Ashley Banks is convinced that the Manufacturing Institute’s Leadership Development Programme (LDP) has been instrumental in improving his confidence, effectiveness and communication skills in the workplace. A lamination shift trainer for Veka, Ashley attended the LDP for one day a week

What makes a great leader? Seeing a business through a pandemic? Achieving quick results? Firefighting and expediting are often mistaken for leadership responsibilities. But this belief can in fact hinder an organisation. The Manufacturing Institute’s Leadership and Enterprise Excellence Coach, Adam Buckley,

  In Jacob Stoller’s book The Lean CEO, he states that 95% of lean transformations fail. The cause? People. So much of the time employees are burnt out, scared or frustrated. But this doesn’t mean you should point the finger of

The innovation process is difficult. It’s a long journey from an idea on a piece of paper to a product on a manufacturing line, so it’s little wonder that 99% of concepts end up in a kind of ‘museum of

Why don’t we plan? Because it’s more exciting to just see what happens, right? Or perhaps you’re too busy dealing with today to even consider tomorrow. Maybe you simply can’t get the leadership team to agree or don’t have the

Most manufacturing workforces are currently made up of ‘baby boomers’ (those born between 1946 and 1964). They have extensive knowledge and experience, but this begs the question: what happens when they retire? A soaring skills gap could well be on

The manufacturing industry is facing a significant challenge: a shift in demographics. Historically, the ‘baby boomers’ (ages 53 to 63) made up the majority of the workforce. But there’s a ‘silent tsunami’ coming. We’re facing the biggest retirement wave we’ll ever

Employers often feel too embarrassed to praise, recognise or appreciate the work of their employees. Today, this must change. What we now need is humility on the part of our leaders. People development (of which recognition plays a big part) is

‘Keep it simple’. ‘Less is more’. These phrases are often uttered in businesses, but it’s quite rare that they’re followed. In fact, reality shows we don’t value simplicity – instead, we appear to hold complexity in much higher regard. This is

Believe it or not, problem-solving is a problem in itself. Manufacturers have a habit of making it far more complex than it needs to be – and that’s why most have many problems, rather than just a few. But this doesn’t

Curious about our MSc in Manufacturing Leadership? You probably already know that it’s accredited by Lancaster University Management School, one of the UK’s leading universities and world’s best business institutions. But what about prerequisites, company benefits, and advantages to the

In case you missed it, we recently explored all things Six Sigma, including what it is and how it can benefit your business. But that brings us to the question: how exactly can you put it into practice? Here, The Manufacturing

When we previously spoke about performance management traps, we didn’t discuss looking backwards, even though many in the industry would say it’s one for the list. Why? Because we personally think that looking backwards can be a very positive thing,

When it comes to customer value, it’s not just about knowing what your market pays for your product. You also need to understand what it is in terms of lean, why it’s important, and how to create it successfully.Defining customer

We’ve previously spoken about our MSc in Manufacturing Leadership – from how it’s accredited by Lancaster University, to the key details, to how it’s benefitted delegates. But we’ve not yet homed on the support provided by our Senior Programmes Executive,

Six Sigma is a data-focused methodology that identifies and aims to eliminate defects and reduce process variation. Equipping organisations with the tools required to take control over their processes.

The manufacturing sector is facing a significant challenge: a looming skills gap. As technological advancements and new strategies redefine the industry, the demand for highly skilled workers has never been more crucial. However, with an estimated shortfall of two million

When you’re attempting to make any meaningful progress with any type of continuous improvement, having a good culture is essential. Without this foundation, any efforts you make will often falter and fall short. Continuous improvement thrives in a culture where

Despite the widespread Performance Management systems, only 23% of UK employees feel engaged at work. So, what’s going wrong? The issue often lies not in the systems themselves, but in how they’re applied. Leaders frequently fall into one or more common

Understanding Six Sigma implementation and its benefits is only the first step. The real challenge lies in embedding it into day-to-day operations so it delivers measurable, sustainable improvements. We speak with many organisations that start the Six Sigma journey by learning the

The DMAIC methodology is the core problem‑solving framework used within Six Sigma to improve existing processes. It provides a structured, data‑driven approach to identifying root causes, implementing effective solutions, and sustaining performance gains over time. Used across manufacturing, engineering, operations, and

Note: Company and individual details have been anonymised to protect confidentiality. This case study reflects The Manufacturing Institute’s own experience as a leadership training provider and consultancy working across complex manufacturing and operational environments. It captures how TMI has deliberately evolved

Note: Company and individual details have been anonymised to protect confidentiality. This case study shows how coaching in the Gemba helped frontline manufacturing leaders build confidence, clarity and consistency in everyday performance conversations. Delivered within a large UK manufacturing organisation operating in

Training is often judged by what happens during it. Feedback surveys, quality of delivery, the tools and new knowledge learned, and how engaging the activities are. If people enjoyed it, learned something new, and left feeling positive, it’s easy to consider

Training plays a critical role in developing people, building capability, and supporting long‑term improvement. Most organisations recognise this and continue to invest time and resources into developing their teams. However, despite good intentions, no matter how good the training is, many