LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Leadership Training Can Lead to Operational Improvements

By / Sheralyn Belyeu • Photos courtesy of KSM Metal Fabrications

KSM Metal Fabrication of Troy, Ohio, has major customers in the aerospace industry, so pandemic travel restrictions hit them hard. “Our business dropped by over half in six months and stayed that way for a year,” says Kathy Kerber, KSM president and COO. “I had to lay off half of my workforce.” The drop hurt operations. “Communication was lacking, morale was lacking, and we were in no way set up to be effective in a ramp-up when the time came. I needed my team back better than ever.”

Kerber engaged a consultant firm to help her rethink the business. The consultant gave everyone at KSM, from Kerber to the newest hire, leadership training based on Ray Attiyah’s book Run Improve Grow: Your Roadmap from Firefighting to Bold Business Growth. The consultant facilitated training inside the plant for 12 weeks, and team members are following up with off-site classes.

Leadership training gives employees the tools to run the company, allowing Kerber to focus on growth. “I learned that everyone in the company is very capable of being empowered and embracing change,” she says. “They want to have a voice, they want to be a part of something big, and they want to feel valued and included.”

Training transformed the work atmosphere. “There’s laughter when you walk through the shop now,” says Matt Clark, laser operator and member of Local 24. “You see more smiles and more interaction between coworkers.”

KSM’s metrics improved along with the mood. “I see a cohesive team,” Kerber says. “Gossip has stopped, rumors have stopped. Productivity increased, direct hours are higher, indirect hours are lower, scrap has decreased significantly, and inventory turns are better.”

A brief daily shop meeting is key to the improvement. “In the morning huddle, we go over our numbers, look at the estimated hours and job costs,” says journeyperson Erin Hause. “We have real-time feedback on how the shop is doing.”

They analyze problems and discuss possible improvements together. The team is learning to think proactively, not like victims. “If you have a problem, you need to be ready to fix it.

The team is learning to think proactively, not like victims. “If you have a problem, you need to be ready to fix it. We also go over what went well, like if we got a new customer or completed a job under schedule. We have been getting more quotes

in, and we’ve never missed a deadline. That’s ”good for repeat customers.”

—Erin Hause, Journeyperson

We also go over what went well, like if we got a new customer or completed a job under schedule. We have been getting more quotes in, and we’ve never missed a deadline. That’s good for repeat customers.”

Kerber uses her whole team’s creativity by involving the entire company, about 18 people, in brainstorming sessions. “They are the experts in solving issues in the field and shop,” she says, and she takes their ideas seriously. A journeyperson suggested that KSM management work in the shop to learn more about production.

Kerber set up a schedule to rotate them through the plant. “Now we have a better understanding of what our workers face as far as roadblocks in production. People feel heard and that what is important to them is not forgotten.”

The consultant provided an online Action Item Tracker tool with due dates to assign and manage goals. Small items can be completed in a day, while others are long term. Together, the KSM team set goals to increase productivity by 20%, reduce the scrap percentage, have inventory accuracy, and improve communication. “Our smaller behaviors contribute to the big goals,” Hause says. “We discuss what would make production easier, better or faster.”

To solve problems, Kerber’s team needs better information. Under a traditional management system, they frequently did not understand her decisions. “When we needed to purchase a big-ticket item, like a new scissor lift or forklift, we got no reason for a no,” Clark says. “Now there’s more explanation on why or why not, or if we just need to hold off for three months.”

Kerber finds that people want to be involved. “It used to be that you would never share information with them,” she says. “Now I even share financials, so they understand that what they do impacts the bottom line.” Hause finds that Kerber’s explanations improve the lines of communication “because we’re not afraid to share ideas.” Kerber’s people trust her because they know she is willing to update their equipment and knowledge and give them training that allows them to excel.

Clark has completed the offsite classes. “I learned that I had more to offer on a personal level than what I was offering,” he says. “I realized there’s more to me than what I’d been doing.” He took over leading the morning huddles and helps with operational decisions, working with the procurement manager to streamline how jobs are processed. He also improved his communication skills and practiced thinking through shop processes. “We used to go to one department for one material, then to another department to get a second material.” After training, Clark centralized supplies in the correct departments. “Now we’re not traveling across the shop in two directions to get things for one job. This adds value because the job is going quicker.”

The experience has been really worthwhile, Kerber says. “People emerged as leaders. I learned that they want to meet their goals, they want to increase their goals, and they want to be promoted.”

▪A Colorado native, Sheralyn Belyeu lives and writes deep in the woods of Alabama. When she’s not writing, she grows organic blueberries and collects misspellings of her name.