“I was VERY happy with the training, and the content was very applicable to what we needed for our management team.”Joe DiemerPresident - Midwest Molding Solutions
Situation
Midwest Molding Solutions of Bloomington, Illinois, established in 1996, offers a range of services including injection molding, design services, project management, tooling, automation, ultrasonic welding, assembly, and packaging. The company has been experiencing tremendous growth, leading to the promotion of several new managers with limited management experience. In order to address this leadership skills gap, Midwest Molding Solutions determined they wanted to transform their managers from being just “doers” into effective leaders who would delegate tasks appropriately. They also desired to build the skills of their supervisors and team leaders to foster a more positive and effective work environment.
IMEC Solution
To achieve these goals, Midwest Molding Solutions contacted IMEC to provide leadership training to their employees. With the help of IMEC Technical Specialist Joanne Ruiz, who focuses on the people aspect within an organization, a plan was put in place to deliver four skills development workshops that addressed the largest gaps. These four topics include:
- Communication-Connect Through Conversations: This course emphasized the importance of addressing both the business outcomes and the emotional aspects of conversations. The leaders developed foundational skills to handle various workplace situations, conducted conversations that achieve business goals, and provided meaningful feedback.
- Coaching for High Performance: Leaders learned multi-directional coaching skills and the proactive inquiry method to enhance team interactions. This course helped leaders differentiate and seek higher-level coaching opportunities, apply advanced coaching skills, and build a coaching culture within their team.
- Driving Change: This course helped equip leaders with the skills to turn resistance into commitment and inspire team members to embrace change. Leaders learned to accelerate the implementation of change and create an agile work environment.
- Your Leadership Journey: This course provided the knowledge and skills needed to transition from individual contributor to the leader role. It introduced three key leadership differentiators and helped leaders understand how to handle early career challenges.
Results
This project significantly benefited Midwest Molding Solutions by enhancing the leadership team’s ability to lead, communicate, and relate more effectively with their co-workers. The training helped reduce turnover, improve attendance, and boost morale of the company’s workforce. As a result, the company saw an increase in overall productivity and a more positive and engaged workforce, further strengthening their already good company culture.
Impacts
- Aggregate Impacts: $71,651
- Cost Savings: $16,000
- Retained Jobs: 1
- Total New Investment: $8,000
