The Power of Allies: Elevating Talent and Performance Across Manufacturing

The Power of Allies: Elevating Talent & Performance Across Manufacturing

Manufacturing is evolving fast. As automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalization reshape production, the industry depends more than ever on people who can think creatively, solve problems collaboratively, and lead with confidence. That’s why allyship is not just positive workplace behavior — it’s a strategic driver of stronger teams and stronger results.

At Women in Manufacturing’s (WiM) recent SUMMIT, leaders who help build that kind of environment were recognized with the William E. Gaskin Ally Award. Named for the mentor of WiM’s president and founder, Allison Grealis, the award honors those who don’t simply believe in access and advancement but actively support fair opportunity and development through their actions. At the 2025 SUMMIT, 11 men were celebrated for making allyship part of how they lead, develop talent, and strengthen manufacturing. Two of these honorees — Rakesh Aneja, Vice President and Head, Corporate Development, Daimler Truck North America, and David Fernandes, Senior Vice President at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing — shared how everyday actions can unlock the full strength of the workforce.

Stronger Teams Start with Recognizing Potential

High-performing organizations are built on people who believe in their own capability — and allies help spark that belief. For Rakesh, the first act of allyship is shining a light on someone’s strengths and naming the potential he sees in them. “Sometimes, just hearing I believe you can do this makes a big difference,” he said. A simple affirmation can open a door a person did not yet see for themselves.

He pairs encouragement with opportunity, intentionally nudging people into roles that stretch their abilities — but with support. “You don’t want to throw them in the deep end directly,” he explained. “Just push them toward the deep end, knowing they have a support structure they can rely on.”

David approaches growth in a similar way. Before he challenges someone to go further in their development, he names their strengths and tells them why he believes they’re ready: because he sees potential. “That automatically opens a door,” he said. “Then they think, It’s okay for me to have self-reflection, it’s okay for me to receive feedback from this individual—because they’re in my corner and trying to help me.” When feedback is rooted in advocacy rather than judgment, the walls come down. People feel safe being honest about where they are, exploring what worked and what didn’t, and taking ownership of their development. “We can work on it every day,” he added. And when fear drops away, the learning accelerates.

Both leaders emphasized that progress must be seen and celebrated. “When they do great work, you want to make sure it gets noticed,” Rakesh said. “Talent certainly doesn’t grow in the dark.” Visibility helps individuals gain confidence — and helps organizations recognize emerging leadership talent sooner.

Removing Barriers Helps Talent Rise — and Stay

Workforce shortages remain a pressing challenge across manufacturing. Retaining skilled employees — and ensuring they see a future where they are — is essential for long-term competitiveness. Yet barriers often arise not from capability alone, but from gaps in information, access, or psychological safety.

“Every organization has its unwritten rules,” Rakesh noted. “Helping people navigate them creates a level playing field.” He believes psychological safety is the foundation for removing those invisible barriers. “You want them to be able to take those risks without any sort of fear of judgment,” he said. When people feel safe to ask questions, admit what they don’t know, and learn in the open, their potential can fully unfold.

David echoed that sentiment, especially in his joint-venture environment where team members navigate multiple cultures and expectations. “We’ve all had a boss whose leadership didn’t resonate with us,” he said. “Recognizing those bad habits helps us avoid repeating them.” For him, removing barriers means giving people permission to learn in real time. “You have to allow people to make mistakes, because that’s where we learn,” he said. When individuals feel supported instead of evaluated, they are more likely to raise a hand early and partner with the team to fix issues before they grow.

Advocacy is also a crucial form of allyship, especially for rising leaders whose contributions may not yet be visible beyond their immediate teams. “Advocacy when people are not in the room, such as ensuring their work and qualifications are represented accurately, is a very important factor,” Rakesh said. When industry leaders use their voice to expand access for others, advancement stops depending on chance — and starts depending on capability.

Allyship Drives Innovation and Performance

As manufacturing technologies become more interconnected, success increasingly depends on the strength of collaboration. That is where allyship becomes a business advantage.

“Bringing varied perspectives together isn’t just a nice-to-have,” Rakesh said. “It has become increasingly important for success and can be a strategic advantage.” Teams that feel supported and trusted are more engaged, quicker to contribute ideas, and better at breaking down silos that can slow down innovation. “We are able to build trust among teams and boost performance when people feel safe contributing at their maximum level,” he said.

David’s experience at Mazda Toyota shows how that mindset translates into real-world results. His team recently prepared to speed up their production line to meet customer demand — a complex shift months in the making. Success depended on a workplace culture that supports transparent communication and a shared willingness to address problems early. He made sure people knew their voices were welcome in solving the challenge. “It is OK for us to not be exactly where we want to be,” he said. “The key point is to be able to raise your hand and say, we’re not there. To acknowledge what the gaps are.”

That openness allowed the team to bring forward issues, support one another, and find solutions faster. “By doing that,” David explained, “we can foster the support and the help that we need to be able to close those gaps.” By viewing issues as shared challenges and working through them together over months of testing and preparation, the team launched a faster line while maintaining their previous level of operational performance — proving that when people feel safe to contribute, progress gains momentum.

When teams feel empowered, they move quicker, think smarter, and deliver stronger outcomes. Allyship enables that environment.

Culture Change Today Builds the Workforce of Tomorrow

Neither Rakesh nor David views allyship as a single initiative or recognition moment. It is a consistent commitment embedded in how leaders listen, advocate, and share credit every day. “Allyship is not one and done,” Rakesh said. “It’s those micro-actions day in, day out that compound over time.” His greatest satisfaction comes from seeing people he once supported step into leadership roles of their own — and then lift others in turn.

David feels the same. The moments that make him proud are when he sees someone adopt a leadership behavior they once struggled with — taking time to listen, handling disagreement with more confidence, or creating space for someone else to contribute. “Seeing them at the next level, knowing I played a small part in their growth,” he said, “that’s what makes me proud.”

Leaders who invest in people create a ripple effect. They build future managers, future innovators, and future advocates who will carry the industry forward.

A Stronger Industry Starts with Strong Allies

Manufacturing strengthens when its people thrive. When leaders remove barriers, amplify untapped potential, and create space for everyone to contribute their best work, performance rises — and so does the industry’s ability to adapt, compete, and grow.

WiM continues to champion this mission by recognizing allyship not as a buzzword, but as a business imperative. The William E. Gaskin Ally Award shines a light on leaders who are already making a difference. But WiM also knows that allyship grows stronger when more leaders join in — which is why our Men as Allies initiative continues to expand.

This February 18–19, 2026, WiM will host the second annual Men as Allies Conference — a program designed to deepen the conversation around male allyship and its role in building stronger, more supportive workplaces. The event offers space for manufacturing leaders to engage in honest dialogue, share real experiences, and walk away with actionable strategies to champion and support women across the industry while strengthening inclusive leadership practices that benefit the entire workforce. The conference is tailored for men at the director level and above who are committed to cultivating environments where diverse perspectives are recognized as essential to success.

Because when more leaders learn how to lift others, manufacturing moves forward together.