What’s In It For Me???

written by Scott L. Peters, President and Founder, Molded Marketing LLC

At this time every year we send out a call for nominations (a plea of sorts) to the Mold Technologies Division for new members to become industry leaders by serving on our Board of Directors. And, every year at this time we can hear the question coming back from our membership, “What’s in it for me?” Well hopefully, in the next few minutes I can help to answer that question and show the benefit of participation on our international board, actually any board.

Altruism, it is all about altruism!

Let’s face it, there are those among us that are altruists at heart. They look at every opportunity to participate in such an endeavor with an eye on the betterment of Society, or in our case, the Industry at Large. Yes, our overarching goal is working towards the betterment of our industry. We are interested in passing on the baton to the next generation of Mold Making/Mold Design and/or Mold Repair Technicians with excellence in:

• Training Systems
• Training Materials
• Clear Career Paths
• Pride in a Craft that touches quite literally everything in the marketplace before it reaches the marketplace

The Bottom Line – for the Altruist at Heart – Leaving the place better than you found it is reward enough and answers the nagging question “What’s in it for me?”

But we aren’t all altruistic, are we? So, the question begs on and on and on and on again…

Industry Notoriety – I want to build a “Big Name in the Business”

Some of us have a healthy ego, and we see board participation as a means to feed that ego. Yes, the beast that lives within does have a need to be fed and yes, this may be a method to
provide the needed foodstuffs.

How you might ask. Well let us think about it for a few minutes. As a member of Division Leadership your ideas and insights matter. That’s not to say that as a member at large they don’t. Think about it. Where can your input have greater influence on a regular basis? Where can you gain recognition from your peers on a regular basis – the board of directors… Where can you climb through the ranks to become the Chair of the Board and set the leadership agenda for a 1- or 2-year term? That’s right – the board of directors. And what feeds an ego better than all that recognition? NOTHING… …absolutely NOTHING!!!

Just imagine how fat your ego can get on a healthy diet of Warm Fuzzies that will carry you forward for a lifetime… (I know, I get ego strokes often, and my ego likes them.)

Immediate Recognition as an Industry Leader

Well, if you see my e-mail signature, you will notice that I place my membership on this board as a “Valued Item.” How you might well ask… Here it is, your e-mail goes out to people of all walks and stripes. From Molders to Product Engineers to Sourcing Directors to Vice Presidents of Corporations and everyone in between. And when you place your membership on a Board of Directors front and center, guess what – that gets noticed and noticed in a BIG WAY… Your membership and display of membership gives you newfound credibility. That is instant recognition as being someone that can speak to the issues – someone that has developed not only the technical skills to do the job, but also the network of professional associates to provide technical resources when you reach your depth and need help.

Leadership Training

Then there is the leadership thing – employers look at leadership as a key metric when assessing team members for future development. Can Henry effectively lead a cross functional team? How is Sally at driving a team to proper Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Actions. Those activities require strong leadership and folks that is something we give away as our members move through the various roles. What an experience…

We look for members that have any level of leadership experience and where there is some, we set those folks on a course of leadership – where there is none, we do the same. We pull together as leaders encouraging one another day by day, sometimes year by year, to reach the next goal – to develop the next big thing – to work alongside other leaders in our industry for…yes, there it is again, the betterment of the Industry and the next generation of practitioners.

Did I mention RESOURCES?

When you add to the Altruistic Response, Industry Recognition, the Immediate Public Recognition, the Leadership Training, what could be better than a new network of Industry Resources?

Sure, we all have access to the Membership Directory of the Society of Plastics Engineers. BUT and that IS A BIG BUT! Can you out of the blue reach out to the membership (any part of the membership) on a personal basis for technical assistance and KNOW that they will respond?

We all have our circle of associates. We all know people and they all want to help, but if your circle is anything like mine, I would lay odds that most folks in it have similar experiences to yours in business.

Here is a short story to illustrate the depth of relationships developed over time and enhanced by serving on our board of directors.

Recently I took a position as the Tooling Manager for a company that produces plastic parts. That is not so uncommon you might be thinking. Afterall, I have been in the plastics industry for 45 years… This position is a bit different on a couple of fronts:

1. The products are large – larger than any I have worked with in the past – I mean 1-to-2-pound shots on single cavity consumer products large.
2. The molding resin is different than most that I have had experience running and it doesn’t like to be pushed over long flow lengths without a lot of Gate Blush. Plus the stuff sticks to about everything, including the sprue bushing, cavity steel, core steel and well you get the idea.

So here is the best part, there aren’t a lot of molders (or mold makers) that have deep experience with this resin – so we are all “Trail Blazers” of sorts. We are endeavoring to go where no person has gone before with this material. Let me tell you, the journey is tough!

On this particular day, we are in the molding room pushing and prodding the press, almost begging, for just one good part – one run of 5 consecutive shots on which we can build a process and move to production. But we are getting nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE FAST! That is when I remember that I have a relationship with a Materials Engineer from years gone by. We had worked together on the Student Activities Committee for an ANTEC®, and he knows this material. What do I do? What any Tooling Manager at the end of his or her rope does, I spun him up on the telephone and asked for HELP!!! Guess what, there we were 5 engineers in a conference room huddled around my cellphone asking questions and getting guidance. It wasn’t just theoretical guidance; it was REAL WORLD EXPERIENTIAL GUIDANCE. It was the kind of guidance that you know comes from having been there and done that. And it paid off!!!

That my friends is the kind of relational resource you build by participation on a board of directors. By the way, today the molds are running production and we, all 5 of us WE, have a new friend and resource that we didn’t have two months ago.

You too can be developing resource relations with other likeminded leaders/practitioners of our industry. The folks that work on our board share your desire as leaders, to better the industry. They have a wealth of experiences from which to draw information – technical in the trenches information. They are willing, no desiring, to share it openly and freely.

Ah Yes, the Friendships

I may have mentioned in passing that in many cases board membership turns into friendship. Let me make it clear, we are not talking about acquaintances, but lifelong comrades in arms. People you may have spent years working with side by side. People that you share a common goal with – yes here is that goal again – the betterment of the industry for the next and future generations of practitioners – be them Tooling Engineers, Mold Designers, Mold Makers, CNC Operators, EDM Specialist or Shop Owners – we are all working together and building those friendships for today and for years, if not decades to come.

I am going to speak from experience here… I joined the board of directors in 1994. You might well imagine that people have come, and people have gone. That is true! But what is often overlooked are the people that are still there… Folks like; Glenn Beall – Glenn Starkey – Barbara Ferot-Arnold – Phil Mitchell – Fred Steil (recently deceased but fondly remembered) – Jerry Fischer (also deceased but fondly remembered). These industry stalwarts I count as my friends – people I can call in a pinch and know that they will understand where I am coming from and are willing to provide a listening ear – some thoughtful guidance – or a quick kick in the pants (if that is what is needed.) There are others that I am sure I have forgotten – not intentionally – but forgotten none the less. And with the complexion of today’s board, I am making new friends and re-kindling old
relations --- and I know that as I sit here, they will do the same for me as I am willing to do for them… Be a FRIEND…

That is just a taste…

This has been but a taste of the many benefits of being associated with the Mold Technologies Board of Directors – albeit from a personal perspective.

Just to provide a quick recap, Board participation can:

• Meet altruistic desires
• Provide Industry Notoriety
• Feed your Professional Ego
• Provide INSTANT recognition as an Industry Leader
• Provide Leadership Training – Mentorship
• Provide close association resources
• Build Lifelong Friendships

I hope with all sincerity that it has aroused your curiosity… and that we can count you in as a “Plus One” on our division leaders’ roster…

How Do I Apply???

Applying is as easy as drafting a snapshot resume and sending it to me. We will add you to the ballot and get your name in front of the division membership. And don’t worry, we have plenty to do so you won’t be bored on our board… Just e-mail me at scott.peters@moldedmarketing.com.

What is in it for my employer?

Well, that is a question we will tackle in the next newsletter. I know that in order to be an effective employer in this marketplace you must be a visionary – so I also rest assured that you are already seeing the benefits of having your team members participate (and supporting them) in the leadership of our industry.

Here is just one thing that came as a result of my participation – it is a little thing that many folk refer to as the NIMS Apprenticeship Model – that is right – I was fortunate enough as Inter- Society Liaison to work with the  National Institute of Metalworking Skills on the first ever Skills Based Apprenticeship Model. And that my friends, benefits us all… See you all next issue when we discuss the benefits for the employer…

Scott

About the Author

Scott L. Peters is president and founder of Molded Marketing LLC – a marketing company dedicated to the art and craft of Mold Making and Design. He has served on this board in all roles from Assistant Newsletter Sponsorship to Division Chair and Division Councilor to International – in 2008 he lead the Student Activities Committee of ANTEC® Milwaukee to do great things for student authors and future leaders of the industry. He can be reached at scott.peters@moldedmarketing.com or +1-330-201-3751.