How to recognize the leadership role in organizations. Strengthen listening skills. Aligning performance goals with strategy. Focus appraisals on future growth.

These are a few of the business-management strategies West Columbia-based Dale Carnegie Training of South Carolina, in conjunction with the Orangeburg Economic Development Commission, provided a handful of county industries during a recent management leadership training seminar.

The seminar was held at the OCDC headquarters at the Carolina Regional Park near the U.S. 601 and Interstate 26 interchange.

It is the first time the employment-training company has collaborated with a county in the state in the provision of management-level training to the industrial sector.

OCDC Executive Director Gregg Robinson said enhancing the viability of existing industry through the provision of local management-training opportunities is a key to remaining competitive in the global competitive marketplace.

“It is all about taking our companies to another level,” Robinson said. “Existing industry is our bread and butter; they are truly the most important leaders in our community.”

Among some of the industries participating in the leadership training were Zeus Industrial Products, Carpenter Technologies, Cox Industries and the South Carolina National Guard.

Robinson said plans are to offer additional training opportunities.

Robinson said providing industry leaders educational opportunities is a part of a three-pronged approach of developing product, resource development and community development.

“Companies recognize when they come into an area that everybody is going in the same direction,” Robinson said. “They see educational opportunities because it is tied into future growth and profit. It is all about adding value in the overall process. The idea is another added feature that Orangeburg County offers.”

Robinson said industries can take advantage of dollars on the state level of job-development credits for upper-level management training.

“This program is an edible expenditure for companies that are growing,” he said.

Robinson said working with Carnegie provides employers a local source for management development in a classroom setting of about 16 to 24 individuals. The course is accredited – A.C.E. (American Council on Education) which allows college credits for three of the courses as well as (Continuing Education Units).

“Organizations today want to become a learning organization,” said Keith Rickenbaker, a performance coach and business consultant with Dale Carnegie Training. “You can’t motivate but you can provide the environment where people can motivate themselves. This is one of the biggest challenges in business today. How can we motivate our employees, how can we have better communicate among our team, and there is also always an issue of time management.”

Rickenbaker says the training focuses on adding value and the enhancement of the skills already in place.

“To be value driven is where you take the initiative up front. What can we do above ad beyond what other counties are doing?” Rickenbaker said. “If we are not value driven up front, we perhaps will not be value driven on the back end.”

The training offered to the Orangeburg County industries was a seven-week, 3.5-hour-a-week course.

The training aimed to assist managers to improve self-direction, people skills, process skills, communication and accountability.

Dale Carnegie was founded in New York City in 1912 at a YMCA public speaking course.

It is estimated over 400 of the Fortune 500 company are users.

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