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Leadership Academy

For ten years, FCMA has continued to develop and deliver outstanding value to our members by offering best-in-class, cost-effective leadership and employee training opportunities. To date, the FCMA Leadership Academy has provided leadership training to more than 1,000 front line supervisors, team leaders, mid-level managers and subject matter experts from 55 different companies. The participant feedback has consistently highlighted the professional development successes these programs deliver. Company leaders recognize the Leadership Academy as one of the highest value programs available in Northeast Florida!

Thank you to our incredible instructors: Mike Templeton, Joanna Richards and Wanda Wallace.

We are offering the following programs beginning in Q1 2025. 

FCMA Training Offerings

This highly successful program serves as the cornerstone of the Leadership Academy. Since inception, we have served ~700 students from 55 different member and non-member companies with this training program. The program is designed for Frontline Supervisors, Lead Operators, Team Leaders (or future candidates for these positions) who lead frontline employees/individual contributors in a manufacturing environment. The course focuses on the most critical basic leadership competencies and skills needed to be a successful frontline supervisor or team leader. The program will focus on developing the following leadership competencies: • Assessment of the participant’s communication style (DISC) and leadership competencies so they can develop self-awareness of their words and actions and learn how to adapt to build more effective relationships • Creating and implementing an Individual Learning & Action Plan • Understanding and practicing performance coaching – establishing trust, setting job goals, directing work and providing feedback • Learning key elements of creating and maintaining accountability. • Building an effective team based on the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team model with a strong focus on trust building and building team commitment • Shifting mindset towards ownership of issues and prioritizing people leadership activities • Effective conflict management to proactively achieve positive outcomes. • Understanding how labor and employment laws impact the role of a frontline supervisor or team lead, and some of the legal “do’s and don’ts related to their role. • Participate in a Leadership Challenge – applying their course learnings in real time during the final class. The program consists of a kick-off orientation, six classes and a graduation event that will occur every 2-3 weeks over a 3-month period. Classes will run from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM. During each class, students will participate in extensive exercises/practices, role plays and case studies to help them learn how to apply these leadership skills on the job. Class instruction will be provided by leadership training experts using group participation and interactive learning. Class locations will rotate between different manufacturing locations where students will learn about host company businesses, observe best manufacturing practices during a plant tour as well as participate in an open Q&A panel session with host company leadership team members. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all classes. Between classes, there will be homework assignments to enhance the participant learning experience. At the conclusion of the program, each student will be asked to speak briefly at the graduation event – sharing an example of their learning from the program.
This newly revised program is a combination of the Frontline Supervisor II and Mid-Level Manager curriculums. This program builds on the basic leadership competencies and skills taught in the Frontline Supervisor I program. Manager-Supervisor II provides the participants with a more in-depth self-evaluation of their leadership skills and how their mastery impacts their teams and organizations. This program is designed for managers and experienced supervisors who have completed varying levels of formal leadership training (such as Frontline Supervisor I). Participants must have a desire to improve their effectiveness through building “Extreme Ownership” of the challenges they face in their roles. The program will focus on developing the following leadership competencies: • Learn and applying the concepts of Extreme Ownership to their role • Receive specific 360 feedback and commit to new behaviors to build more effective relationships • Develop their value proposition – define the unique value they bring to the organization • Learn and develop strategies to ‘lead from the middle’ - leading down, across and up into the organization effectively • Understand and address top leadership blind spots in their roles • Practice organizing and presenting their ideas in a group setting • Understand and practice through real world cases how to influence positive change • Creating and implementing an Individual Learning & Action Plan • Customized Leadership Coaching in a confidential 1:1 setting (2 sessions) The program consists of a kick-off orientation, five classes, two 1:1 coaching sessions and a graduation event that will occur every 2-3 weeks over a 3-month period. Classes will run from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM. Throughout the program, participants will be exposed to leadership reference materials incorporated into class discussions. During each class, students will participate in extensive exercises/practices, role plays and case studies to help them learn how to apply these leadership skills on the job. Class instruction will be provided by leadership training experts using group participation and interactive learning. Class locations will rotate between different manufacturing locations where students will learn about host company businesses, observe best manufacturing practices during a plant tour as well as participate in an open Q&A panel session with host company leadership team members. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all classes. Between classes, there will be homework assignments to enhance the participant learning experience. At the conclusion of the program, each student will be asked to speak briefly at the graduation event – sharing an example of their learning from the program.
This new one-day introductory program is based on multiple requests from our Frontline Supervisor I participants who recognize the value of introducing their high performing employees to basic leadership skills so they can enhance their peer influence and support for team success. For companies, this program provides an opportunity to offer introductory training to their high performing employees at a lower cost and minimal time investment. Ideal participants are high performing Frontline employees who positively impact and influence teammates but have had little, to no, formal leadership training. This program will introduce them to foundational leadership skills which align to the other FCMA Leadership Academy Programs. The program will focus on developing the following leadership competencies: • Learn critical elements of their DISC Communication Style, including: o Communication strengths and improvement areas o Stress behaviors and impact on their teammates o How to adapt words and actions to communicate more effectively • Introduction to Key Leadership Essentials: o Build Self Awareness o Grow Positive Influence o Strengthen Teams o Coaching Others • Create an Individual Learning & Action Plan The program is a one-day event (8:30 am – 2:30 pm) during which the participants will be learning alongside peers from other manufacturing companies in Northeast Florida. Instruction is provided by leadership training experts using group participation and highly interactive learning techniques. Breakfast and lunch are included.