Women working in CSL’s manufacturing facilities have a unique vantage point that made us want to know more about how they approach their work, especially in a changing environment. New technologies arrive, regulations evolve and community needs shift. Here’s what they said:
“Change often arrives without clarity and it is easy to mistake uncertainty for failure or a loss of traction,” said Shirino Flynn, Director of Global Integrated Business Planning at CSL’s Kankakee, Illinois, manufacturing site. But there’s always something to be gained.
Kelly Konemann, Quality Site Head at Kankakee, said there’s one thing leaders must do to navigate their teams through changing times.
“Really when it comes to change, the single most important thing we can do for our people is communicate, communicate, communicate,” she said.
Learning to make frequent adjustments can build workplace confidence. Kelly Jenness, a Senior Manager at CSL’s manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, says she spent the last 15 years learning how to improve and stay relevant.
“I’ve learned new skill sets and I have learned to be flexible,” she said. “When I know change is coming, I feel better adapted and suited to be able to deal with that change in the moment.”
Jenness also underscored the need to communicate with the team, sharing what you know as soon as possible.
A positive attitude drives Margo Hood forward. She’s a Manufacturing Supervisor at Holly Springs.
“I typically respond to change with optimism, and so for me, leading through change is sharing that optimism with my team,” Hood said.
And seize opportunities to contribute by offering your ideas and perspective, she advised.
Remember that being a leader means you set the standard, said Melissa Rapp, a Fractionation Operator at Kankakee.
