Quanex believes one of the critical components to ensuring its success lies in the leadership principles of the Quanex Game Plan, which calls for the development of motivated, committed employees who have a sense of urgency in what they do and understand the need for change. Providing employees with the necessary development tools to accomplish this agenda led to the creation of PROJECT BREAKTHROUGH.
Project Breakthrough is an initiative to take the Company to the next level and allow it to achieve true opeational excellence - be it on the shop floor, in back-office functions, or in the corporate office. It is more than just seeking linear improvements in the way employees accomplish work - it seeks process breakthroughs that will drive Quanex to a new level. PROJECT BREAKTHROUGH places a premium on developing people, sharpening leadership skills and making lean practices an integral part of the Company's DNA. This initiative relies on 16 "Key Attributes of Outstanding Leadership" that define what right looks like. These attributes fall into three categories: Beliefs, Knowledge and Skills.
Beliefs - Employees will hold true to ethical behavior in everything they do, be team-oriented, and have a healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo. A passionate, proactive approach will be the hallmark of managers and they will be encouraged to take prudent risks. With the support of their managers, employees will dedicate themselves to learning, improving and adapting to change.
Knowledge - This attribute not only references knowledge of the job but also of the organization, its customers and the industries in which the Company participates. We will have a thorough understanding of customers' needs and the changing trends within the industry. Employees will fully understand their business position and capabilities in the market they serve, and how, as team players, they can benefit the whole organization. They will demonstrate a collective aptitude to continually build on their knowledge base so that they are fully prepared to take advantage of future opportunities.
Skills - The skills to develop and nurture outstanding partnerships with key constituents are paramount to future successes, as are other skills like active listening, excellent communication, leadership of people and projects, negotiation for win-win results, and sensitivity and finesse. Last but not least is the ability to think beyond the current business reality and push "outside the box" to ensure breakthrough thinking and accomplishments. Employee skills will be bolstered through various training modules that emphasize lean thinking, personal accountability and change management.
There are several building blocks to the implementation of PROJECT BREAKTHROUGH, including a development assessment process, directed at identifying the gaps versus the key attributes desired of the management team. Gaps will be closed through rigorous counseling and training. PROJECT BREAKTHROUGH is committed to developing the Company's next generation of strong leaders to more effectively execute the Quanex Game Plan for the benefit of customers, stockholders and employees.
