Company success requires in-house leaders

Of all the factors that successful machine shops are dedicated to, identifying individuals who have the potential to be great team leaders is critical. Cultivating that potential also is critical, whether it’s leaders in project management, machining, programming, quality, or measurement.

Langley, B.C.-based AdvanTec Global Innovations identifies leaders through a variety of methods.

AdvanTec, which produces marine closures and offers pipe bending for the oil and gas industry, opened another manufacturing facility, this time in Robertsdale, Ala., in April 2018.

“One of the things we do is a formalized leadership training course for people to understand what our vision of leadership is,” said Matt Kirby, vice president of sales and marketing. “It flushes out natural abilities and allows people to see if they have what it takes to be a leader. Not everyone has leadership in their DNA, or even has the desire to be a leader.”

Kirby noted that the company’s human resources manager, Danielle Paterson, was instrumental in instituting the initiative less than two years ago. Paterson explained that the training has three tiers and may include financial and other support for outside skills training and development. Participants either sign up themselves for the training or are encouraged to take the training by managers, she said. It’s also something that might come up during employees’ quarterly performance reviews.

“Effective leadership is essential to fostering balanced, thriving teams, and because all teams function differently, leaders should reflect this,” said Joe Morgan, president of Square Deal Machining, Marathon, N.Y. “Leaders will need to approach their position from different backgrounds and bring different skill sets to most effectively manage their own team.”

For example, noted Morgan, heads of quality assurance need to be meticulous.

“Because of this,” he added, “it’s crucial to identify and nurture leadership skills in a variety of employees, from new hires to tenured staff.”

However, Square Deal also looks for a few key general leadership skills from each potential hire throughout the company. For example, excellent communication skills and the ability to comfortably give and receive direction are key for all leaders. All team leaders at Square Deal must also have the capacity to understand work flows and grasp the different technologies that their team members are using.

“They should also question established processes,” he added. “How can we improve the existing system? How can we more effectively integrate a new technology? While we can’t ever be 100 per cent certain that any candidate will be a successful leader at our company, we have found that these skills are most often indicative of a good fit.”

Examine character

In terms of the traits it requires in team leaders, Manes Machine & Engineering, Fort Collins, Colo., first puts a focus on hiring employees of good character and then works to align these individuals with the firm’s core values, such as integrity, dedication to excellence, and, as you might have guessed, effective teamwork.

This means the firm tends to look for potential leaders from within, noted Business Development Officer Jason Page.

“That’s worked for us more than looking outward,” he explained. “These employees have proven they can do the tasks, they have the technical skills and the character and core values, and it’s an easier transition at that point to leadership. These are individuals who are excited about growth, excited about their tasks, and who take ownership.”

Identifying potential team leaders

A variety of strategies to unearth leadership material within their existing ranks can be used.

At Manes, employees who may one day lead teams are identified by existing leaders, who notice their workers’ excitement about the job and their willingness to take responsibility for their work. However, Manes also uses an employee-led process improvement strategy in which employees volunteer to identify problem areas and suggest fixes, presenting the results company-wide if they wish.

“The employees that take part in that process automatically identify themselves as leaders,” said Page. “They are jumping up and taking ownership.”

The same method is used at Manes regardless of the employee’s age. Having said that, Page noted that Manes has had great success over the last couple of years with finding and hiring young people who really want to challenge the status quo.

At Square Deal, potential leaders are also flagged through existing managers. They make it a point, said Morgan, to learn their employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

“Managers also focus on employee problem-solving skills and what types of tasks they are naturally drawn to,” he explained, adding that some employees also “exhibit natural leadership skills or express a genuine interest in leadership roles.”

Examine outside interests

In terms of evaluating the specific potential of young people to be good employees and good leaders, Steven Molenda, director of global marcom and marketing strategies at ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, said that shop owners he’s talked to tend to take a long, hard look at extracurricular involvement, such as the WorldSkills vocational competition and other student and school contests.

Nurturing leadership

Once a possible leader is identified through a firm’s unique process, there are again many facets involved in nurturing the individual in reaching his or her potential. For those employees at Square Deal who exhibit natural leadership skills or express a genuine interest in leadership roles, managers work to provide opportunities to try leading a project or supervising work flows. Morgan described these experiences as “a critical stepping stone towards advancing individuals in leadership roles at our company.”

Molenda also believes that providing experience is critical. He said that younger individuals should be empowered slowly by managers with small amounts of responsibility at first.

“Set specific, measurable goals and work in easily manageable time frames, such as 60 days,” he said. “Working incrementally provides more opportunities for feedback and success.”

At Manes, potential leaders are also given small projects to oversee so that they can build their skills and confidence.

“It’s obviously an evolution of an employee into a leadership role,” said Page. “We also sit down and plan with them what their next year on the job will look like.”

Kirby at AdvanTec noted that leadership at his shop is very much nurtured through demonstration.

“It’s not something you can just add on within a company,” he said. “People are too smart, and they don’t buy into things that aren’t being demonstrated by everyone. Leadership has to be owned from the top down. Everyone here believes in it and lives it every day. It’s very important.”

Contributing writer Treena Hein can be reached at info@canadianmetalworking.com.

AdvanTec Global Innovations, www.advantecglobal.com

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, www.esabna.com

Manes Machine & Engineering Co., www.manesmachine.com

Square Deal Machining, www.squaredealinc.com