying ‘it’s just business’ when trying to teach each other not to show emotion when trying to close a deal, negotiate a salary, or when we are excluded from a meeting or key business decision.  But I have to tell you, everyone I have ever seen get chocked up about something of huge importance knew that what they were doing was more than just business.  There is a great purpose behind emotion, and I think we need to get comfortable sharing that purpose.

I often write about business and life, and I see these as two very different things. When they line up, it is awesome! But more often than not, conflicts arise and it is tough. I mean really tough… life changing tough.

There are many times we look to our business leaders to teach us about life however I have frequently found that when we look to life… we understand why we are in business.

If you are building a brand, like I have done many times, you must know what your “more than just business” is about.  What is the purpose? What gets you and your team up in the morning? other than just coffee that is… In all seriousness, if we can’t answer this then our purpose is not clear which also so means our goals are not clear!

I can tell you, for me, it is not and has never been about selling marketing or advertising services.  It has always been about building a person, paying attention, and showing a person that their life and what they do really matters.  Even the little things, the things that often go unnoticed – these little things define you and make you, you! It’s also about the small words or encouragement that make you want to continue working on that project or learn a new skill to master the missing piece of your workflow puzzle.

So take a look at what message you are sending out into the world…is it JUST BUSINESS… if so…. Step back and dig deeper and try to make a true connection with someone. Take the time to really see the people you are connecting with. Then make an effort to let them see you too – the real you!

Get personal… Get passionate… and Get past “it’s just business”

Imagine a Day without Water

Posted on by Charli Matthews

When I #ImagineaDaywithoutWater, the image that comes to mind is one of a young girl carrying a yellow plastic container on their head… You can all see it, because we know it happens everyday.  All over the world there are people who don’t have access to clean water and the water they do have is miles away from their homes and contaminated. There are so many organizations that try to help these communities but until we really #ValueWater at home how can we understand these families suffering and offer real help.

As I wake up today, I have my coffee with water treated at my local municipality who has less than efficient systems.  I think… is this clean water? I know every time it rains our clean water is threatened with contamination of over flowing lift stations.  This is due to lack of funding for the projects and infrastructure needed to implement the efficient systems the staff knows they need to install.  This is a huge risk for public health and our country’s aging infrastructure is amplifying the need for investment.    So, I ask… how do we get more investment for these projects!  And then, if we placed more value on water and water systems at home would we then place more value on making sure every human had access to it?

Manufacturing Day – Why is it important?

Posted on by Charli Matthews
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What is Manufacturing Day?

Manufacturing Day brings together manufacturers and mixed generations of those interested in it. This one day is aimed to connect as many schools and manufacturers as possible. Manufacturing Day events can be an expo, a tour of a facility, an open house, a virtual or actual presentation or even an “industrial block party”. These events can be held for students, parents, chamber members or the community. 

Why Manufacturing Day is Important 

This day is intended to open students’ eyes about manufacturing and plant the seed that it can be a career for them. Although there is one day set aside for this celebration it can be any day that is convenient for everyone. There are many career fairs throughout the year with a focus on the manufacturing sector. We’ve participated in many career fairs on Manufacturing Day and all through the year. 

These types of fairs and expos allow students to explore their career goals from a broader perspective. Often be when asked what they want be when they grow up young girls respond with hair, nails, or be a pediatrician. Now they are asked to consider a career in manufacturing. We want to try to help them see past stereotypical “serving” jobs and focus on careers with benefits.

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Finding My Tribe… at the WiM Summit

Posted on by Charli Matthews
Finding My Tribe at WiM

Such an amazing thing happened to me last week, I found myself surrounded by a group of women that were just like me, and I have to say…it was wonderful.

Let me explain how this happened –

A few weeks back I heard about an event in Hartford, CT called the Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Summit. Women in manufacturing!  I couldn’t book my ticket fast enough!

So I traveled to Hartford, CT to be inspired and make sure I was on the right track with my current mission to find and attract more Women in the Pump Industry.  Because I am not actually a Women in Manufacturing or even a Women in Engineering for that matter, so I often wonder if I am the right person to be pushing for this change? But I keep finding myself driven to promote organizations like this, in part I believe it is because if I was introduced to these career options when I was 10, and I could absolutely see me in either one. Walking through a manufacturing plant, learning how things are designed, and seeing how people and systems work together to create efficiency excites me. So, I can’t tell you how happy it made me feel to be surrounded by women who I could relate to.

I was impressed even before the first speaker took the stage. The lady that sat next to me was the project leader for a Youth robotics team.  She spoke about ***STEM, another passion of mine, and the importance of giving children different options after high school based on what they enjoyed and were trained to do.  It was fascinating! She was fascinating!  She talks about Dream It, Do It and Manufacturing Day, both initiatives very close to my heart.

And then the speakers started, and I was just in awe of each one.   These ladies had such passion for WiM, empowering women, and manufacturing.  I watched these ladies, hanging on every word they spoke.  The experience was unlike anything I have experienced before… It was “Empowering”… As they spoke I saw a little bit of myself on the stage.  A Woman…. A Leader… A Change Maker…

Later in the day, we broke into a session to determine our ‘problem solving style’.  It was at this moment that I realized I had found my tribe.  I hear that problem solving and creative thinking are basically the same…I have heard many times that people see me as creative but I never saw that in myself; but Problem Solving – YES – that is how I see myself!  You have a problem… GOOD… I want to SOLVE it! I have never been so happy as to finally “get me”.

Now get this… most women are on the left side of the “problem solving curve”.  More adaptive and supportive in nature, but the women in this room were shifted to the right.  This made perfect sense to me.  This was a group of women who have chosen to be in Manufacturing, a traditionally male dominated industry. Why? Because they know they Can Do It; no matter what the current setting, we know we can make it better, make a difference, we don’t have to conform, and the simple fact that Can’t is just fuel on the CAN fire.

I just loved their stories of childhood, pretending to be builders or just “playing in the dirt” activities. When I closed my eyes to think about myself at 10, I remembered building a tree house with boards and nails I probably stole out of my dad’s tool shed.

Not surprisingly, I learned that my problem solving style was the more right of center… which could be most easily described as a chaotic mess.  But like the rest of the ladies at the table… IT’s OUR MESS. And it’s the best and only way for us to think…I wonder how many of you reading already knew this about me?

This reminds me of the time Stewart googled “why does she scribble all over her paper as she talks to people” after watching me during one longer than normal customer conference call. The answer, he told me, was that this is how I solve problems; “A platform of mess that finds a solution”

So as we wrote the “Advantages & Disadvantage” for my group… I thought I have finally found my tribe!

The conference was about looking for opportunities for our companies to get involved through WiM, community outreach, manufacturing day, and other organizations to inspire the next generation of girls that Manufacturing is an option for them… and not just an option but a great one!

As we approach Manufacturing Day, please think of opening up your hearts and facilities to help the next generation learn about manufacturing!

What are you doing to inspire the next generation?!?

***Stem

Please read my other blog post about STEM and its importance for the next generation to give them insight into the alternatives they have for career choices.

And I’ll close with a quote from the kai feedback document that I found profound “The notion of “different but equally valuable” requires insight and time to learn… let’s take time to learn how we can all work together for the greater good!