Expert Insight to Grow Your Business

Manufacturers polled for this year’s State of Manufacturing® survey identified building a quality workforce as a key driver of future growth.  To learn how to address this challenge, read two articles in the winter issue of Enterprise Minnesota magazine that offer clear processes to address issues surrounding employee performance and growth.

Through years of work in employee skill development, Sandy Borstad has learned that performance issues are often reflexively addressed with additional training. In the first article, Borstad says she’s a strong proponent of training, but notes that it’s often the wrong answer, especially when it comes to safety issues or recurring quality problems.

Borstad says manufacturers facing a performance issue should resist the immediate urge to train more and instead walk through a process that identifies the root of the problem. “In many cases, training isn’t what’s missing. What’s missing might be a clear process, a tough conversation, or aligned expectations,” Borstad says.

She has developed a step-by-step process to identify and address underlying causes. Her flow chart style “solution map” shows companies how to respond to challenges with actions that directly address the core of the problem. The magazine feature offers detail on the solution map and examples of situations where finding root causes allowed leaders to address issues more effectively.

In her article Growing Talent, Michele Neale shows the critical value of having a talent management strategy. “Companies plan for growth, for new markets, for new products, and for new purchases and equipment, but they often forget to build a strategy for managing talent to achieve their business goals,” she says. “Yet having a business strategy focused on talent management and engaging employees is vital to achieving your firm’s goals.”

It’s the first step in building an employee base that allows a business to grow. “Your company will move toward that goal when you understand and optimize the talent management cycle and create a leadership development plan that gives potential new leaders the tools they need to grow,” Neale says.

Neale identifies key pillars of a business strategy that addresses talent and leadership development. She also outlines specific steps to strengthen each of these pillars.

She also offers concrete recommendations for filling the talent pipeline, suggesting companies identify the skills and competencies needed for an employee’s future growth. “It may be specific technical skills or it may be things like accountability, difficult conversations, or leading change,” she says. “Some companies use a leadership skills matrix to quantify which skills are needed at which levels. You also need to identify each individual’s gaps in skills and knowledge.”

Both articles are packed with useful strategies for navigating employee performance and talent development, now and in the future. To read more, follow this link.

Industry News

Minnesota manufacturers reveal concerns in survey
November 8, Grand Rapids Herald Review

Pessimism sets in for Minnesota factories as many fear stagnant growth
November 6, Minnesota Star Tribune

Minnesota manufacturers have deep concerns about state’s business climate
November 5, Business North

Thief River Falls area manufacturers celebrated and honored
November 5, Thief River Falls Times

Hormel to Sell Majority Stake in Justin’s Brand
November 4, Food Manufacturing

For Michelle Daggett, a people-first culture drives Lakeshirts’ success
November 3, Detroit Lakes Online