Executive Leadership Conference addresses industry questions

PMMI members gathered in Scottsdale, Ariz. last week for the association’s 2016 Executive Leadership Conference. Hot topics included hyper competition in the U.S. economy, the future of the packaging and manufacturing industries, how to manage millennials and improve company culture.

2030: The road ahead
The next 15 years will be transformative for the manufacturing, processing, and packaging industries as automation and big data drive a culture of sustained innovation, according to speaker Andrew Zolli, futurist and strategic advisor for social impact. Machine builders should pay more attention to the slow moving trends versus the fast moving ones for a more powerful advantage, Zolli urges. Embracing automation and simplicity will also help companies manage the whirlwind of innovation in the coming years.

Culture transformation
In a time where recruiting and retaining talent is a pain point across the industry, many companies from OEMs to CPGs are putting company culture first to attract employees. But the implementation of an entirely new culture isn’t easy. Speaker Joe Urbanski, COO, Total Solutions Group, a company that offers solutions to alight company culture, says there are three steps to take that will provide more insight into the areas of your company’s culture that could use improvement.

1. Ask your people what’s really most important to them and why they remain with your organization.
2. Determine what’s not working that may be hurting morale, ownership, and the bottom line.
3. Document your findings in culture documents that make clear who you are and what you’re about.

Voice of the customer
At Johnson & Johnson, David Smith, VP, global packaging, has always asked himself, “How can we do this better?” Not only when it comes to creating a more innovative packaging concept, but down to Johnson & Johnson’s OEM partnerships. In its capital equipment procurement, the company has historically been a customer driven supplier without looking for partnerships. However, the company is shifting its focus to more global partnerships, which will allow them to sustain significant capital expenditures on state of the art technology. During procurement, Johnson & Johnson looks at machine flexibility, life cycle cost, innovation, flawless project execution, competitive positioning, and after-sales support as key factors in supplier selection.

Competing in a Chaotic Economy
The U.S. deficit has gotten smaller, but it will get bigger again and the stakes are high in a hyper competitive market, according to speaker Todd Buchholz, global economist and market expert. However, interest rates will stay low, meaning now is the time to finance equipment, and sellers should offer a low interest rate to finance. In his estimation, the federal debt is going to be an overhang, making it difficult to stage a global economic recovery when businesses are condemned for making money in the process.

Seven Things Ultra-Productive People Do Differently
How can you achieve extreme productivity without feeling overworked and overwhelmed? According to speaker Kevin Kruse, global thought leader on employee engagement, using a to-do list actually works against productivity, as 41 percent of the tasks on the list never get done. Work smarter, not harder, by completing the most important tasks from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. when typical human brain function and concentration are at peak and decreasing the number and duration of time-filling meetings. Also, when it comes to email and getting to the magic number of 0 in your inbox,, he recommends taking these four steps, in order :

1. Delete. Get rid of junk.
2. Delegate. Flag the email or place it into a folder if you need to view it later or will carryout the task at a different time.
3. Defer. Assign or forward the email to the person to best complete the task or answer a question.
4. Do. Respond to the email or complete the task right away.

Terms and Conditions: The Commercial Imperative
OEMs and end users often face the challenges of negotiating terms and conditions. Speaker Donald Copertino, senior counsel at Becton Dickinson, facilitated discussions with both sides on how to get them right. Here are some tips to consider:

• Read terms early on, rather than introducing them during the engineering process, to help keep projects moving forward.
• Extending terms and conditions often increases prices for the buyer.
• Do not self-lawyer. Every word in the terms and conditions counts and adding a word could change the entire meaning.
• Sales and manufacturing teams need to work together more closely on determining a delivery date that coincides with project completion.
• If end user does not hold up their end of expectations for the onsite delivery, bill them for your time and reschedule.

Crossing the Generational Divide
As companies look to the next generation to continue the company  legacy, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers face difficulties in managing millennials. This generation thrives off being valued, challenged, and included, according to speaker Curt Steinhorst, founder and president, The Promentum Group, a company that coaches public figures on speech presentations. These are some specific ways that managers can facilitate a meaningful work environment for millennials.

• The first day of work is the most important day for millennials. Bring them in on a day where you have a lighter workload so you can focus on showing them the ropes. Have another millennial give the new hire an office tour to make them feel more comfortable. Present business cards to the new hire on the first day to make them feel a part of the company.
• Make your expectations of office attire and behavior very clear in either a written document or an interactive YouTube video, which is how millennials learn best. Steinhorst says you cannot count on millennials to naturally know what appropriate office attire and behavior looks like.
• Providing ongoing feedback is crucial to increasing productivity and good moral among millennial employees.