Latest news with #EmbracingExcellenceLeanConference
Winnipeg Free Press
11-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
The importance of looking inward
James Simon has spent his career studying and implementing continuous improvement but it wasn't until he was working on a book that he realized leaders need to look inward before implementing change in the workplace. Simon was writing Headwaters to Change: Navigating Growth, Cultivating Presence when he realized that just as the word 'improvement' starts with the letter I, true improvement starts with the self. 'This word has been telling all of us this from the very inception,' Simon said. 'It starts within ourselves as a leader, either formally or informally. If we are not willing to put the work in up front… we're not going to sustain the changes that we want. We won't be able to fully show up for those that need us.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS James Simon delivers a keynote speech Tuesday at the RBC Convention Centre suggesting that people practise mindfulness — or being fully present — by paying attention to their breath and then focusing on the task at hand. The coach, speaker and program manager at Edmonton's University of Alberta Hospital shared that message Tuesday during a keynote speech at the Embracing Excellence Lean Conference in Winnipeg's RBC Convention Centre. Organized by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), the four-day conference started Monday. Around 900 people are expected to attend the event, which aims to demonstrate how embracing excellence and engaging people in continuous improvement drives growth and benefits employees, customers and stakeholders alike. During his 40-minute address, Simon pointed to a study conducted by psychologists at Harvard University that found that, on average, people spend approximately 47 per cent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they are actually doing. This wandering of the mind makes them unhappy. To combat this, Simon suggested that people practise mindfulness — or being fully present — by paying attention to their breath and then focusing on the task at hand. Staying steady through life's ups and downs, approaching conversations with kindness and compassion and expressing gratitude are other practices individuals and teams can use to achieve sustainable improvements and unlock inner mastery. Embracing a 'beginner's mind' — having an attitude of openness, eagerness and lack of preconceptions — is also fundamental to continuous improvement, Simon said. 'I think if we don't take the opportunity to start with (ourselves) and understand what it really, truly means to move forward with lean and continuous improvement, we can't truly establish the culture that we're looking for,' he told the Free Press after his speech. Started in 2012 and held every three years, the Lean conference is especially important today because of Canada's productivity crisis, said John Chaput, conference chair. Reports show Canada's productivity level is lagging behind countries like the U.S., the U.K. and France. 'A lot of our Canadian companies haven't been able to invest in their culture, in their people, in their technology and sustainability just because they don't know what's possible and they don't know how,' Chaput said on Monday. 'This (conference) helps to show them the how.' Throughout the conference, participants are attending presentations grouped under different 'value streams': technology, improvement, sustainability and culture. They also have the option of attending tours of more than 20 Manitoba businesses to gain insight into how others approach continuous improvement. Chaput hopes the conference helps attendees find new ways to do business. 'It's all about performance-enhancing thinking and strategy, which will help them compete nationally, internationally and globally so they can nail down and secure new supply chains,' he said. About 20 per cent of attendees are from outside Manitoba, according to Chaput. Just about every Canadian province is represented and there are about a dozen delegates from the U.S., he said. The majority of attendees are from the manufacturing sector, with 'just under 20 per cent' from the service and public sectors. During remarks he made to the audience prior to Simon's keynote address, MLA Jamie Moses, minister of business, mining, trade and job creation, noted the supply chain instability and global trade uncertainty that businesses are faced with today. 'That's why I think it's even more meaningful that we learn to work together; that we find ways to connect and support each other as industry so that we can all be stronger through turbulence,' he said. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Those words were echoed by Dennis Darby, CME's president and CEO, who called the conference 'a call to action' and encouraged attendees to talk with each other about what's working for them. 'We need to find those opportunities to continue to work together and get those productivity gains that we know are there,' he said. The manufacturing industry employs more than 1.7 million Canadians and contributes over $700 billion in annual sales, Darby said. The conference ends on Thursday. Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. 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Cision Canada
09-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
/R E P E A T -- National Lean Conference Comes to Winnipeg June 9-12 to Address Canada's Productivity Crisis and Supply Chain Resilience/
WINNIPEG, MB, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is proud to announce that its flagship Embracing Excellence Lean Conference will take place June 9–12, 2025, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, bringing together, over the course of four days, nearly 1,000 industry leaders from across the country to confront Canada's most pressing manufacturing challenges: lagging productivity, supply chain instability, and global trade uncertainty. "Canada's productivity crisis is directly impacting our competitiveness," said Otto Kemerle, CME Manitoba Advisory Board Chair and President of the International Truck Body. "Through Lean, manufacturers can take control of what they can improve. Operations, processes, and people. It's a strategic response to volatility that doesn't rely on subsidies or major capital injections." This year's program will explore how Lean methodologies can be applied to increase productivity without major capital investment, build resilient and responsive supply chains, and help Canadian manufacturers remain agile in the face of global economic shifts. It will also emphasize the importance of people and culture in sustaining long-term performance focusing on leadership, team engagement, and frontline empowerment. "Manufacturers are being squeezed by rising costs and increasing trade uncertainty," said Todd Leroy, Vice President of Manufacturing at Loewen Windows. "To stay competitive, we need to do more with what we already have. Improving productivity through Lean isn't optional; it's essential. It allows us to adapt quickly without relying on external support or massive infrastructure overhauls." This national event will offer immersive learning, practical case studies, and in-depth conversations on Lean manufacturing as a strategy to enhance competitiveness, agility, and workforce engagement. By gathering national voices in Winnipeg, the conference highlights Manitoba's strategic manufacturing and logistics role and supports regional efforts to build stronger, smarter operations that can weather uncertainty. ABOUT CME Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is Canada's oldest and largest national trade and industry association. In Manitoba, CME works with manufacturers to help them grow with support and resources in the areas of Leadership & Executive Support, Lean & Productivity, Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation, Trade & Business Development, Workforce Development, Advocacy & Intelligence, Future Workforce, Safety and Networking.
Cision Canada
20-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
National Lean Conference Comes to Winnipeg June 9-12 to Address Canada's Productivity Crisis and Supply Chain Resilience
WINNIPEG, MB, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is proud to announce that its flagship Embracing Excellence Lean Conference will take place June 9–12, 2025, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, bringing together, over the course of four days, nearly 1,000 industry leaders from across the country to confront Canada's most pressing manufacturing challenges: lagging productivity, supply chain instability, and global trade uncertainty. "Canada's productivity crisis is directly impacting our competitiveness," said Otto Kemerle, CME Manitoba Advisory Board Chair and President of the International Truck Body. "Through Lean, manufacturers can take control of what they can improve. Operations, processes, and people. It's a strategic response to volatility that doesn't rely on subsidies or major capital injections." This year's program will explore how Lean methodologies can be applied to increase productivity without major capital investment, build resilient and responsive supply chains, and help Canadian manufacturers remain agile in the face of global economic shifts. It will also emphasize the importance of people and culture in sustaining long-term performance focusing on leadership, team engagement, and frontline empowerment. "Manufacturers are being squeezed by rising costs and increasing trade uncertainty," said Todd Leroy, Vice President of Manufacturing at Loewen Windows. "To stay competitive, we need to do more with what we already have. Improving productivity through Lean isn't optional; it's essential. It allows us to adapt quickly without relying on external support or massive infrastructure overhauls." This national event will offer immersive learning, practical case studies, and in-depth conversations on Lean manufacturing as a strategy to enhance competitiveness, agility, and workforce engagement. By gathering national voices in Winnipeg, the conference highlights Manitoba's strategic manufacturing and logistics role and supports regional efforts to build stronger, smarter operations that can weather uncertainty. ABOUT CME Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is Canada's oldest and largest national trade and industry association. In Manitoba, CME works with manufacturers to help them grow with support and resources in the areas of Leadership & Executive Support, Lean & Productivity, Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation, Trade & Business Development, Workforce Development, Advocacy & Intelligence, Future Workforce, Safety and Networking.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National Lean Conference Comes to Winnipeg June 9-12 to Address Canada's Productivity Crisis and Supply Chain Resilience
WINNIPEG, MB, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is proud to announce that its flagship Embracing Excellence Lean Conference will take place June 9–12, 2025, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, bringing together, over the course of four days, nearly 1,000 industry leaders from across the country to confront Canada's most pressing manufacturing challenges: lagging productivity, supply chain instability, and global trade uncertainty. "Canada's productivity crisis is directly impacting our competitiveness," said Otto Kemerle, CME Manitoba Advisory Board Chair and President of the International Truck Body. "Through Lean, manufacturers can take control of what they can improve. Operations, processes, and people. It's a strategic response to volatility that doesn't rely on subsidies or major capital injections." This year's program will explore how Lean methodologies can be applied to increase productivity without major capital investment, build resilient and responsive supply chains, and help Canadian manufacturers remain agile in the face of global economic shifts. It will also emphasize the importance of people and culture in sustaining long-term performance focusing on leadership, team engagement, and frontline empowerment. "Manufacturers are being squeezed by rising costs and increasing trade uncertainty," said Todd Leroy, Vice President of Manufacturing at Loewen Windows. "To stay competitive, we need to do more with what we already have. Improving productivity through Lean isn't optional; it's essential. It allows us to adapt quickly without relying on external support or massive infrastructure overhauls." This national event will offer immersive learning, practical case studies, and in-depth conversations on Lean manufacturing as a strategy to enhance competitiveness, agility, and workforce engagement. By gathering national voices in Winnipeg, the conference highlights Manitoba's strategic manufacturing and logistics role and supports regional efforts to build stronger, smarter operations that can weather uncertainty. Event Details:Dates: June 9–12, 2025Location: RBC Convention Centre, Winnipeg, ManitobaRegistration: ABOUT CME Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is Canada's oldest and largest national trade and industry association. In Manitoba, CME works with manufacturers to help them grow with support and resources in the areas of Leadership & Executive Support, Lean & Productivity, Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation, Trade & Business Development, Workforce Development, Advocacy & Intelligence, Future Workforce, Safety and Networking. SOURCE Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
