New multi-stage program transforms technical managers into strategic, people-focused leaders who drive measurable operational results
CHICAGO, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Unique Training & Development, a leading specialist in training frontline supervisors, managers, and team leads in manufacturing and operations environments, today announced its Plant Manager Excellence Public Workshop. This multi-stage development program closes the leadership gap that silently drains today's manufacturers of productivity, profitability, and talent.
The program addresses the persistent challenge experienced by many manufacturing leaders who are technical experts promoted into leadership roles without the people, strategy, and accountability skills the job demands.
"The two most common pathways to becoming a plant manager are the technical pathway via engineering, or the operational pathway through the production manager role. Both pose unique challenges. Typically, there is very little development specific to the plant manager role," said Greg Schinkel, President of Unique Training and Development. "Technical mastery and leadership mastery are entirely different skill sets. Technical expertise is the foundation, but leadership success is defined by cultivating the collective competencies to drive business growth."
Unique Training & Development challenges organizations to view leadership development with the same rigorous expectations as capital investments. Just as a factory would never buy equipment without a preventative maintenance plan, organizations must maintain and develop their leadership to achieve a clear return on investment (ROI).
The curriculum is divided into three core components:
- Clarify the Vision: Helps leaders identify high-impact strategies, build management team commitment, and create an Accountability Map to remove gaps and overlaps.
- Optimize the Processes: Focuses on stabilizing underlying manufacturing processes, implementing a total-cost approach, and identifying operational levers that impact the plant's financial performance.
- Engage the Team: Equips leaders with the skills and empathy needed to build high-performance teams, strengthen safety cultures, and involve others in collaborative problem-solving.
The program is co-facilitated by Greg Schinkel and Jason MacKenzie, two experienced leaders with three decades of experience in manufacturing and operations leadership. Schinkel is the author of multiple books, including: Employees Not Doing What You Expect; What Great Supervisors Know; and Fusion or Fizzle: How Leaders Leverage Training to Ignite Results. MacKenzie has extensive manufacturing leadership experience and is a practitioner in the area of Appreciative Inquiry. His specialty is helping senior leaders become more confident in increasing accountability in the management team.
The two-day kick-off in Chicago is hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport, followed by eight monthly online sessions. A virtual option is available for those unable to attend the kick-off in person. Knowing that plant managers have multiple priorities and busy schedules, a self-study make-up class is also available for participants who can't attend one of the sessions.
To learn more about Unique Training & Development or to enroll in the Plant Manager Excellence Public Workshop, please visit https://uniquedevelopment.com/product/plant-manager-excellence-public-workshop/.
About Unique Training & Development
Unique Training & Development is a leading specialist in training frontline supervisors, managers, and team leads in manufacturing and operations environments. Founded in 1987 to equip leaders to maximize productivity, safety, and quality while increasing employee engagement and motivation, the company has worked with thousands of leaders from hundreds of companies across dozens of industries in manufacturing, supply chain, and operations. For more information, please visit https://uniquedevelopment.com.
Media Contact
Kathy Berardi, Unique Training & Development, 1 6786444122, [email protected], https://uniquedevelopment.com/
SOURCE Unique Training & Development
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