Talent Advisory Board

Beginning a career in any industry is challenging, and many people early in their journeys in manufacturing need advice on how to advance and reach the next milestone. IndustryWeek’s Talent Advisory Board collects manufacturing leaders who rose through the ranks and are happy to share stories and advice on how they got to where they are now. This group includes senior-level people and young leaders who advanced quickly in their organizations. They work for large companies or run their own businesses, representing a wide swathe of careers within manufacturing.

Every month, we ask the group a new question about their careers or life experiences. If you have a question for the group, please send it to IndustryWeek [email protected].

Read responses to March's question: What is the best piece of career advice you received within your first five years on the job in your current industry?
On Thursday, April 27, 2023, you can read half of the responses to April's question: What’s the biggest mistake you made early in your career, and what did you learn from that experience?
On Friday, April 28, 2023, you can read the other half of the responses to April's question: What’s the biggest mistake you made early in your career, and what did you learn from that experience?
On May 30, 2023, you can read half of the answers to the question: When do you know when you’re ready for your next career challenge?
On May 31, 2023, the rest of the responses to: When do you know when you’re ready for your next career challenge?
On June 26, 2023, board members discussed how and when to delegate responsibilities. One of the biggest challenges in moving into leadership roles is learning how to delegate tasks instead of taking on more work yourself. How did you manage that transition, and how do you decide which tasks to delegate to which people?
On June 27, 2023, the rest of board members responses to questions about delegating tasks and responsibilities.
On July 27, 2023, board members discussed taking time off. Let’s talk vacation: How do you handle the demands of the modern, always-connected workplace when you’re supposed to be resting and relaxing? And, what benefits do you get from taking time off from working?
On July 28, 2023, more board members discussed vacation time.
And, on July 31, 2023, board member Billy Ray Taylor shared his views on why vacations are important and how to make sure you're watching out for your mental health.
On Aug. 30, 2023, board members discussed sharing bad performance reviews, answering the prompt: Understanding that you’re doing something wrong or need to improve your performance is critical to advancing in a career, but as much as many people need constructive criticism, it can still hurt. What was a memorable moment that you had in receiving negative comments about your performance, and how did that experience inform how you give criticism to employees who need to hear it?
On Sept. 27, 2023, half of the board discussed the state of the labor market, answering the question: Several employment reports suggest that the labor market has cooled a bit in recent months, rebounding from the massive numbers of people voluntarily quitting jobs last year. What's your take on the quality and availability of talent on the market today?
The remaining members of the board discussed that September question on Oct. 3, 2023.