Leader Name: Ryan Lemke
Job Title: Logistics Manager
Company: Carma Laboratories Inc, makers of Carmex 
Website: www.mycarmex.com
Favorite Restaurant: 5 O’Clock Steakhouse Milwaukee, WI & The Crab Trap Destin, FL
Favorite Sports Team: Green Bay Packers
Favorite Hobby: Engaging in sporting activities/events with my kids

1.  What makes a great leader?
Honesty, trust, and a willingness to listen.

2.  How does emotional intelligence help you lead and connect with yourself or others?
I believe a leader’s ability to not only identify their own emotions and how they reflect to their team and others within the organization, and those emotions of the team are critical to ensuring healthy working relationships are built and maintained within an organization. This also assists in creating engaging communication amongst all levels within the organization. By being aware and engaged with team members allows leaders to help create a positive work environment where staff feel engaged and a desire to bring forward opportunities and suggestions.

3.  What is the most important thing you value in workplace culture? 
Respect. To me respect is more than the definition of the word, it is interacting daily and living the values of word. Respect for the teams that work tirelessly day in and day out to complete their assigned tasks. Respect for those individuals in roles of leadership to guide and provide directional excellence for the path of the company. And respect for each other as human beings and knowing that someone might need a smile or a thank you sent in their direction to turnaround what might be going on outside of their working hours. It is easy to get caught up in the tasks that we are assigned to. It takes effort and respect for our teammates to set your own tasks aside and recognize when a moment away from “work responsibilities” can truly make a difference for someone.

4.  What are some awesome new things you are doing at your organization or in the community?
Carma Labs is engaged in creating a workplace environment that is second to none for its staff. We are continually looking for ways to expand on the foundations that have been built from early on (over 85+ years) as a Family-owned business. It is easy for companies to talk the talk about “work/life balance”, but Carma Labs truly Walks the Walk! Carma Labs has numerous synergies to being a Family-owned business and employees feeling like they are part of a family during their career at Carma Labs. Not only is there excitement with new product development (our Carmex Weather Guard won 2023 Product of the Year), but the company and the employees’ engagement in our community and giving back to the community is truly a blessing! To have our family of employees vote and recognize Carma Labs as a Great Place to Work and Journal Sentinel Top Workplaces is an honor and testament to the engagement of employees. What an Iconic brand with iconic values.


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