The top management at Ya Lok Industrial (M) Sdn. Bhd., a leading metal stamping and fabrication company based in Perai, understood that leadership is key to driving operational excellence and business success. To enhance leadership capabilities across the organization, the company engaged IQCS to provide a two-day experiential leadership training with intensive workshops. The program focused on equipping leaders with leadership skills, tools and knowledge to promote a quality-is-built in culture, streamline processes, bench-marking and foster sustained business success.
Day 1: Laying the Foundation for Quality Leadership
The training kicked off with an experiential based icebreaker activity called the “Process-Based QMS Ball Game” in which all the participants were fully participated and thoroughly enlightened through this game. This activity introduced participants to the fundamentals of a “Process-driven” and “Quality-is-built-in” QMS, setting the tone for the sessions ahead.
Picture 1 Participants having a great time playing the “Process Based QMS Ball Game”
The first set of presentations provided a historical walk through on the “evolution of quality”. Participants explored how quality practices have transformed over time, shifting from inspection-based control to “Quality-is-built-in” management, systematic approach focused on continuous improvement and excellence. This segued into workshop on good leadership with systematic approach and effective strategies directly contributes to long-term business success.
There after, the training emphasized the importance of understanding an organization’s context and identity. Leaders learned how internal and external factors affect the company’s operations and how to identify opportunities for improvement. A key component of this session was the Risk-Based Thinking Scenario Workshop, where participants applied the Risk-Based PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach to assess risks and opportunities, manage them (mitigate risks & enhance opportunity) in their business and day-to-day operations.
Picture 2 Team presenting their output for “Risk-Based Thinking Scenario” workshop.
The day concluded with presentations on leadership responsibilities and process management, focusing on how leaders can drive process optimization to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Day 2: Building Practical Skills for Excellence
Day 2 began with a quick feedback session where participants reflected on their learnings from Day 1, followed by practical training on essential Excellence driven methodologies.
One of the core topics and workshops was the Quality Circle, a Japanese famous quality concept where the top and middle management working hand-in-hand in a team with employees to solve quality-related problems. Participants engaged in hands-on workshops to simulate these groups and understand their role in fostering continuous improvement.
Picture 3 Tutor providing coaching during accelerated learning exercise.
Picture 4 Lead tutor providing detailed explanation and conclusion.
The training then delved into MUDA, another famous Japanese lean concept centered around identifying and eliminating waste in processes, followed by workshop to discuss the seven types of wastes in manufacturing and brainstormed ways to reduce them in their daily operations.
The 5S methodology (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) followed, teaching participants how to organize work-spaces to improve efficiency and productivity. The training included a practical workshop to help participants understand how to implement 5S in their own work areas.
The final session of the day focused on benchmarking, where participants learned how to compare their processes against industry best practices. By identifying performance gaps, they could develop strategies to improve, gain a competitive edge and achieving excellence over time.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
The two-day workshop-based training was a success, providing Ya Lok’s leadership team with actionable insights and practical tools to drive improvement and excellence.
For Ya Lok, the next step is to implement the strategies learned during the training, comprising the formation of Quality Circles, applying 5S, MUDA and BENCHMARKING strategies to build a “quality-is-built-in” culture for continuous improvement, ultimately driving the company’s growth and success in the competitive manufacturing industry.
IQCS is honoured and proud to be entrusted with the responsibility of delivering this highly effective and practical training.