Future Leaders Dialogue

  An annual ‘barometer’ of student and industry requirements has been launched to help align expectations on career opportunities, skills requirements and the attractiveness of our industry. Begun in March 2021, after a widely reported and widening gap between students and employers, the Future Leaders Dialogue (FLD) is an initiative of the EIIL to promote…

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The Challenges and Benefits of Online Education

Last October, from the 28th to the 30th, EIIL’s Ent-Ex – The Entrepreneurial Experience, our programme for young leaders, took place a bit different than usual. Whereas the educational event for young innovators of any background or discipline normally takes place in real life in four different cities (Cologne, Barcelona, The Hague, Milan), this year…

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3. Leadership Skills in Lockdown – Tending

“You need to provide your teams with the confidence that they can handle this, that the business will get through the crisis intact. Even if you don’t feel it, you need to project confidence and certainty.”  In the uncertainty of [the first] lockdown, the foremost skill identified was the ability to acknowledge but to calm…

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2. Leadership Skills in Lockdown – Tasking and Trusting

“You can’t just call them into your office for a kick-off. You now need to form, brief, motivate, set targets, monitor and performance-manage your remote teams, maybe without ever having met them in person”. Our leaders recognised that, for their own direct reports, long periods without meeting one another face to face was normal. They…

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1. Leadership Challenges in Lock-down

‘What are the main challenges senior leaders face during the pandemic, what leadership skills have they developed to address these, and which skills do they think future leaders will need if this becomes the new normal?’  This was the task which faced participants in a unique online workshop in mid-July this year.  Six weeks earlier…

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How to deal with the problem of “not sexy”

At this year’s ART in Industry consortium, EIIL members and industry association representatives met to discuss the topic of attracting and retaining talent in industry. One of the issues raised was the age-old problem of image. Industry in the wider media is seen as useful, certainly. It is innovative for the most part, and it…

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[Develop] Blog: Want to start a revolution?

Do you want to start a revolution at the office? Go and talk to one of your coworkers that you don’t know very well. Ask what they like to do outside work, for fun, or ask about their family, or their politics. Ask anything, within reason, but whatever you do, make sure you learn a…

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Giver Beware!

As I’ve been preparing to launch #EIIL #TransitionGeneration report I’ve also been spending some time building other projects, hoping that they would bear fruit. Now, I suddenly have 4 projects to juggle all at the same time, and I’m finding ways to protect myself from the flood. I know it’s only a few days, and…

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Where Are Your Leaders Coming From?

For a curious mind, the Statista daily infographic is a wonderful source of informative, eye-opening, but often irrelevant information about the world around us. However, every now and again, something crops up that takes a little more time to study. This was a “yellow car” moment for me. What is the “yellow car” moment? When…

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[Develop] This is Why Organisations Need to Change

The above image was shared with me via LinkedIn yesterday with the comment “Wow, I can’t believe that 6 of the top 8 apps are the same in each generation.”  Maybe my mind works differently, but I saw the differences, not the similarities.  What I saw was the relative position of the communication tools in…

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Lipstick on a Pig – Why digitalisation of the Project Execution Process has still not brought a fourth Industrial Revolution to Engineering

First you optimise your processes, and then you automate. The contrary is, as an American colleague once remarked, about as useful as this title suggests. So, when this is widely known good practice, it was not surprising that a workshop on ‘Why digitalisation in the project execution process has still not brought a fourth industrial…

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Covestro Barcelona hosts workshops on innovation and mentoring

This week the Covestro plant in Barcelona has hosted a series of workshops, given by the European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL), which addressed some of the challenges facing our industry and current trends in attraction, Development and retention of professionals. Leading innovation The “Leading Innovation” workshop took place on May 15 and 16, in…

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Ent-Ex Den Haag – Haagsehogeschool Debut Exceptional

This week saw the first workshop of the 2017 Ent-Ex programme. The workshops aim to help young talents develop entrepreneurial skills using the EIIL’s masterclass methodology. After 2 successful events at the Vrij University of Amsterdam, this year’s Ent-Ex NL took place at the fabulous facilities of the Haagse Hoogeschool (Technical High School of The…

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[Attract] Future workplace leaders will need entrepreneurial skills

~ Findings released from EIIL’s Industry 4.0 report ~ What industry needs is more young entrepreneurs. This is one conclusion of the EIIL’s working group report on the developments of Industry 4.0 in the chemical industry, and the impact of these on talent acquisition and development. Conducted through a series of four workshops involving over…

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EIIL Report: Industry 4.0 Working Group 2016

~ Collated over the past year, the report contains the findings of four high-level workshops ~ The EIIL today released its Industry 4.0 report, detailing the findings of over a year’s worth of research and high-level workshop events with industry leaders. This launch ties in with the Global ManuChem Strategies 2017 event in Berlin at…

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Continuous Improvement (LPG 3) – Den Haag – 10-11/03/20

Objective This two day workshop will raise awareness of the ‘Hidden Resources’ often over-looked by corporate strategists when assessing the capabilities and capacity of a Company. Many business processes contain activities that do not contribute to the Value generated by the organisation and if removed, will improve the effectiveness and efficiencies of the resources used.…

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Motivation & Commitment (HPL 4) – Online- 16-18/11/20

To fully participate in this workshop, delegates must have completed HPL 0: ‘A Teamworking Skills Foundation’ which will preceed this on 14th September 2020. Objective The ability to motivate oneself and others is a key skill of high performance leaders. If we were all motivated in the same way and by the same things leading teams…

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Aiming for Setting Strategy (HPL 3) – Online- 14-16/09/20

To fully participate in this workshop, delegates must have completed HPL 0: ‘A Teamworking Skills Foundation’ which will preceed this workshop on 8th June 2020. Objective All organisations (including businesses) inevitably change. Successful organisations initiate and manage the change process for the benefit of all their stakeholders. This requires an intimate understanding of the aims of all stakeholders…

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High Performance Teamwork (HPL 1) – Den Haag – 19-20/02/20

To fully participate in this workshop, delegates must have completed HPL 0: ‘A Teamworking Skills Foundation’ which will preceed this workshop on 17th and 18th February 2020. Objective A two day workshop designed to develop the skills required to create high performing teams.In order to be a High Performance Leader it is essential to first…

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A Teamworking Skills Foundation (HPL 0) – Den Haag

This one-day workshop introduces the basic skills that are the foundation of the EIIL high-performance teamworking and leadership programme. While this workshop is a worthwhile stand-alone experience, it is designed to provide an introduction to HPL1, HPL3, HPL4, HPL5 and HPL6 and will be run the day before each of these workshops to offer participants…

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Knowledge Management & the Learning Company (LLT 7) – 18-19/05/20 Video-Conference

Objective Whether to enable innovation in new products, share good practices in efficient operations, maintain best corporate safety standards in globally diverse locations, or simply to provide the transparency demanded by today’s external stakeholders, it is becoming ever more important for the company to effectively manage its knowledge assets. This EIIL Masterclass ™ workshop will explore how…

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Leading Multi-Cultural Teams (MCE 5) – Online- 12-13/10/20

The first morning of this workshop will cover the contents of MCE 0: ‘A Cultural Skills Foundation’. Participants who have already completed this foundation session may join the workshop at coffee break on the first day. Objective Amongst the most marked changes faced by today’s leaders compared with twenty or even ten years ago is the increase in the…

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Understanding Selling (LPG 60) – Online – 31/08-01/09/20

Objective A two day EIIL Masterclass workshop designed to raise awareness of the key characteristics of an effective selling organisation. What would the newly appointed general manager need to know in order to understand whether his sales function was performing effectively? What behaviours would he expect to see, what measures would he expect to be…

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Effective Communication (LPG 40) – Online- 23-24/06/20

Objective One of the principle capabilities of the future industrial leader will be his or her ability to communicate effectively. Introducing the ‘Communications Equation’ and a typical stakeholder map, this EIIL Masterclass ™ workshop explains the planning and development of a communications strategy and the targeting of key messages to each of the stakeholder groups. Key Benefits By…

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Leading Innovation (LPG 7) – Online – 21-22/09/20

Objective Without innovation, companies die. This workshop will explore how innovation can provide the means of sustaining the company in anticipation of, and reaction to, changes in its external and internal environment. During this workshop participants will consider innovation in its many forms, and will see how different companies consider innovation from both strategic and tactical perspectives. Key…

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Partnering for Growth (LPG 5) – Online- 09-10/11/20

Objective Any growth strategy relies on partnerships within the Value Chain. This EIIL Masterclass ™ workshop explores a wide range of partnerships, such as alliances, joint ventures, distributors and agents, the supply of ‘non-core’ service activities, development partnerships, supply partnerships and consortia of complementary competencies. As well as gaining an appreciation of the strategic value…

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Industry 4.0 consortium announces findings

~ A forthcoming report details the findings of the year-long consortium, with further meetings planned for 2017 to expand on the work done so far ~ The EIIL’s Industry 4.0 research consortium has seen 41 functional managers from 21 companies contribute their opinions on the workshop series this year. The purpose of the group was…

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Next Generation Leadership part three: 3F feedback

In the previous part of this series, Steve Price, Executive Director of the EIIL, discussed the retention of Generation C in the War for Talent. In this penultimate entry, he goes on to discuss the EIIL’s latest findings on retaining Generation C. To dig deeper into the Leading the Connected Generation conclusions the EIIL undertook…

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Three industry changes caused by digitalisation

~ European Chemical Employers Group conference reinforces EIIL findings on connected generation ~ The EIIL recently participated in the ECEG conference on A Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe. In his keynote introduction Eric Mamer, Deputy Head of cabinet of EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, outlined some of the main changes we can…

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Leading Distributed Teams shows cross-cultural learning

~ And demonstrates that generations are a culture too as EIIL’s oldest faculty member gains valuable insight from younger participants ~ As the only remaining coach from the first EIIL pilot workshop programme in 2004, team-working specialist John Doerr is one of the EIIL’s oldest supporters amongst our faculty of subject matter specialists. John has…

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ART in Industry challenges perceptions

~ Best practice sharing forum of EIIL members and industry association representatives discover common concerns for Attracting and Retaining Talent ~ EIIL corporate members from the construction, chemicals, plastics and industrial gases sectors met with six industry association representatives in Brussels late last month for an industry best practice sharing forum. The first ART in…

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Cultural Differences Make a Difference

Making a case for increased diversity and inclusion was not the prime purpose of the recent EIIL masterclass ‘Multi-cultural negotiating and influencing’ but it was certainly a welcome by-product. The EIIL’s Leaders of Industry study in 2003 identified ‘the ability to appreciate cultural differences and to effectively negotiate and influence in these’ as one of…

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Designing the Sustainable Organisation

How do you ensure that talent is identified and developed to sustain your company in the future? This was the question young leaders sought to answer on the recent EIIL masterclass ‘Designing the Sustainable Organisation’. For some, the findings were a surprise. ‘I think I will think about my own individual development plan more carefully’…

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[Retain] Top 5 behaviours required to retain Gen C

Companies in the ‘traditional’ industries (energy, petrochemical, chemicals and plastics) talk of a ‘War for Talent’. Competition to attract the best of the best technology graduates is tougher than ever before. ‘Retaining Generation C’, a study of over five hundred 18-30 year olds and two hundred and fifty industry managers by the European Institute for…

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[Retain] Line Managers Must Counter Seduction

Graduate recruitment for industrial companies is increasingly using social media campaigns to appeal to the requirements of a cool, societally conscientious Next Generation. A survey of more than five hundred potential recruits in six European countries has shown that all this could be wasted if the workplace into which they are recruited fails to meet…

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[Retain] In the ‘War for Talent’ Retention Needs More Focus

Corporate recruitment is already being re-thought in order to attract the best of ‘the Connected Generation’ – those entering university today who have grown up with a life time of access to the internet. But few companies are preparing their existing talent pool for the challenges of managing this new generation.  This will be key…

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Reflecting on Ten Years of Leadership and Learning

EIIL’s 10th Anniversary Chairman’s Address – Patrick Thomas, Chairman IAB When the EIIL started in 2003, European focus was on the Lisbon Agenda. Europe was to be the world’s foremost knowledge-based economy by 2015. Its industry needed to attract and retain, in manufacturing careers, the engineers and scientists who would help this to happen. These…

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Industrial Marketing (LPG 4) – Online – 30/11-1/12/20

Objective Industrial Marketing is introduced as an essential component within the business strategy process with an emphasis on proposing realistic, well planned business models and valuations. Through interactions with experienced senior industry practitioners participants will identify good practices in the use Industrial Marketing to creatively analyse market opportunities, devise suitable segmentations and business models to…

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Ent-Ex The Entrepreneurship Experience Programme

Whether as a grandparent, parent, uncle, aunt, family friend or even sibling, you will have a relationship with a young person between the ages of 18 and 30.Chances are, if we are to believe much of what is written, this person’s future is less certain than yours was at a similar age. We’re told that…

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Business Planning (LPG 2) – Online- 29-30/06/20

Objective The ability to develop and present a clear and easily communicated business plan or investment / project proposal is a key requirement for those wanting to progress in any growing organisation. Understanding how different stakeholders look at Business Plans and on what basis they choose to invest (their time, money or other resources) is therefore essential. This…

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Leading Teams to Higher Performance (HPL 6) – online – 13-15/01/21

To fully participate in this workshop, delegates must have completed HPL 0: ‘A Teamworking Skills Foundation’ which will preceed this workshop on 16th November 2020. Objective This two-day workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to explore the characteristics of a high performance team and how to observe and evaluate their own team against these…

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Leading the Connected Generation

In 2014, the European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL) completed an investigation into managing young technology graduates from the so-called ‘Connected Generation’. The study was sponsored by manufacturing companies from the Process Industry. The problem was that recruitment and retention of young graduates was becoming problematic.  In addition, current managers in these industries did not…

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Did we really need the Airblade… ?

This thought struck me recently as I watched my skin wrinkle and deform under the blast from an imitator of Mr Dyson’s ‘revolutionary’ hand-drier. This ‘innovation’ has brought a different, higher pitched, screech to the rest-rooms of motorway service areas, and of course it has brought an entertainment factor for those kids (young and old)…

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EIIL Launches 10th Annual Leaders of Industry Survey: ‘Careers for the Connected Generation – Developing Future Leaders’

The EIIL’s 2013 survey ‘Leading the Connected Generation’ (1) highlighted that a career path offering real responsibility as well as personal skills development might be one way for industry to attract Generation C talent into its apparently dull, dirty, dangerous and sometimes distant workplace. It also highlighted that career building entry level and middle management…

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No Jacket Required – Comment from LCG Geneva

Contrary to some internet opinion, Generation Cs do not expect employers to allow them Social Networking time at work, according to participants at the EIIL’s recent ‘working conference’ on Leading the Connected Generation in Geneva. Steve Price, Executive Director of the European Institute for Industrial Leadership in Brussels comments on break-out group discussions held during…

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