Preparation for Leadership

Description:

This 3-session, 9-hour course is designed to challenge new or future leaders with detailed discussions on the skills and responsibilities they will face as a supervisor or leader. Basic skill sets required of leaders and how to establish credibility are explored. A leader/personality test is taken by each participant to improve understanding of their own traits, styles and preferences as well as how to best deal with others who may be different. Detailed responsibility checklists are reviewed to provide a clear picture of the leadership job elements. Skill development and actual employee interaction scenarios are also covered in a group discussion for examples of skills applied.

Course outline

Introduction
  • Course objectives
  • Agenda
  • Introduction
  • Sign-in and materials list
Why do you want to become a Leader?
  • What changes when you go from an operator or individual contributor to a leadership position?
  • What happens to your team relationships?
What skills make a good Leader?
  • Decisiveness
  • Integrity
  • Relationship building and Team building
  • Problem Solving
  • Dependability
  • Ability to teach, coach and mentor
  • Communication
John Maxwell's "10 Commandments of Credibility"
  • Connect with and understand yourself
  • Right wrongs
  • Take responsibility
  • Be accountable
  • Lead like you live
  • Tell the truth, then you will remember what you said
  • Be vulnerable, approachable
  • Follow the golder rule, "treat others as you want to be treated"
  • Deliver results
Session 1 summary
  • Leadership Requires
    • Effective communication
    • Consistency in both words and actions
    • Respect for and consideration for people
    • Credibility
  • Credibility increases with time through repeated occurrences and success, but can be completely destroyed by one seemingly small incident.
  • Home work - Take the Energize2Lead online profile survey before the next class.
Session 2

Sign-in, review and re-cap previous session points, Q&A

Review the Energize2Lead Profile procss
  • 12 categories of skills, traits
    • 4 Preferred styles of Leading
    • 4 Socialized Expectations
    • 4 Instinctive needs
  • Cover individual results as a group
  • Discuss each various style and rating with actual examples of interactions
  • Myers-Briggs Personality Profile test explanation
What does a first line Supervisor do?
  • Brainstorm as a group
  • List as many duties, tasks and responsibilities as possible
Session 2 Summary

Session 3

Sign-in, review and re-cap previous session points, Q&A

Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities

Review examples of actual Supervisor checklists

Review Supervisor skill development list

Situational examples of actual leadership-employee interactions
  • Poor 5S or workplace housekeeping
  • High scrap or poor-quality incident
  • Inventory too low or stock out situation
  • Team Member not following work instructions
  • Team Member tardy or absent frequently
  • Team Member visibly upset or highly stressed
  • Conflict between Team Members
  • "The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership" by John Maxwell
Wrap up and Q&A
Course evaluation and feedback

Expertise and Education
Thomas has experience in manufacturing leadership and technology innovation for small, medium, and large companies in the US, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, China, CZ Republic and Romania. During the last 12 years he was President and GM for a German owned midsized company in NA. He has a proven track record of success with both operational and financial metrics. Thomas has the objective of sharing his experience and expertise with small to midsized companies in the West Michigan business market to improve their performance and competitiveness.

  • Master’s in Business Administration GVSU – 1989
  • Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering MSU – 1977
  • 3-year member and committee chairperson for Toyota BAMA
  • Certified Trainer in Job Instruction
  • Experience implementing and supporting Six Sigma and Shainin Problem solving methods
  • 2005 and 2007 Shingo Prize Conference presenter
  • Direct training access to Toyota for Standardized work, Hoshin planning, Value Stream mapping, Pull Systems including KanBan and Heijunka
  • 10 years of experience leading Scanlon Employee development systems
  • Very experienced in Employee development
  • Taught Lean basics and Lean Intermediate level training classes at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Course Section Add to Shopping Cart
    Course: CEBA 236-00
    Term: 1493
    Section Number: 2
    Schedule Number: 23502
    Instructor(s): Thomas Hecksel
    Location: Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC Rm TBD, 622 Godfrey SW, GR MI 49503
    Dates: Apr. 15 - 29, 2025 (Tue., 8 - 11 a.m.)
    Units: Non-Credit
    Contact Hours: 9.0 Contact Hours
    Seats Remaining: 10
    Required Fees: Price
    Registration$749.00