It is widely recognised that the most valuable asset in any business is its people, and this applies to all industries, not just manufacturing. To have a group of people working together towards a common goal, capable leaders equipped with the necessary skills are essential. 

On 7th February, the GM Business Growth Hub’s manufacturing experts will be introducing their “Manufacturing Culture and Leadership” workshop. With the new course structure, this fully-funded workshop is tailored to help manufacturers in Greater Manchester foster a culture of continuous improvement through enhanced leadership skills.  

“Manufacturers often overlook the importance of leadership skills in comparison to other aspects of their business. They tend to believe that the only way to enhance productivity is by investing in advanced machinery and technology. However, this assumption may not always be accurate. The most effective approach to boost productivity is to concentrate on managing and leading people,” said Anne Campion, the Head of Manufacturing at GM Business Growth Hub. 

“Successful businesses that outpace their competitors always prioritise investing in their leaders. This course is specifically tailored for manufacturing companies that are dedicated to continuous improvement and committed to developing strong leadership skills at all levels of the organisation, as this is a prerequisite for achieving success in the business.” 

This fully-funded programme is led by Stephen Booth, Manufacturing Advisor of GM Business Growth Hub. With his proven track record, he has helped manufacturers in Greater Manchester to double their output in four years despite the challenges of EU Exit and the pandemic. The programme aims to empower manufacturing leaders of all levels to enhance their business operations and achieve their goals, particularly in leading change and implementing new processes. 

Manufacturing Culture and Leadership is a one-day workshop focused on leadership principles and techniques for building a lean and productive enterprise where people are motivated to work. Key topics include: 

• Situational Leadership: Customising leadership styles to provide guidance or delegate tasks based on each person’s needs will help support and guide the team to achieve goals
• Conflict Management:  One of the crucial criteria for a managerial role is to resolve conflict, which requires understanding perspectives and negotiation skills
• Absence Management: Good leaders manage absence fairly and consistently by investigating the underlying causes
• Effective Communication: The ability to confidently address the team, even when delivering negative news, in a positive manner
• Problem Solving:  Fostering a problem-solving culture is essential for manufacturing excellence, which involves empowering individuals with management tools.

Each of these themes will be tackled during the workshop in a group setting to allow attendees to meet and discuss the difficulties they face with fellow managers from other organisations in a blame-free environment. 

Follow-up on-site one-to-one guidance will also be offered to attendees to support progress on the projects and problems they identify in the workshop – also fully funded!