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Describes the rationale behind a course designed by the trainees, employees themselves, in conjunction with external expertise and delivered to small groups over a 12‐month period. A “drip” feed across a diagonal slice of the structure in small (12 maximum) cross‐functional groups, awareness and education programme aims at creating a learning organization, enhancing thinking skills and developing a deeper team awareness in support of company strategies focused on customer satisfaction and utilizing all employees. In this article, listening, communicating, recognizing internal as well as external customers and complementing improvement on a continuous cycle are discussed as a means of allowing the manufacturing deliverables of quality, delivery and cost improvement to be a way of life.

Change is inevitable but too often ignored, particularly with respect to management development. Innovative, but not necessarily revolutionary, programmes were implemented through a collaborative programme between industry and local business schools. Content directly related to business strategies, performance and continuous improvement increases team building and team performance and supports improvement in quality, employee involvement, financial control and productivity. The collaborative programme, through a drip‐feed approach – half day, full day or residential modules at three‐to‐six week intervals, with clearly defined assignments based on individual and group management issues were completed between modules. Accreditation was achieved and allowed participants to move towards a formal Certificate in Management qualification.