Manager Skills Workshops drive results at Novanta
Highly collaborative sessions see Novanta managers outperform the Manager Effectiveness Index
The challenge
Novanta, a leading global supplier of technology solutions for the medical, life science, bioprocessing, and advanced industrial OEM sectors, partnered with Mindtools to close the gap between managers’ potential and their performance.
The goal: enhance Novanta’s leadership curriculum (LEAD) to inspire leaders who embody the company’s culture, while developing assertive managers who take ownership of their leadership responsibilities and demonstrate accountability.
Novanta asked Mindtools to provide a customized version of our evidenced-based management development program. This took the form of two workshops that would improve key internal metrics, ultimately improving manager retention, company performance and productivity.
The solution
- Manager Skills Assessment (taken before and after the programme)
- Manager Skills Workshops, customised for Novanta’s specific leadership challenges
Mindtools used data‑driven insights to tailor existing skills workshops around twelve core capabilities essential for modern managers. The Insights team partnered with Novanta’s senior Leadership Development team to map the Management Skills Assessment (MSA) onto Novanta’s existing evaluation framework and introduce the programme through targeted virtual sessions.
Leaders completed the MSA to gain a clear, evidence‑based view of their strengths and development areas. Cohort‑specific review sessions, facilitated by the Mindtools Insights team, helped leaders interpret the findings and identify priority capabilities. These insights shaped two focused four‑hour virtual workshops targeting the six capabilities with the greatest potential for impact.
Workshop 1 strengthened trust, empathy and recognition through practical activities tailored to Novanta’s global workforce.
Workshop 2 focused on team‑building, goal‑setting and coaching to support stronger everyday leadership.
Both workshops embedded inclusive leadership principles and included hands‑on exercises for real‑world application. Participants received workbooks to support practice and inform development plans, while facilitator guides ensured consistent, high‑quality delivery across cohorts.
The results
The impact so far:
- 40% of managers progressed to a higher level within our four-stage manager benchmark (Aspiring, Developing, Accomplished, Expert)
- Manager skills improved across all four components of our Manager Effectiveness Index
- The most significant skill increases were across delegation, goal setting, empathy, inclusive leadership, guidance and active listening
- Novanta’s managers now outperform their peers in other organisations, based on results from our Manager Skills Assessment
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