LEADERSHIP in Many Forms

One of the highlights of the Partners in Progress Conference is the Leadership Forum, a fireside chat-style panel discussion among leadership from SMACNA National and SMART International focused on answering questions about partnership and the industry.

This year, Carol Duncan, SMACNA president; Aaron Hilger, SMACNA CEO; Mike Coleman, SMART general president; and Joseph Powell, SMART general secretary treasurer, participated in the forum, addressing questions about key conference takeaways, building the workforce, leadership priorities, connecting the Local and national levels of both organizations, and expanding market share. The overarching message was that anything one organization faces is going to be easier to tackle in partnership.

Duncan and Coleman agreed that labor-management partnerships that are getting it right invest in one another. Duncan noted that labor is a journey, and contractors must be willing to invest in labor and stay the course to cooperation.

She reflected on one of her key takeaways from the conference. “We never stop learning, and each of us has something to pass on,” Duncan said. “Posing something as ‘just an idea’ could be a helpful tool for starting difficult conversations.”

A basic tenet to building relationships is finding common ground, and there are several opportunities for chapters and Locals to do that within their respective organizations. Coleman said that whether its charity work, legislative work, engaging politicians, or attending ball games, members and contractors can get to know each other and their families. Each member of the sheet metal industry should take the steps and have the will to put themselves on the other side, because doing so will help clarify that more is possible together than alone. “If you’re under stress, you can reasonably assume your counterpart is, too,” he said.

Hilger noted that although change can be difficult, it begins with challenging oneself to identify and avoid unhealthy patterns. This can be simultaneously easy and difficult, he said, suggesting that labor ad management aclimatize to partnering by spending time together on boards, as volunteers, and on committees to learn to solve problems together.

“We could spend time on the 10% of problems we will never solve, but instead we need to focus on what we can change,” he said. “If you are a chapter manager or a business manager, the jobs are very similar. If you look, there is probably a person on the other side who will understand you.”

Powell agreed, noting the importance of good communication and building trust, especially outside of work and away from the pressures of leadership and operations.

Duncan noted the importance of making locals and chapters aware of Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force resources, such as recruitment tools and the Rapid Response Protocol when aiming to reshape the industry for the better. “If we want to attract new employees, we have to use all available means,” she said. “That also means building strategic alliances between contractors and labor.”

Moving forward, the onus is on reaching the next generation with the correct messaging and an inclusive organizational culture. Powell said it is important to explain to young people coming in what a career in sheet metal means. “This has been our lives for many years,” he said. “We can encourage them to get involved and stay involved.”

This issue of Partners in Progress contains some great examples of leadership in various forms. For the Local 46 JATC in Rochester, leadership meant changing the recruitment process and implementing simple but effective techology solutions to better pre-qualify applicants. The result? Upwards of 250 applications per year since implementing the new system—a generous improvement over the 40 applications they were receiving previously.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on everyone’s mind these days, and some chapters and Locals are investigating its uses with varying degrees of success. Discover some different experiences with the techology as leaders in both labor and management chart a new way forward with AI.

The SMART and SMACNA BE4ALL Committees are rolling out Bias and Belonging training to leaders across the industry, both as stand alone training and as Train the Trainer sessions they can take back to their organizations. And last but very, very far from least, Jan Chappell, president at Local 85, shares her journey from apprentice to president and why having a voice and also knowing your place matters.

Throughout this issue (an in every day life) we are constantly reminded that leadership takes different forms, some we have never realized existed. Moving forward as an industry will require an open mind and willingness to see and appreciate all of them. Are you ready? ▪