Dr. Dave Miles: Welcome to “Conversations on Leadership with Dr. Dave.” Today we are pleased to have with us Cary Dunston. Cary has had quite a distinguished career across several different venues, and I don’t think I would do it justice, so Cary, thanks again for joining us. Please, tell us a bit about yourself.

Cary Dunston: Alright, David, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’ll start with a quick background. I studied engineering in university—engineering management and aerospace engineering. I actually wanted to be a pilot, but instead, I went down, ending up as a submarine officer in the Navy. I spent eight years with the U.S. Navy, an experience I’m extremely proud of and would repeat if I had the chance. It set me up well from a leadership perspective. After the Navy, I got my MBA and started in the automotive industry, primarily in operations leadership, serving as a plant manager in several locations. I also did a stint in marketing strategy and ran European operations for an automotive company based in England.

I then transitioned to a holding company based out of London, managing U.S. and North American operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. After a brief stint in venture capital, working with industrial diamonds, I got a call from a headhunter about an opportunity with American Woodmark in Winchester, Virginia. I joined them in 2006 as Senior Vice President of Operations, overseeing manufacturing and supply chain. Over the years, I progressed to Executive Vice President and COO, then President and COO, and finally Chairman and CEO. It’s been an incredible journey, filled with both great experiences and significant challenges.

Dr. Dave Miles: How did the transition from automotive to industrial diamonds and then to American Woodmark go? How was the manufacturing process similar or different?

Cary Dunston: It was interesting because I went from a holding company that made nonwovens to industrial diamonds. Automotive manufacturing, which is discrete manufacturing, involves making engines and exhaust systems, while nonwoven production runs 24/7. In automotive, I got heavily involved in lean and Six Sigma, and I brought a lot of that knowledge to the nonwoven industry. Running lean projects and implementing single-minute exchange of dies significantly improved uptime and had a major impact on the bottom line.

What I found throughout my career is that while operations differ, leadership remains constant. It’s not about the technical expertise in the manufacturing processes but the leadership you bring to them—motivating, inspiring, and driving the organization towards common goals. In all these industries, I focused on developing a culture of continuous improvement and lean thinking, which were key to our success.

Dr. Dave Miles: I’m surprised that they didn’t have robust lean practices in place, especially in an industry that operates 24/7. It seems like that would be a priority.

Cary Dunston: Surprisingly, many places, including automotive, were just getting started with lean in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Lean and Six Sigma weren’t as widespread as people thought, or they weren’t truly ingrained in the culture. It’s about changing the way you think, understanding systems, and embedding these practices deeply within the organization. It’s not just about one-off events but transforming the entire culture.

Dr. Dave Miles: The flavor of the month approach definitely doesn’t work. Making a sustained commitment to change is essential. Let’s dive into our first question: What does leadership mean to you, and what does good leadership look like?

Cary Dunston: In simple terms, leadership is about influencing others. Throughout my career, I’ve emphasized that leadership is about having a positive influence on the lives of others. Good leadership creates an environment where people can be themselves, don’t feel the need to conform, and are empowered to innovate and be creative. It’s about open communication and approachability at all levels. A good leader creates a culture of excellence, where people feel valued and respected. They foster an environment of trust and emotional awareness, recognizing that employees are human beings, not just workers.

Dr. Dave Miles: You mentioned being approachable and fostering open communication. How important is it to get honest feedback from the front lines versus having it filtered through layers of management?

Cary Dunston: It’s extremely important but also very challenging. Breaking down hierarchical barriers to encourage open and honest communication requires a conscious effort. The CEO and senior leaders need to be approachable, spend time on the floor, and reinforce positive behaviors. It’s about creating a culture where junior-level employees feel comfortable bringing ideas forward without fear of bypassing their immediate supervisors. The creativity and innovation that can be unleashed from this open communication are phenomenal.

Dr. Dave Miles: I’ve seen examples where communication was not handled well. Let’s discuss that further in our next segment. We’ll take a break now and return shortly on “Conversations on Leadership with Dr. Dave.”

Dr. Dave Miles: Welcome back to “Conversations on Leadership.” Our guest today is Cary Dunston, former CEO of American Woodmark. Cary, you mentioned earlier that you originally wanted to be a pilot but ended up as a submarine officer. That’s quite a shift from being 30,000 feet in the air to being below the sea.

Cary Dunston: Yes, it was a significant shift, driven by my vision issues. I discovered I had bad depth perception, which explained my struggles with baseball and golf growing up. So instead of flying, I joined the Nuclear Navy, a decision that led to an incredible career.

Dr. Dave Miles: That’s quite an impressive journey. Let’s dive into our next question: What is one of the biggest leadership challenges you’ve faced?

Cary Dunston: The most emotional and challenging period of my career was during the housing bubble crash shortly after I joined American Woodmark in 2006. Leading operations, I had to make tough decisions, including layoffs and closing six plants across the country, impacting thousands of lives. It was incredibly challenging, but I committed to doing it the right way, treating everyone with dignity and respect. Communicating these decisions personally, I ensured the process upheld our values and treated people as human beings. It was emotionally draining but necessary to position the company for future success.

Dr. Dave Miles: It must have been especially difficult after your success in saving the plant in England. Knowing the impact of such decisions, how did you manage to balance these tough calls with maintaining company morale?

Cary Dunston: The Great Recession required strategic cutbacks to survive. Despite the difficult decisions, we focused on values and treated people with respect. American Woodmark emerged stronger, becoming the fastest-growing cabinet company post-recession. It’s during tough times that you truly see a company’s heart and soul. We always started conversations with “how are you holding up?”—putting people first, even in challenging times.

Dr. Dave Miles: Values on the wall must reflect actual practices. Seeing that congruence is crucial for trust and engagement. Let’s move to our next question: What do you see as one of the biggest mistakes leaders make today?

Cary Dunston: The biggest mistake is failing to recognize the power of emotions, particularly their own. Leaders must understand and manage their emotions, identifying triggers and making conscious choices about their behavioral responses. Emotional intelligence involves being aware of how your emotions impact your decisions and the people around you. It’s a continual, multi-year journey to become emotionally mature and effective as a leader.

Dr. Dave Miles: You mentioned the importance of emotional intelligence. Two books, “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg and “Triggers” by Marshall Goldsmith, discuss the impact of habits and triggers. Goldsmith emphasizes creating a gap between trigger and response to enable better decision-making. How do you see this applying to leadership?

Cary Dunston: It’s crucial to separate emotions from behavioral responses. You can’t control your emotions, but you can control how you respond. Techniques like using a rubber band to create a physical reminder can help manage responses. Leaders must consciously choose to keep their emotions in check and maintain awareness of their impact on others. Building an emotional “bucket” helps you draw on positive interactions during challenging times.

Dr. Dave Miles: Public figures often lose their careers over one mistake, highlighting the importance of emotional control. What do you think is the best way for leaders to improve their leadership skills?

Cary Dunston: Leaders need to invest in themselves, finding their true center. Balancing life involves recognizing all aspects of life, not just work. Identifying what’s important and aligning your life accordingly is essential. Leaders often fail to balance life’s demands, leading to burnout and ineffective leadership. Making conscious choices and maintaining a balanced life enhances leadership effectiveness.

Dr. Dave Miles: That holistic approach to life balance is critical. It’s about making better decisions and being more effective. How can our listeners connect with you and learn more about your courses and activities?

Cary Dunston: I’m focused on training and giving back through my courses. My “Life Leader 360” course, offered through the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber of Commerce, starts on January 26. It’s a four-day course focusing on balancing life and leadership. For more details, you can connect with me on LinkedIn under Cary Dunston. I’m also planning to launch a website for Life Leader 360 soon.

Dr. Dave Miles: Thank you, Cary, for joining us today. It’s been a pleasure having you on the show. Thank you to our listeners for tuning in. We’ll see you next time on “Conversations on Leadership with Dr. Dave.”