SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

SHARING INFORMATION

Shortly after the creation of the CMMA, it became clear that we needed to assemble some teams of people to concentrate on issues common to many of our member businesses. Our view was to get individuals from member businesses that are the leaders in each of the targeted disciplines to start meeting and sharing information about how each of them handle different situations.

The initial areas of focus we identified included:  Education, Executive Roundtable, Human Resources, Quality and Safety. We recently created a sixth group, Supply Chain Management. Others will be launched as the need and interest dictate.

Today’s special interest groups vary in size from about 12 members to 36. The majority of the members of any SIG come from our manufacturing businesses and are the most senior person in their respective discipline. A few associate member businesses may have a representative included if the group’s focus is in an area where they bring expertise. An example is the HR SIG has an associate member from the insurance sector and from MMC. When a SIG is launched, the members draw up a charter that basically defines their purpose and identifies goals, objectives and any deliverables. Probably the most beneficial outcome from any SIG is that it provides a platform to discuss any current issues and share best practices on how to address them.

HOW CAN THEY BENEFIT YOU?

We have all heard the term “No man is an army.” When you are part of a SIG, you now have an army. All of the members of that SIG can share their experiences in dealing with whatever the situation may be, giving you many different perspectives. Why reinvent the wheel if others have already done it?