They Just Don't Get It!

requires sustainable engagement. And engagement starts with leadership that bridges worlds— connecting business objectives with human motivation, strategic vision with daily reality. Here's What That New Leadership Looks Like The Spectrum Brands plant in Blacksburg, Virginia, once carried a terrible reputation. In the community, it was known as a dark, dirty, and difficult place to work. Inside the company, it wasn't regarded much better. Recruiting was an uphill battle, turnover was high, and morale was low. I joined the Spectrum team as the Blacksburg plant manager during a company transition that led to the removal of the entire site leadership team. My first task was to build a new team from scratch. Then, we embarked on a journey to turn that ship around. Our immediate priority was safety—every employee's well-being mattered more than production numbers, full stop. The second priority was simple but powerful: clean the place up. Housekeeping became a daily discipline. Locker rooms were cleaned and painted. Break rooms were restocked and refreshed.

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