In the early 2000’s I took part in a training course which I’ve never forgotten, and nearly twenty years later, it’s still as important as the day I first began learning about it and practicing what I was learning – How to have a “crucial” conversation and stay in dialogue. The training course took place at the Danaher Business System University (DBSU), housed in the Videojet Technologies facility in Wood Dale, Illinois, and it was there that I (and those attending with me) first learned about Crucial Conversations.

As the cliché, but true saying goes: “numbers don’t lie.” We can’t help but agree as we review our 2021 client reported impacts! While it is certainly a time of celebration here at IMEC, it’s also a celebration for the 1600 manufacturers who have invested in their competitive futures.  By partnering with IMEC and reporting the impacts our work has contributed to their business, it allows us to show that we all play an important role in a much bigger story. These numbers speak volumes to the value our clients add to our manufacturing ecosystem. Not only are companies on a path to enterprise excellence, but they are also strengthening Illinois’ economic well-being, their communities, and their organization as whole. 

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

Digitization and connectivity are having a huge impact on more than just your manufacturing operations and ability to monetize data. Your vulnerabilities also are increasing as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) manufacturing solutions involve more software, devices and digitally connected employees.

The manufacturing industry continues to be at high cyber risk as a result of global competition and geopolitical tensions. Companies up and down the supply chain are demanding more transparency into their customers’ and suppliers’ reliability in order to mitigate risks from disruptions. Some are starting to require cybersecurity assurances, a trend that will only gain momentum. Enforcing cybersecurity standards will ultimately protect U.S. innovation and competitiveness.

A 6-part series focusing on impactful practices for developmental coaching conversations. 

Today’s manufacturing leaders are savvy firefighters – addressing and solving complex fires (situations) one after another. But what if there was a different approach? One that allows the employee to address and solve the complexity with their leader instead of being dependent on their leader to solve or fix the challenge at hand?  What might it be like if the leader paused, recalibrated, and approached the situation as a coaching conversation opportunity?

"There is only one way to look at things until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes." - Pablo Picasso 

Good company culture cultivates engagement and innovation. Research shows that workplace innovation leads to significant and sustainable improvements in organizational performance, employee engagement and overall well-being.

Illinois small and mid-sized manufacturers will stay globally competitive by investing in modern technology and skillsets. Today’s workforce challenges make the case for technologies like automation almost a necessity. For example: Robots and “Cobots,” or Collaborative Robots, support (but not replace) workers while boosting productivity and efficiency. Data technologies, like artificial Intelligence (AI), can analyze data to make business recommendations. Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming a useful tool to train employees. But while major corporations have been quickly investing in this advanced machinery, smaller manufacturers have moved slower. We will look at why that is, and what can be done to change that.

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

This blog is the second in a series on cybersecurity and Industry 4.0.

In blog one of this series on “Cybersecurity and Industry 4.0 – What You Need to Know” we discussed the four aspects of Industry 4.0: cyber-physical systems (CPS)/cobots, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud manufacturing and automation, as well as how they are interconnected. Strong cybersecurity practices protect those interconnections, ensuring manufacturers’ systems consistently deliver accurate data in a timely manner – something critical to the success of an Industry 4.0 model.

Over the past few years, there has been a remarkable resurgence of manufacturing in the United States. Illinois in particular has experienced a great deal of growth, making manufacturing Illinois’ largest industry. This growth brings positive impacts such as having a higher economic contribution to our state and the fact that manufacturing continues to generate various job opportunities.

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

Is your organization, like so many others today, struggling to recruit and retain a well-qualified and high-performing workforce? Are your workers excited to be a part of your team and motivated to serve your customers? Do they care for one another and the success of your business?

This article is provided by ITR Economics in partnership with IMEC.