MTI’s Fourth Quarter Webcast Series: Learn and Turn Insights Into Action
MTI’s fourth quarter webcast series brings Members valuable insights into economic trends, leadership, artificial intelligence, and technical standards. As companies prepare for 2027, these sessions offer an opportunity to strengthen management teams and identify practical improvements across the business.
To get the greatest value, companies should have their management teams watch together and reserve time afterward to discuss what they learned, how it applies to their operations, and what actions they should consider. The following are details for each webcasts:
Having Hard Conversations Without Creating Defensiveness with Dr. Rick Marks
October 7, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET | (CLICK HERE to RSVP)
In this webcast with MTI’s Tom Morrison and Dr. Rick Marks from Relate Well, they will address how leaders can handle performance, behavior, and conflict issues with clarity and respect. The session focuses on building accountability and trust while keeping difficult conversations productive.
Management teams should discuss where delayed or ineffective conversations are affecting performance. What expectations need clarification? How can supervisors address concerns sooner? What communication habits would help employees respond constructively?
Technical Standards Report from MTI Technical Standards Committee November 10, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET (CLICK HERE to RSVP)
The MTI Technical Standards Update will cover recent activities involving CQI-9, Nadcap, AMEC, and ASTM, including changes, challenges, and solutions related to audit compliance.
Bring quality, operations, engineering, and management leaders together for this session. Afterward, evaluate whether procedures, documentation, employee training, or equipment plans need attention. Assign responsibility for investigating any requirements that could affect your company.
Economic Forecasts Presented by ITR Economics
December 3, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET (CLICK HERE to RSVP)
The MTI Quarterly Economic Forecast will examine the U.S. economy and eight industries that drive heat treating demand: automotive, aerospace, agriculture, construction, electronics, heavy-duty equipment, medical and healthcare, and oil and gas. The Member-exclusive session is designed to support planning for capacity, staffing, investments, and sales.
Watching together gives company leaders a shared foundation for reviewing their 2027 assumptions. Does the outlook support current sales projections? Should hiring or capital spending plans change? Which customer markets deserve greater attention?
How AI Will Power Your Business with Jay Owen
December 8, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET 1 | (CLICK HERE to RSVP)
Jay Owen’s webcast will focus on how AI can power your business.
Use this session as a starting point for a team discussion about repetitive tasks, administrative bottlenecks, and opportunities to improve productivity. Select a manageable application to explore, establish appropriate oversight, and decide how the team will measure its value.
Make the Discussion Part of the Meeting
Each webcast offers a chance to connect learning with the decisions your company faces. Different managers will recognize different implications…a customer opportunity, a production concern, a training gap, or a process that could work better. Discussing those perspectives helps the team agree on priorities.
Reserve 20 to 30 minutes after each webcast to answer four questions:
- What did we learn that matters most to our company?
- Where should we reconsider our current practices or assumptions?
- What actions for improvement should we consider?
- Who will take responsibility, and when will we review progress?
Choose one or two meaningful next steps, assign an owner, and establish a deadline. Follow up at the next management meeting to keep the work moving.
Visit MTI’s events calendar for webcast details and RSVP links. Put these learning opportunities on your management team’s calendar, and include the discussion time that turns useful information into action.