The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case For a Diversified Board

Written by Rob Edwards

May 14, 2019

10 Ways Your Board Can Problem Solve Faster   

Considering a board of diversity is not merely suggesting to check a box in order to establish company compliance. In a greater sense it is about putting together a team with diverse skills, competencies, philosophies and life experiences. Complex situations demand for greater insight. Multiple points of view present a broader picture and offer a wider context into problems that need to be solved. It is becoming more clear that one of the most under-utilized strategies for company success is board room diversification.

 

 

Right now the U.S. plastics industry is experiencing phenomenal economic growth and many investors are itching to take advantage of the opportunities. However, with increased customer demand, there is also a demand for plastic processors to deliver faster and more efficiently than ever. My friends, this is where the “rubber hits the road”.  

Unrelated to plastics, but well known for his exceptional level of success in creating high performing cultures, former CEO and Executive Chairman of Dunkin’ Brands Nigel Travis commented on the subject during a recent podcast stating, 

There is an evolving trend where you have to have younger board members

Later he noted

Now there is a pretty significant gap in the way that people are educated.

It is no secret that the way that problems are solved today are much different than they were even 5 years ago, let alone 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Yet in the plastics industry studies show that many boards are still primarily made up of people that are middle-aged. To compound the problem, the majority of board members tend to consist of multiple people with similar backgrounds. Some studies show that up to 70% of boards are comprised of members with a financial, business development and/or investment background. This heavily narrows the insight of how business should be conducted from a strategic standpoint.  

 

 Here are the top 10 reasons to diversify your board.   

1. It is a more accurate view of your entire company
Insights have more meaning when the information can be trusted. Robust discussion from multiple perspectives gives further insight into potential bottlenecks and/or opportunities for growth. 

2. In a problem-solving board, healthy debate leads to better and more competitive decisions.
A healthy debate often leads to a better answer than any one person can come up with on their own. Hidden problems exist with any potential solution if the problem hasn’t been looked at from a 360 perspective.

3. Different backgrounds mean looking at the solution in a variety of ways and often exposes the best answer
Sometimes that answer to a problem is more complex than the business situation alone.  Culture, skills, experiences and variable backgrounds could be the reason your company is failing to achieve greatness. 

4. Disrupting the status quo leads to more innovative thinking.  
Innovation comes alive in an environment of challenging the status quo. Just because a problem was solved 1 year ago, doesn’t mean there isn’t a better answer. Technology continues to push the boundaries, and if companies aren’t careful, they will find themselves wasting time and resources while their competitors gain more ground.  Having someone with a technical background is a MUST on company boards. 

5. Your clients and customers are diverse in their thought process 
There may be a better way to approach your clients. Perhaps their values are different than yours. Getting a more diverse perspective may sway your strategic approach.  

6. Provides a wider scope of solutions to existing/future problems
It’s easy to think a problem is solved when it really isn’t. Band-aid solutions often disguise themselves as a solution in the short term, but ultimately come back around to reveal the truth. With a robust scope companies can put together comprehensive solutions leading to not only short term success but sustainability. 

7. Counsel from a variety of people
Leaders who receive counsel from a full array of perspectives are often able to fix problems much quicker than those who will only listen to a single group of people. Rather than waiting for a problem, get ahead of it from a wide spectrum point of view.  

8. Moral is improved when there is a sense of your thoughts being valued
People like to be respected and heard. When they feel like they can contribute they feel valued, and they are less likely to look anywhere else for work.  Putting together a diversified board speaks volumes to the overall workforce. 

9. Improve your reputation and brand
You can gain a ton of insight from a diverse group of people.  Especially as it relates to your products and services. Everyone has ideas for internal improvements and well as external. Solve problems, then branding and reputation will automatically follow.  

10. Adaptability to solve problems increases
With your leadership team driving a culture of problem-solving from a wide point of view, people will follow.  Rather than solving all the problems, get the solutions from your staff and save time and money. Nigel Travis on tariffs, competition and the need for a ‘Challenge Culture’. 

Advances in technology and innovations are more complex than they have ever been.  Top companies need to have robust strategies if they are to be successful in the future.  Diversifying your companies board is a great way to gain insights that can be leveraged for the benefit of your company.  

 

These are my top 10’s, do they align with yours?  What is your company putting into place to compete in manufacturing?  I’d like to hear your thoughts, as I read every one.  

 

***COMMENT ON LINKEDIN OR AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE PAGE***

Rob Edwards

Rob Edwards

President | Executive Search

Rob is currently the President of Molding Business Group’s Board, C-Suite and Leadership Executive Search Services.  MBG specializes in plastic manufacturing leadership search, and has earned a national Top 10 ranking.  With over 3,000 placements our Executive Search Team is passionate about building talented businesses by working with Stakeholders, Executive Teams and HR to place and developing top leaders in the plastics industry.

Rob also serves on the Forbes Coaches Council. 

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The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO

Written by Rob Edwards

May 14, 2019

 What Does it Take to Thrive as a CEO?  

The C-Suite is a place many aspire to, but few ever make it. Even fewer manage to have industry-wide impact, or make a lasting name for themselves.  Richard Branson is a Top-level executive and has had a  profound impact on everything from company culture to the bottom line, even when they aren’t moving and shaking, he is always thinking ahead.  So what traits can we learn from the most successful CEOs? 

 

 

Leadership  

Leadership is a vague and elusive term often applied to a desire for a skillset that inspires and motivates
others. It’s a characteristic you will see mentioned as a key desirable in some form or fashion in
any and every CEO job search out there. What do they mean when they specify ‘leadership,’
and more importantly, how do they measure it?

First and foremost rather we’re talking about large, mid-size or small companies, culture is a top driver for consistent company performance and well-being.  Rather you like the concept of influencers or not, CEOs are influencers, good or bad.  This is why it is imperative that top-level executives should embody the qualities that they want to see in their company.

If putting in hard work, practicing ethical behavior in the office and outside of it, and diligence
are all coveted traits at all levels of a company, the CEO will demonstrate these, and more. This
is leadership by example or demonstration.

Decisiveness, in making a plan and moving forward with implementing that plan, and
demonstrated examples of such decision-making ability shows this valuable leadership skill.

Demonstrating compassion and empathy through their efforts, and most especially during
difficult decisions are also traits associated with leadership ability. They are measured by the
manner in which an individual handles difficult conversations and situations within their role.

Vision

Vision shows a drive to succeed, a plan for the future and a detailed method to get a company to the goal that vision represents. A goal without a plan is nothing but a dream, and top-level executives know this to be true. Not only will they have a goal, but they’ll have a plan for reaching that goal. This will include how to address the inevitable set-backs and obstacles that arise along the way, including things that are unable to be foreseen.

Ability to Execute

Choosing a management team and providing them with the information and resources that they need in order to effectively do their jobs and execute the high-level strategy that has been created is a key marker of an excellent CEO. A great plan requires action in order to be fully realized. Action often involves delegation and knowing who to delegate tasks to, and when, is an important part of the CEO role.

 

Willingness to Listen

Listening needs to happen at all levels of an organization, and the CEO is no exception, in fact, they set the tone.  Whether this is listening to items brought to them by management, or things that have worked their way up the chain of command, knowing what is impacting the results of the plan they have set out to realize will have a marked impact on whether or not the plan is successful.

 

Knowing When to Say No

I think we all know that not all ideas are good ones.  However, the trap that many CEOs fall into is distractions.   Emotionally so many things appear to be urgent and important, and often they are, but learning which items should take priority is a must.  This means CEOs must be able to turn down enthusiastic and well-intentioned requests or ideas, including their own. Knowing when to say no to something, and the ability to elaborate on why it is a no so will set apart a CEO from his or her peers.

Learn How to Prioritize 

When demands are coming from a million different directions, it can get quite overwhelming, and easy to mis-prioritize what’s important.  The long-time philosophy of many successful CEOs, including Richard Branson, put their staff first, customers second and Shareholders third.  Even though this may spark some debate, the results speak for themselves.  

Learning From Failures

Everyone fails at something. What sets the C-Suite apart tends to be exactly how they handle that failure, what they learn from it, and how they apply it to future endeavors. A proven executive likely has a few failures under his or her belt. What is more important than the failures themselves is what they learned from them and how they can apply those lessons to a new role that results in positive results.

 

Many people believe it takes a cutthroat mentality and a hard head to succeed at this level. Do you agree? What does it take to make it as a CEO? We want to hear your thoughts!  

***COMMENT ON LINKEDIN OR AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF PAGE***

Rob Edwards

Rob Edwards

President | Executive Search

Rob is currently the President of Molding Business Group’s Board, C-Suite and Leadership Executive Search Services.  MBG specializes in plastic manufacturing leadership search, and has earned a national Top 10 ranking.  With over 3,000 placements our Executive Search Team is passionate about building talented businesses by working with Stakeholders, Executive Teams and HR to place and developing top leaders in the plastics industry.

Rob also serves on the Forbes Coaches Council. 

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5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

A CEO’s responsibilities are cumbersome in any industry, but especially in the volatile environment of plastics.  Consistently talent acquisition and retention make the top 3 concerns of Plastic Executives and company Shareholders.  CEO’s are aware of the tight market for talent going into 2019, but with many companies having too many fires to put out, often the topic rarely gets addressed with viable solutions.  CEO’s need a management team that they can rely on to execute the company’s vision and mission. 

Before I get started I should note that companies who lack vision, values/culture, metrics and strategy are often the victims of the “revolving door” when it comes to attracting and keeping their leadership team.  Often this is because there is no foreseeable game-plan for talent coming on-board.  They are not sure where they “fit in” with the company.  A good example of this concept can be found in the sports world where recently Kyle Van Noy was a guest on “Pardon My Take” podcast.  At 45:20 into the recording he had this to say about the Patriots compared to the Lions where he previously played.  

“When I got there (Patriots), it was like, they had a plan for me it seemed like. That plan got bigger with how I played. With that being said, I didn’t know that to begin with because I’d been in Detroit, where I was kind of told ‘We don’t know where to put you.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, why did you draft me?’ You know what I mean? I had my own coach telling me ‘I don’t know where to put you.’ That’s kinda crazy.”

So with that said, here are my top 5 tips to attracting and keeping Top Performing Leaders. 

1.  Recruit Properly

Believe it or not, retention actually starts before the hire.  A-Players are highly sought after, and command a different type of recruitment process to secure them.  Most of the time they are not “looking for a job”, but they are open to opportunities.  If you, or anyone in your management team does not convey any real interest in the candidate during the interview process, they will not have a real interest in your company.  The recruitment process needs to be compelling to secure dynamic leaders.

 

2. Envision and Excite

Envision them fitting in your company’s business plan, not just filling a need.   Teach your Hiring Management Team to think the same way about prospect candidates.  Anyone who has options has no interest in joining a company who desperately needs to fill a need without showing any real vision for them.  They will sense it like a shark in bloody water.  Even if you do manage to hire them, they will be packing their bags if they can’t see where they fit.  Top leaders want to contribute to the success of the company, and they want to have a goal to strive for.  Get them excited about your company (products and services).  Articulate where they fit in your company before, during and after the hire. 

 

3.  Get the Most Out of Them

In lean there are 8 wastes, and one of those wastes is Non-Utilized Talent.  Unfortunately during the interview process this is often overlooked.   Top leaders tend to be good at many different things, and this should be teased out during the interview process.  If you haven’t done that in the past with your current leadership team, then take a moment to sit down with them and assess their capabilities as it relates to any potential needs in your company.  Understand where they can give the company the most value.   

4.  Give Them Permission to Challenge the Status Quo

Status quo far too often becomes default mode.  With technology and best practices changing (more often than we’d like) regularly, it’s important to have a wide-variety of views into solutions to complicated problems.   In a podcast that I did with Nigel Travis, former CEO of Dunkin’ Brands, he talked about the importance of a challenge culture and how that attributed to the grand success that Dunkin’ Brands has had under his leadership.  The challenge culture gave the leadership team multiple perspectives on problems or opportunities that needed to be addressed, and they were able to compete at a very high level in their industry because of it. 

5.  Remind Them that They are an Asset… Wait, show them! 

Without stating the obvious, one of the ways that you show people that they are an asset is through words of affirmation, but as they say, words are cheap.  Now before you throw your hands in the air, let me suggest that the saying didn’t just show up out of nowhere.  Most of us have experienced leaders who say things that they don’t mean, or make promises they don’t keep.  Perhaps that’s not your style, but that doesn’t mean it’s not in a person’s schema.  People like to be told and shown appreciation.  As we all know, one of the best ways to convey to someone that they are appreciated is through bonuses, raises, etc.  Find out what they value.  

Bonus:

6.  Get Rid of the Bad Apples:

We all know that saying that one bad apple ruins the bunch, and it’s true.  Too many times companies keep leaders that don’t exemplify company values, and often these leaders seem to have an uncanny ability to cause turnover at subordinate roles, which again points to the importance of a company having a value/culture system.  It is much easier to point out leaders that don’t fit your organization if you have a system in place.  Systems tend to point them out like a sore thumb.  Of course, there is also the possibility that you’re the problem.  That’s okay, but if so, then own it – and don’t make an excuse.  There are plenty of extraordinary executive coaches that can guide you in this area.  For goodness sake, Tom Brady is probably the best quarterback in history and he has a coach, so perhaps it’s worth considering a mentor to help you achieve your goals. 

I wish I could say that this is rare, but it is certainly not.  There are way too many companies not addressing poor management, which in turn causes the greatest amount of attrition, and ultimately can cause a company to fail completely. 

To learn more about Molding Business Group and how we help transform companies, check out the rest of the site – and make sure you subscribe to get FREE updates on growing your plastics business

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The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case For a Diversified Board 10 Ways Your Board Can Problem Solve Faster    [dsm_perspective_image src="https://moldingbusinessgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/top-level-executives-.png" _builder_version="3.22.6"...

The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO What Does it Take to Thrive as a CEO?  The C-Suite is a...

5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

A CEO’s responsibilities are cumbersome in any industry, but especially in the volatile environment of plastics.  Consistently talent acquisition and retention make the top 3 concerns of Plastic Executives and company Shareholders.  CEO’s are aware of the tight market...

Plastic Mfg CEO and Shareholder Services Combine

Plastic Mfg CEO and Shareholder Services Combine

The CEO’s Back Pocket Solution

Co-Founder’s of Molding Business Group, Rob Edwards, Tony Jonas, and Dev Warren officially announced that they are combining services to create a full-service approach to successfully manage plastics companies. Their services are designed to work in concert with one another to give CEO’s and Shareholders full support to maximize their company’s performance and valuation.

MBG’s unique approach is a 360 holistic and integrated approach of true Lean Transformation coupled with strong Business Strategies, Executive Recruitment, and M&A Advisory services.

The company’s 360 approach starts with a thorough business assessment. Our team of M&A and Business Transformation Advisors provide Shareholders and the Executive team a clear understanding of their business and informs them of a forecasted 1-3 year potential outcome under a business transformation. Finally, a roadmap to success is co-created by both the MBG and the client.

Plastic industry Shareholders and CEO’s need more than a consultant who will teach concepts and leave it to the company’s leadership team to execute the plan on their own. They need a true partner who can help them get through the learning curve quickly and avoid the roadblocks experienced during a typical lean journey. What makes MBG different? They do it with you.

MBG is a true “back pocket solution” for Shareholders and CEO’s, by providing Business Transformation Coaching, Strategy Development, Executive Search (MRI Network Ranked Top 10 by Forbes) and M&A Advisory services exclusively for the plastics industry.

Porsche Shouldn’t Be Here…

Porsche Shouldn’t Be Here…

…but they are.

At first glance, manufacturers like Porsche and Toyota don’t seem to have much in common. Yes, they both produce vehicles and popular ones at that, but Porsche is known for its high-end luxury and sports vehicles designed to appeal to the wealthy, while Toyota is marketed toward suburban families with their budget-friendly options and longevity. 

While on the surface these two companies seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum in the manufacturing industry, they have more in common than most people realize. In fact, Porsche likely has Toyota to indirectly thank for their turnaround from a company who was in dire financial straits to one who is consistently profitable. Twenty years ago, Porsche was operating in the red, with extreme levels of inefficiency in their manufacturing processes that were translating directly to lost profits. Today, they are consistently one of the most profitable vehicle manufacturers, boasting comfortable profit margins from year to year. 

How did they go from zero to hero?

In their darkest, most desperate moments–those that made it appear that they may have to file for bankruptcy, with their competitors waiting to swoop in and purchase the company for a steal–Porsche called for help. This help came in the form of experienced engineers who implemented the lean manufacturing process at Porsche facilities. With these experienced individuals came a drastic reduction in inefficiencies and waste.

Before lean manufacturing was implemented, it took approximately 120 hours to assemble the average Porsche. Once the system was overhauled and implemented, that production time was reduced to 72 hours. That’s a 40 percent reduction! These changes also yielded another surprising result: errors were down by approximately 50 percent. Not only were they producing vehicles more quickly, but they were also producing them with fewer issues that had to be resolved during the assembly process. These efficiency increases translated directly to improved profits.

The Adoption of Just in Time Manufacturing Changed the Future of Porsche

Porsche went from a company who was hemorrhaging money in the 1990’s to one who was recognized in 2011 by the Manufacturing Leadership Awards. This amazing turnaround is no coincidence. Their decision to implement lean manufacturing principles when they did change the trajectory of the company. Their commitment to Lean principles have been immensely profitable, and though they no longer have those original engineers on hand to continue implementing the lean processes, it has become a significant part of the manufacturer’s culture and has remained intact as they have grown.

Lean manufacturing works. It’s that simple. While many companies have systems in place that are geared toward creating efficiencies and reducing wasted time, materials and poor production results, the most successful of those companies can tie their wins back to the implementation of the Lean process. The most successful programs focus on creating the most efficient process in terms of time and reducing wasted resources. Those resources include labor, time and materials. Successful implementations of lean processes are also always looking for ways to grow and improve their systems. This is where the leaders in the manufacturing industry can provide the most value. They recognize the value of lean practices, and they continue to review them and make the necessary changes that lead to constant improvement. These leaders value the process as well as the innovation it takes to apply these processes to new systems and products. 

Porsche and Toyota have both shown themselves to be leaders in this manner. Other companies would be wise to follow their example and fortunate to reap the rewards that will inevitably result.

 

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The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case for a Diversified Board

The Case For a Diversified Board 10 Ways Your Board Can Problem Solve Faster    [dsm_perspective_image src="https://moldingbusinessgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/top-level-executives-.png" _builder_version="3.22.6"...

The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO

The Modern Day CEO What Does it Take to Thrive as a CEO?  The C-Suite is a...

5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

5 Ways to Attract & KEEP Talent

A CEO’s responsibilities are cumbersome in any industry, but especially in the volatile environment of plastics.  Consistently talent acquisition and retention make the top 3 concerns of Plastic Executives and company Shareholders.  CEO’s are aware of the tight market...

Lean ROI Expectation

Lean ROI Expectation

Up to 10X Payback

No matter how hard the media tries to make the idea of making money a “bad thing”, the goal always has been and always will be for any company the same. In the words of the late, great Eli Goldratt, author of “The Goal,” the goal of any organization is to make money. For us business guys that means that we need to make a profit.

Making a profit is the key to a business’ ability to grow, invest, and ultimately survive. Without a profit it is tough to have positive cash flow which makes it tough to pay the bills. When discussing the value of an organization, it is directly correlated to the profitability of the organization. Typically the value is determined as a multiple of EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). If EBITDA is what we use to determine the value of our company, then we need to find ways of increasing it to increase our value. This is especially important if you are an owner who is considering selling the company in the near future.

Now the question is how do we increase the profitability of our company. Well, there are many ways that companies and people have tried to improve the bottom line. We can invest in new technology to try and lower cost, automation to reduce labor costs, design changes to reduce material content, downsize our overhead structure to cut costs or we can increase revenue and margins by raising prices or gaining market share. All good things to do but where can you get the most significant ROI (Return On Investment)? Spending money on new machines or molds typically will get a 1-3 year payback. Automation investments will typically achieve a 12-month payback (if done right). Cutting costs (like layoffs or downsizing) can have some quick short-term benefits but I caution everyone that if you are not careful, you can cut yourself right out of business, and it is excruciating to do for your employees.

What if I told you that you should expect 3X ROI in the first year of a Lean Transformation (360 Business Transformation)? 5X in the second year and 10X or more by year 3. These expectations are more than proven. There are hundreds of examples over the years where companies have saved at this rate of return, and we continue to deliver these types of results every day.

So to put it into a simple table here are the comparisons:

While all are considered good investments, you can see that the investment in a Transformation is significantly better than the other options. The difference between a typical Lean Transformation and a 360 Business Transformation is that we will work with our clients in all of these areas of opportunity to help you get the most out of your investment dollar.
The last point I want to make about ROI for a Transformation is that what I have stated above is based on hard savings. That means that you will be able to see that type of impact directly to your bottom line. There will also be soft savings and 1-time savings that I have not included in those numbers above.

Typical 1-time savings will be seen on the balance sheet and come from inventory reductions. This is where we would reduce your inventory costs by 25% of over the first year, and you would have a 1 time cash increase by that value.

Soft Savings comes from many places. Typical places where it is difficult to quantify the savings would be in people-related costs such as a reduction in injuries or a decrease in turnover and absenteeism. These metrics typically all improve but we hardly ever try to quantify the savings but believe me there is savings in training costs, recruitment costs, and worker comp insurance premiums, etc.… Other examples of soft savings come from freeing up floor space, reducing travel distance, reducing lead times, and training your employees.

I have found in my experience that there is no better place to maximize the return on your investment dollar than in a 360 Business Transformation.

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