Manufacturing Management Communication Skills

Connect Industry with Education

I have the opportunity to design a management communication skill program for the new Advanced Manufacturing Program at Sheridan College, and I would like to ask for your help.

What do young students have to know in respect to communication skills when they enter the work environment in the manufacturing industry? Do we teach too much theory and not enough practical application?

Please provide your support by answering the following questions!

Question Title

* 1. Students have to learn to effectively communicate. Can you rate the following skills on their importance?

	Very important	Important	Not so important	No significance
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Very important	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Important	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Not so important	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving No significance
Interpersonal Skills	Interpersonal Skills Very important	Interpersonal Skills Important	Interpersonal Skills Not so important	Interpersonal Skills No significance
Persuasive Presentation Skills	Persuasive Presentation Skills Very important	Persuasive Presentation Skills Important	Persuasive Presentation Skills Not so important	Persuasive Presentation Skills No significance
Business Communication Writing Skills	Business Communication Writing Skills Very important	Business Communication Writing Skills Important	Business Communication Writing Skills Not so important	Business Communication Writing Skills No significance

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* 2. Should we consider how the way we think impacts our communication style?

Yes

Not sure

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* 3. What five personal traits are most critical for success in the manufacturing industry?

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* 4. What do you look for in a good manager/supervisor in the manufacturing industry?

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* 5. Is it important to learn how to ask powerful, open-ended questions?

Yes

Not sure

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* 6. Effective meetings are important. All these skills are very important but how would you rate them?

	My personal # 1 - (must have)	My personal # 2 - (often frustrating)	My personal # 3 (o.k. but could be better)	My personal # 4 (nice to have)
Being on time - having respect of other people's time	Being on time - having respect of other people's time My personal # 1 - (must have)	Being on time - having respect of other people's time My personal # 2 - (often frustrating)	Being on time - having respect of other people's time My personal # 3 (o.k. but could be better)	Being on time - having respect of other people's time My personal # 4 (nice to have)
Staying on track - having an agenda	Staying on track - having an agenda My personal # 1 - (must have)	Staying on track - having an agenda My personal # 2 - (often frustrating)	Staying on track - having an agenda My personal # 3 (o.k. but could be better)	Staying on track - having an agenda My personal # 4 (nice to have)
Listening skills - be interested instead of interesting	Listening skills - be interested instead of interesting My personal # 1 - (must have)	Listening skills - be interested instead of interesting My personal # 2 - (often frustrating)	Listening skills - be interested instead of interesting My personal # 3 (o.k. but could be better)	Listening skills - be interested instead of interesting My personal # 4 (nice to have)
Delegation skills - to-do list: who, what and by when	Delegation skills - to-do list: who, what and by when My personal # 1 - (must have)	Delegation skills - to-do list: who, what and by when My personal # 2 - (often frustrating)	Delegation skills - to-do list: who, what and by when My personal # 3 (o.k. but could be better)	Delegation skills - to-do list: who, what and by when My personal # 4 (nice to have)

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* 7. Is it important to learn how to create reports and presentations through the use of appropriate software applications?

Yes

Not critical

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* 8. Should there be more emphasis on self-confidence, providing constructive feedback, receiving feedback and presentation skills?

	Very important	Important	Not so important	No sigificance
Self-confidence	Self-confidence Very important	Self-confidence Important	Self-confidence Not so important	Self-confidence No sigificance
Providing constructive feedback	Providing constructive feedback Very important	Providing constructive feedback Important	Providing constructive feedback Not so important	Providing constructive feedback No sigificance
Receiving feedback	Receiving feedback Very important	Receiving feedback Important	Receiving feedback Not so important	Receiving feedback No sigificance
Presentation skills	Presentation skills Very important	Presentation skills Important	Presentation skills Not so important	Presentation skills No sigificance

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* 9. Creativity and innovation is important in today's manufacturing environments. Should people learn to engage more in creative thinking skills to challenge the status quo?

Yes

This would not help because employees are not encouraged and/or allowed to use these skills in the work environment

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* 10. How important is it to incorporate strategies on how to develop interpersonal skills and a better understanding for the cultural diversity that exists in the manufacturing industry?

	Very important	Important	Not so important	No significance
Awareness	Awareness Very important	Awareness Important	Awareness Not so important	Awareness No significance
Sensitivity	Sensitivity Very important	Sensitivity Important	Sensitivity Not so important	Sensitivity No significance
Strategies	Strategies Very important	Strategies Important	Strategies Not so important	Strategies No significance
Application	Application Very important	Application Important	Application Not so important	Application No significance

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* 11. Is it important to know how to deal with emotional people and negativity at the workplace?

Yes

Waste of time

Question Title

* 1. Students have to learn to effectively communicate. Can you rate the following skills on their importance?

Question Title

* 2. Should we consider how the way we think impacts our communication style?

Question Title

* 3. What five personal traits are most critical for success in the manufacturing industry?

Question Title

* 4. What do you look for in a good manager/supervisor in the manufacturing industry?

Question Title

* 5. Is it important to learn how to ask powerful, open-ended questions?

Question Title

* 6. Effective meetings are important. All these skills are very important but how would you rate them?

Question Title

* 7. Is it important to learn how to create reports and presentations through the use of appropriate software applications?

Question Title

* 8. Should there be more emphasis on self-confidence, providing constructive feedback, receiving feedback and presentation skills?

Question Title

* 9. Creativity and innovation is important in today's manufacturing environments. Should people learn to engage more in creative thinking skills to challenge the status quo?

Question Title

* 10. How important is it to incorporate strategies on how to develop interpersonal skills and a better understanding for the cultural diversity that exists in the manufacturing industry?

Question Title

* 11. Is it important to know how to deal with emotional people and negativity at the workplace?

Question Title

* 12. From your own experience, what would benefit a young person most when it comes to basic communication skills?