The Leadership Link to Productivity & Profitability

Monte Pedersen enjoyed a 35-year professional career in the managed services industry before making the decision in 2016 to start a leadership and training firm focused exclusively on what he calls “Leadership through the Lens of Execution.”

His extensive professional experience working, as an operator over three decades, for two multinational companies demonstrated to him that people and how they are led, are the two most critical elements for business success, and unfortunately, the most taken for granted.

Monte, prioritizing both people and execution, is dedicated to instructing and coaching leaders on integrating strategy execution as a fundamental skill within their organization.

Opening Presentation: Mastering our Human Machinery; Leading with Precision in the Manufacturer's Workplace

Precision. The word evokes a strong meaning in every manufacturer's world. Precision is the 'state of being precise, exact' with a very low tolerance for inaccuracy. If we don't act precisely on the shop floor, we face problems, rework, and higher costs.

In manufacturing, we pride ourselves on the precision and care with which we deliver our products and output. The same claim is valid for how we maintain and utilize our machinery and equipment. Every gear and moving piece is meticulously calibrated to ensure optimal performance and longevity. Yet, amidst the hum of production lines and the gleam of factory floors, there's a critical oversight, an element to which we don't always afford the same exactness and precision—our people.

Our guest speaker, Monte Pedersen, a leadership and strategy execution expert, will delve into this disparity, drawing parallels between how we manage our machines and tools versus how we manage the people that make them all work.

As a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, corporate mental health trainer and professional speaker Elizabeth’s core belief is that we all possess the ability to help someone who’s struggling. When armed with the right tools we can make a profound difference in what that journey looks like. She has had the great pleasure of delivering this message across the country through keynoting, training, consulting, random conversations with the person sitting next to her on airplanes and even a police officer who stopped her for speeding – just about everyone is touched in some way by mental health. (And yes, she was let off with a written warning!) Elizabeth is passionate about demystifying and destigmatizing mental health, and empowering people to help one another by having what many imagine to be difficult, awkward, uncomfortable conversations. Spoiler alert: they don’t have to be!

Elizabeth has played a key role in making mental health education widely accessible in the Atlantic region. She has personally certified more than 5,000 Canadians in the Mental Health Commission of Canada's Mental Health First Aid program. She works with organizations from diverse industries that are striving to optimize psychological wellness to boost engagement, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and make the workplace a happier, healthier place to be. Her work as a consultant involves assessing organizational needs and guiding leaders through best practice adoption, policy development, culture change strategies and staged implementation of Canada's National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. She has helped decision makers in organizations large and small understand that mental health is a vital component of occupational safety management.

Presentation Outline – Session 1A

Title: The Buck Stops Here: How Psychological Safety Boosts Health, Happiness… and Your Bottom Line

Featuring: Carolyn Mellish, Senior HR Generalist, Standard Aero

Synopsis: Employee wellness initiatives sound like a nice idea, but do they really make a meaningful impact? When your people are stressed and “checked out”, productivity takes a significant hit and job satisfaction is tougher to achieve, causing a spike in turnover.  This results in an increased workload for your remaining team members and inevitably impacts morale.  The long term reputational damage done when employees are unhappy often means job vacancies become more difficult to fill. It’s a problem that won’t fix itself, the cycle continuing on until or unless we do something to stop it.

Rolling out the occasional perk haphazardly is unlikely to have any long term organizational impact. To maximize the benefits of employee wellness programs and make sustainable change we must take a strategic approach. Join Psychological Health & Safety Consultant Elizabeth Eldridge to gain deeper insights and practical take-aways on how to make your team members feel supported, valued and empowered to bring their best selves to work… while at the same time improving engagement, productivity and profit.

A quote from Standard Aero:

“We simply would not be where we are today without the support from our leaders in this Company allowing us the ability to do what we do for employees. With that, the relationship we have developed with Elizabeth and the support she provides our team here is unlike anything we could have imagined. It’s been a perfect fit and having the ability to do what we’ve done here in PEI has been life changing for some of our employees. We see it daily.”

Jason Sirois is an accomplished Industrial Engineer with 18 years of experience in Performance Excellence, holding degrees from the Université de Moncton. His career began with mastering statistical analysis through Lean Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certifications, followed by nearly three years as a Continuous Improvement Coordinator. In this role, he implemented lean thinking and kaizen improvements across a large organization.

Jason then transitioned to a construction company, serving as General Manager where he led a significant transformation, shaping the company into a lean leader in new construction markets during a challenging period. He also spent three years with a process improvement firm before starting his own practice in 2017. His consultancy focuses on helping manufacturing and service organizations enhance their processes through strategic alignment and lean manufacturing principles.

Outside of his professional endeavours, Jason is a dedicated minor hockey coach and a parent. He enjoys spending his spare time at hockey rinks throughout New Brunswick and relishes outdoor activities and golf with his family during the offseason.

Presentation Outline - Session 1B

Title: Navigating Change - Leadership Strategies for Improvement.

Featuring: Bruno Lagace, President, Sparta Manufacturing

Synopsis: The only constant in the world is change, said Greek philosopher Heraclitus.  Join this one-hour session - a session that will transform your approach to leadership and continuous improvement!  Dive into the dynamic world of change management in the workplace and learn how to lead a team to DISCOVER the need for change, DESIGN the new way and DEPLOY with success for sustainable results.

Presentation Outline – Session 2B

Title: Leadership's Impact on Company Culture: Driving Success in Manufacturing

Synopsis:   Join us for an engaging panel discussion where we explore the crucial role of leadership in shaping company culture within the manufacturing sector. This session will highlight how plant managers, leadership teams, intermediate managers, and supervisors can positively influence the workplace environment, fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and innovation. Learn how leading by example, open communication, employee recognition, consistent policies, and effective conflict resolution can transform your organization. Discover practical strategies to empower your team, handle conflicts constructively, and adapt to change, all while driving a productive and supportive company culture. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and interact with industry experts and peers. Elevate your leadership skills and bring actionable ideas back to your manufacturing organization, ensuring a thriving, engaged workforce. Join us and be part of the conversation that will shape the future of manufacturing leadership!

Facilitated By:

Brian Stewart, President Redfox Consulting

Industry Participants:

Brock Price, Director, Global Reliability and Maintenance Programs, Manager of Corporate Safety for Food Process Solutions Corp.

Erin McClure, Director or Operations, Mrs. Dunster’s Inc.

Charmaine Noonan, Senior Director and Site Head, PEI, Merck

Perry Kelly, Operations Manager, Superior Industries

This session will highlight the recent activity of the New Brunswick Centre of Excellence for Skilled Trades and Manufacturing including the success in exposing youth, K-12, to amazing manufacturing career opportunities. Attendees will also be treated to a glimpse of planned activity for this coming school year.

We are delighted to welcome students to our panel discussion to share their perspectives on what they expect from their future employers; what attracts them to join and stay with a company….what is important!  This section will be facilitated by Candace Carnahan, and some of the questions she will explore are as follows:

• What does company wellness or a healthy organization look like to you?
• What are the cultural dynamics that you would consider when looking for job?
• What kinds of things would encourage you to stay long term?
• What are some of the sources you rely on to find out about a company, and what they are like?

As always, there will be an opportunity for questions and open discussion for participants and attendees.