Professional Growth and Development | With Industry Leaders
What Are You Reading?
HV Mfg asked the manufacturing community to recommend a book, article, or podcast that impacted them personally or professionally.
Oliver Stauffer, CEO, PTI
The Title: Ego is the Enemy
The Author: Ryan Holiday
A Brief Summary: The book argues that our unhealthy belief in our own importance is often the greatest obstacle to success. Drawing on many stoic philosophers in his writing, Holiday delivers a message that creates leadership and growth through valuable introspection. In a world where leadership is more based on humility and how we show up for others, Holiday shows how ego manifests and how we can best manage it to be better leaders. He emphasizes humility, discipline, and purpose as antidotes to ego, highlighting how restraint, learning from others, and focusing on the work itself lead to long-term achievement and fulfillment.
In What Ways Did You Find It Valuable or Impactful: We are all challenged with different emotions and attitudes as we navigate our way to success. Taking a deep hard look at how we engage, how we pursue goals, and how that shows up for others is extremely impactful. As leaders, how we show up for and relate to others will dictate who we are as leaders. This book drives you to look inward and helps uncloud some of the thoughts that motivate us. It helps realign who we are to who we want to be. Ultimately, it creates a new way to relate to yourself as a purpose-driven leader. For someone in a high-stakes or high-visibility role, it’s a reminder to stay grounded, prioritize the mission over recognition, and avoid being blinded by pride.
Emma Olivet,
Workforce Development,
The Council of Industry
The Title: Smart Brevity
The Author(s): Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz
A Brief Summary: Smart Brevity is co-authored by three leaders who came together after building both Politico and later Axios. Two come from the world of journalism and one from the business side. The book makes the case that the way we write and deliver information shapes how people actually take it in – whether in the news, at work, or in daily communication. It defines ‘Smart Brevity,’ explains how to use it, and the different ways it can be applied – from daily correspondence and newsletters to social media posts and meeting agendas.
In What Ways Did You Find It Valuable or Impactful: Despite having a degree in communications, my natural tendency is to overword or repeat myself to ensure my message comes across. Reading Smart Brevity helped me realize that’s where we often lose people. We are all inundated with messages, from overloaded inboxes to real-time news notifications, and it’s easy for important points to get lost in the noise. The book reframes it with a simple question: “What really matters here? What do I want people to actually remember?”
On average, we only retain about 10% of what we hear. And, the volume of information we’re asked to process is growing quickly: in 2005, the average worker received about 50 emails a day; by 2019, it was 126; and I can only imagine what the number looks like in 2025.
The book itself is written in the ‘Smart Brevity’ format. Each section shows word counts and reading times, uses plenty of bullet points, and provides clear examples and visuals. It’s quick, practical, and easy to digest – proving the point by how it’s written.
Harold King, President,
The Council of Industry
The Title: Change of Fortune: How One Determined Immigrant Built His American Dream
The Author: Vincent HoSang
A Brief Summary: This autobiography chronicles the life of Vincent HoSang, an immigrant from Jamaica, who, through sacrifice, dedication and hard work, built a hugely successful business in the Hudson Valley.
In What Ways Did You Find It Valuable or Impactful: Our association has more than 100 manufacturing members, each with a unique founding story. Whether it happened a few years ago, like Cerven Solutions, or more than a century ago like EFCO Products or James L. Taylor, these stories feature individuals with vision, grit and determination and are all inspirational in their own right.
Vincent HoSang’s founding of Caribbean Food Delight (see nearby Company Profile), however, stands apart. His rise from what can only be described as abject poverty to business owner and philanthropist is astounding.
The son of immigrants who had left their village in South China for a better life in Jamaica, he witnessed his parents’ struggle to eke out a living in that Caribbean nation to support their large family from a grocery shop in a remote and impoverished rural area. By fifteen, he faced the death of two siblings, separation from his family, and life as a high-school dropout. At twenty-seven, he arrived in New York City determined to make his fortune, and started his new life as a minimum wage factory worker.
He scraped and saved to buy a small deli in the Bronx. Seeing the swelling population of West Indian immigrants in the area he began to sell his wife’s Jamaican patties. A larger store, and a bakery, followed as did a factory in Rockland County employing more than 150 workers. A business now run by his hard working and appreciative children (who encouraged him to write this book.)
The book chronicles the sacrifices that Vincent made. It notes his failures as well as his successes. For those who doubt the American Dream, or question the positive impact immigrants can have on a community or an economy, Vincent’s story will change your mind.
Jean Coney, Senior Business Development Manager,
Langan Engineering
The Title: Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives
The Author(s): Patricia Grabarek and Katina Sawyer
A Brief Summary: Through a straightforward, science-based approach, Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives explains the steps to become a Generator–the type of leader who people want to work for and organizations want to hire–by leading in a way that fosters trust and positive connections with employees. This book is based on two in-depth studies conducted by the authors, where they found that the keys to employee satisfaction, wellbeing, retention, and productivity were found in the behavior of leaders and the environment those leaders cultivated. Written by experienced industrial/organizational psychologists Dr. Patricia Grabarek and Dr. Katina Sawyer, it is packed with real-life stories to add context.
In What Ways Did You Find It Valuable or Impactful: Does a company fulfill its responsibility for workforce “wellness” with a firmwide subscription to a mindfulness app? An e-blast highlighting lesser-used health insurance perks? A meditation room down the hall? These gestures may check the “wellness” box, but are they truly what we crave for fulfillment, engagement, and growth at work?
Dr. Grabarek and Dr. Sawyer found that employees don’t just want perks, they look to their leaders as a human barometer for how they should feel about work. They want to see positive daily interactions, healthy ways of navigating challenges, and role models who are authentic and consistent. No small task for leaders, of course. But when it’s done well, the “Generator” leader (as opposed to the “Extinguisher”) cultivates “cultural caretakers” who carry forward the positive environment set at the top.
While I certainly don’t hold a “Chief” title, I realize that colleagues across my company and industry look to me as a positive, trusted ally. This book gave me new strategies, but it also reassured me that staying grounded in gratitude, listening, and openness is the right approach.
Todd Lake,
Business Development Officer,
Tompkins Community Bank
The Title: How to Win Friends and Influence People
The Author: Dale Carnegie
A Brief Summary: In 1912, Dale Carnegie started conducting business education courses in New York – one of which was a 14-week course on human relations and public speaking. The material from this course later became the foundation for How to Win Friends and Influence People, first published in 1936. The book covers topics such as “Fundamental Techniques in Handling People”, “Six Ways to Make People Like You” and “Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking.” Today, it is categorized as one of the first books of the self-help genre and is one of the best-selling books of all time, having sold over 30 million copies.
In What Ways Did You Find It Valuable or Impactful: I’ve read this book quite a few times. In fact, I’ll pull it out and reread it every four or five years, and every time I do, I take away something new from it. In my most recent reread, I found myself thinking deeply about this quote: “People are not interested in you, they are interested in themselves – morning, noon and after dinner.” This may sound a little blunt on a first read, but at the heart of it, Carnegie is talking about the importance of knowing your audience and putting yourself in their shoes. We all have different backgrounds, personalities and ways of looking at things. It’s important to always think in terms of the other person – in life, but also in client-facing work. It goes hand in hand with one of my favorite principles from the section “Six Ways to Make People Like You”: develop a genuine interest in other people. Relationship building is one of the most important things we do as a community bank. It not only helps us support our individual clients, but our community as a whole.
Another fun fact about this book: Warren Buffett took Dale Carnegie’s course “How to Win Friends and Influence People” when he was 20 years old, and to this day, still has the diploma in his office. If Warren’s professional success is any testament to Carnegie’s advice, I think I’ll keep pulling this one out to reread
