The manufacturing business has really changed a lot over the past several decades. Long gone are the days of leaders like Henry Ford, who wanted to control what their employees did in their free time and who docked the pay for everyone who arrived a minute late for work.
A manufacturing company nowadays requires a completely different type of management. Orders are not barked out so often anymore and some executives are even allowed to work remotely. Times have changed.
Instead, modern successful leaders focus on developing their human resources as they see it vital to their companies’ growth and there is a very good reason for that. The present-day supply chain is quite sophisticated and fast-paced. The focus is on boosting ROI and keeping abreast of the latest technological development.
Apart from that, modern leaders now have to deal with a completely different workforce, mostly millennials. Finally, the challenge to constantly increase the profit is putting a lot of pressure on the leaders. So, what is it that modern business leaders in the manufacturing business are doing to stay on the top?
Quality products
The most important thing was and still is to produce quality products at affordable prices. However, even if a product boasts exceptional quality, it won’t be purchased if its design isn’t appealing and if it’s not marketed properly. In order to meet these standards, business leaders are hiring teams of experts in various fields to create the best possible product and present it to potential customers.
Emphasis is also put on quality control, the process that now relies heavily on software. Quality control is important not only to make sure that the end product is of the highest quality but also to keep it up to code with the current environmental standards.
To achieve that, some manufacturing leaders have to, for example, use sulfatreat h2s removal to remove or lower the levels of sulfate. Others use eco-friendly light bulbs to reduce the amount of electricity used by their manufacturing company. Finally, every manager is obsessed with minimizing production waste, which again helps the environment and saves some money.
Motivate, rather than intimidate
As we’ve already stated, modern leaders in the manufacturing business are no longer expected to inspire fear among employees. Instead, they are supposed to create passion, both in employees and customers. Remember how Steve Jobs was revered for his innovations and the passion he inspired?
He was also aware that he needed to surround himself with people who shared his vision and passion. The same approach is, possibly not to the same extent, used by all great modern leaders in the manufacturing industry.
Customer relations
Great leaders know how to manage their relations with distributors, retailers and customers. Particularly important is the relationship forged with customers, since it has the most direct impact on the sales volume and profits, which helps distributors and retailers as well.
To create a strong relationship with customers, business leaders need to find out exactly what customers think about their companies and products and include their suggestions and remarks when designing new products.
Building trust
Many people think that building trust is relevant only to the relationship with customers. This is a valid point, but we shouldn’t ignore the importance of building trust internally, i.e. among the workforce.
Such an important element of success includes creating the right culture around teamwork and enthusiasm. The greatest managers invest in the professional development of employees and consult them when setting goals.
Bold vision
Apart from being able to understand their customers’ needs, great business leaders are not afraid to dream big. They often come up with bold and innovative ideas that can completely transform the line of business they are in and, what’s more important, they produce such ideas on a regular basis.
They also know when their previous idea is no longer efficient enough and are ready to abandon it and replace it with a more suitable one. Such behavior is commonly spread throughout the whole organization.
On top of all that, those forward-thinking leaders encourage their employees to express their entrepreneurial spirit by providing job descriptions that allow those employees to be innovative.
Using quality equipment
No matter how great your idea is and how profitable it may be, unless you use the best possible equipment in your production process, the quality of your product/service will suffer. This will inevitably lead to a decrease in sales, followed by a negative image of your brand.
For example, if you’re running an oil company, you probably know you need to replace your old ball valve with a new butterfly valve, which is also easier to install. Only the best equipment can produce the best end-product.
Embracing changes
It’s one of the oldest rules of business that there is actually no stagnation. In a nutshell, a status quo means you’re actually regressing, but you’re still not aware of it. Logically, those leaders who help their businesses thrive are actually those who are not afraid to embrace the only constant thing in life – a change.
Some changes are small, some fundamental. Some have an immediate effect, while some are much more long-term. However, they all mean that things can’t be done in the same way for a very long time. The modern business world is all about adapting to the shifts in customer demand and the successful implementation of new technologies. The manufacturing business is no different in this respect.
Being honest
A great business leader needs to be honest to everyone, but primarily to themselves. They need to be able to take an objective look at the situation and analyze it rationally. The same goes for making plans, which need to be both attainable and realistic.
This kind of honesty should be extended to include communication with employees and business partners, but only a great leader will be able to communicate negative news with a positive outlook. By giving everyone something to hold onto and believe in, successful business leaders secure loyalty and trust.
Working with cross-functional teams
Modern technological breakthroughs have made it possible for leaders in the manufacturing business to engage with various teams, such as R&D, marketing, sales, and finances, instantly and simultaneously.
Such communication will allow the leaders to communicate their vision and ideas much more easily and quickly and to receive feedback from experts in various fields. However, the real skill is to make all those people work effectively towards the same goal – a great product.
Understanding modern workforce
It’s no secret that most employees don’t want to spend their whole careers working for the same employer anymore. This is especially true when it comes to millennials, who now comprise the majority of the workforce worldwide.
Your values and the corporate culture you’re trying to create need to resonate with them and allow them to feel appreciated at the workplace. Unless they feel they are making significant contributions, it won’t take them long to find a company where they’ll feel more valuable and appreciated.
Ensuring security
It seems that the more we strive to get connected and grow our network, the more we are concerned with privacy issues. Companies, including manufacturing ones, need to obtain as much information as possible but are supposed to give out as little as possible.
Every business leader needs to secure the company data to prevent the competitors from stealing ideas and clients and to be able to maintain the reputation of a trustworthy and reliable company.
Appreciating history
We’ve all met those managers or business owners who believe that history starts with their arrival to the manager’s post. Not only do they fail to recognize that companies have existed before them, but they also rarely think about what will happen to their businesses once they are no longer in charge.
On the other hand, there are those great leaders, who appreciate the foundations laid by other people, sometimes laid decades ago. They do not abandon practices just because they were introduced a long time ago. Instead, they are happy to reap all the benefits of decisions made before they were put in charge.
Asking for help
Vanity can be a huge obstacle to helping your company reach the top. Recognizing that you’re not the only one who has answers to all questions is the first step towards becoming a successful business leader.
The next one is to be able to find those who are more knowledgeable and skillful than you in those particular fields. Finally, you should ensure that you have a network of professionals ready to help with any future problems that may emerge.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to include all the important tips for being a leader in any business. However, this list should be enough to remind you of some things and possibly help you learn the value of others.
Many of these tips are applicable to any kind of business, while some are specific to the manufacturing industry, which is undergoing tectonic changes due to technological advancements and the current pandemic. That’s why it’s vital to stay on top of all the changes that are happening in your field of work.
Unfortunately, only the companies led by great managers will be able to survive this challenging situation and even thrive in it, because that is the main measure of success. Such businesses will be able to look back, reflect and take pride in all the things they did. Yours is hopefully among them.