What goes into launching a brand-new manufacturing plant? A successful greenfield site is about more than finding the right space or getting the right equipment—you also have to pay attention to the people you’re hiring and the tone you’re setting as a leader.

In this episode, take a journey through the steps of a greenfield site with Daniel Knecht! Dan is the solar project director for NSG Group, one of the world’s largest glass manufacturers. In his role, he focuses on strategic projects to support the renewal energy market. In this story-filled episode, Dan talks about his unique experiences of launching a new plant for NSG, and shares insight other manufacturing leaders can use to build and support their teams, improve their behavior, and bring transformative change to their organization.

4:04 – While manufacturing requires many technical skills, it’s still all about people and connection

4:55 – If you’re a technically minded person, you might need to shift your behavior to form stronger connections and learn to lead through others

5:22 – At a new plant, choosing and building a new team is an important part of the process

6:13 – As a leader, you want to hire a team who can respectfully challenge you, not just people who think exactly like you

7:27 – Changing how you show up for your team starts with authenticity and vulnerability  

9:45 – Show up for your team with action, not just words

10:23 – Even with a large team, you can form great connections through intention and curiosity

12:54 – At a new plant, it’s imperative to set the right tone

14:38 – Manage your emotions and use patience to navigate challenges and connect with your team

19:09 – How you show up in a moment of adversity says a lot about you as a leader

20:05 – You lead how you’re led, so be aware of behaviors you might have picked up from others

20:40 – Take responsibility for your role as a leader in your organization

21:53 – Hire the right people and invest in them

23:20 – You can’t successfully address every issue your team brings to you, but you can approach the issue with an open mind

24:14 – To get a better understanding of the pulse of your floor, create a safe space for your team

Connect with Daniel Knecht

Find him on LinkedIn

Learn more about NSG

In manufacturing, retention and recruitment are two of the biggest challenges. To attract great talent and keep your best team members, you need to set yourself apart from the competition—and you can start by improving your response times!

In this episode, join guest Jay Baer for a deep-dive into the tools and procedures you need to improve efficiency, strengthen your communications, and bridge the “uncertainty gap” in your organization.

Jay Baer is a researcher and advisor specializing in business growth and customer experience. He’s also a seventh-generation entrepreneur, the author of seven bestselling books, the creator of six multi-million dollar companies, and a popular tequila influencer and educator.

3:50 – There is a correlation between responsiveness and revenue

5:34 – People care about their time more than ever, which is why it’s important to respect the time of others

6:11 – Creating an efficient recruitment process is one way to be respectful of other’s time

7:43 – With a faster recruitment process, you won’t miss out on great talent

10:32 – Having an efficient system for replying and following-up cuts down on team anxiety and improves your culture

11:52 – You don’t always have to have the answer right away, but you can improve your relationships by giving a response

14:31 – As a leader, being responsive builds trust and helps you form better relationships within your organization

15:08 – Through responsiveness and strong communications, you can bridge the Uncertainty Gap

17:27 – People are trained to want more details and information

20:07 – Responsiveness should be a company policy, not an individual choice

21:40 – Find ways to continuously improve

23:57 – Customers will often go with the person who responds first, regardless of price

Connect with Jay Baer

Visit his website

Learn more about The Time to Win

Subscribe to his newsletter

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please visit our website or contact Trevor here.

If you want to improve safety, quality, productivity, and results, the first step is looking toward improving connection. With more mindfulness and connection, your entire organization can thrive—and in this episode, guest Jon Gordon is here to show you exactly how you can improve connection and fight disconnect in your organization!

Jon is one of the top three leadership speakers in the world, and his talks on mindset and leadership have inspired hundreds of individuals and organizations. He is also the bestselling author of 28 books, including one of my favorites, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy. In this episode, Jon delves deeper into some of the insights in The Energy Bus to share how leaders can use positivity and connection to improve results and combat difficult situations.

3:31 – You are always going to have to deal with negative people, or energy vampires, but overcoming them is a key part of your journey to connection

4:40 – Every negative person is a test for you to find your own power and resiliency

6:40 – We are meant to be connected, which is why disconnect and isolation leads to anxiety and other mental health issues

7:55 – The more united and connected you are, the stronger you’ll be as a team

10:10 – If you only focus on the results instead of the process, it can lead to disconnect and other negative outcomes

11:15 – Feed yourself with words of positivity and encouragement instead of listening to negative self-talk

12:30 – Understand the wound behind your negative thoughts, so you can find a way to speak truth to them

13:49 – By embracing opportunities to heal and grow, you become a stronger leader for your team

16:25 – A positive team starts with positive leadership

18:03 – Understanding the dynamics of your team can help you find ways to improve connection

20:23 – You need both love and accountability

22:48 – There will always been the need for difficult conversations, so find a way to deal with them and make them less difficult for you and your team

24:49 – You can’t be thankful and stressed at the same time

Connect with Jon Gordon

Visit his website

Learn More about The Energy Bus and his other books

Read my previous book report on The Energy Bus

Connect on LinkedIn and social media

Hear Jon's podcast with Alan Mullally

:50 – Brian Leising introduction

03:13 – How Mindfulness has contributed to Brian’s success

05:36 – Servant leadership

06:00 – “How are you going to turn this thing around?” P.R.O.U.D.

09:34 – Listening to understand, not just respond

12:00 – Modeling, Accountability, and Humility

14:24 – Rewarding aspects of being Mindful

15:50 – The fight to retain your Integrity

17:34 – The problem with blame. Accept responsibility and ownership

20:55 – The “Buck Stops” here

21:45 – Your decision is: to Stay or Go. If your decision is to Stay, own it.

23:39 – Transparency and alignment in communication of the What & Why

25:24 – Brian’s One Thing

27:25 – A ‘money pit’ and advice for an up and coming leader

28:49 – Contributing to Core Values & Beliefs

29:30 - Close

:40 – Listener feedback: Kim reminded us that just being aware that sometimes we're very hard on ourselves and that it's okay, to not get everything done, nor show up as that person that's always doing the right thing, because that's how we learn. Our journey is more like the golf game, just trying to hit the green more often

02:16 – Introducing new co-host and guest for today Dave Baker

04:07 – The practicality of why Mindfulness in manufacturing matters

06:00 – Mindful contrasts of being masked and not masked

08:31 – Presentation to a CEO making no eye contact and the resulting impact

12:00 – Mindfulness of the blue-collar worker ‘pulling handles’ at 3:00 a.m.

17:36 – That ‘silly certificate’

18:57 - The money left on the table in the absence of discretionary effort

20:29 – A funeral and a tie. Underestimating the impact you have on people. That estimation that you have on others is what’s called mindfulness.

22:45 – Work the shutdown? Nope, and here’s why

23:48 - The one thing: pay attention to what you say how & how you say it

25:49 – What would be done all over again? Stepping forward to make mindful changes to facilitate positive employee relations to get better results

29:32 – Summary

30:05 -  Closure

2:30 – Unconscious bias – we all have it!  Beliefs that we have about a person or group or conditions that we are not even aware of.  Great examples and explanation, self awareness development.

7:45 – We each are either racist or anti-racist.  And, here’s why: silence and inaction can equate to enabling, and this depends on your comfort level to speak up.  Hiring for diversity, and on boarding for assimilation does not help.  Be curious and engaging in conversation.  Bias sneaks in when we scan for threat, we are hard wired that way.  In groups vs. out groups.  Stretch yourself to also be in the company of people who think differently and have different experiences.

12:30 – To make a difference, depends on your comfort level to speak up.  One of the original meanings of the work competition come from the Latin word  Competere.  The original meaning was everyone striving together towards a common objective, and over the centuries, we have twisted this to in order for me to win, you have to lose.  There is room for everyone at the table.

14:40 – make an edit

16:00 – Any meaningful societal change in history did not happen at the top, it came from the people.  We can all take a step – do one thing - or make a commitment to change one percent of whatever you are doing. It does take all of us, collectively to generate change.  At some point we need the CEO or leader at the top to be modelling and be all in.   In supportive, not judgemental ways.  Consistent modelling.

20:00 – Context is crucial, each person has to evaluate how they can contribute and what are they comfortable with.

21:45 – You can be a good person and still hold bias, Michelle explains micro-aggressions and how they work.  The offence is measured at the ear of the listener, and not at the mouth of the speaker.  Intention does not always match impact.

25:00 – What to do when you become self-aware that you have said the wrong things.  You need to be in conversations.

27:40 – The difference between mindfulness and meditation – they are different, but related.  The purpose of being mindful meditation or practicing it, is to help our selves be grounded, focused, clear, and aware as well as to be compassionate, properly self-managed and high performing, filling up the well.  Mindfulness is to be present with what ever is happening with yourself, others and your environment.  If you are not aware of yourself, the level of awareness of others is probably low.  Mediation is another way of saying a focused attention practice.

36:00 – Michelle explains the Institute for Organizational Mindfulness where she serves on the board, and where we serve as the ambassadors for Manufacturing!  It is all about how we bring mindfulness to the workplace, built by people who have come from business.  IOM provides resources and courses to cultivate that skill set within yourself.  Join the effort by signing up for free here  www.iomindfulness.org/membership  and be part of the community membership program getting access to exclusive member content, webinars, news, and more.

How to contact Michelle or learn more about her work:

Michelle@Lucenscia.com the information about what it means and how it works. 

in/MichelleLMaldonado

www.Lucenscia.com

2:40 – Multi-tasking – technology has a huge role to play in what we can do, however combining two cognitive tasks – switch tasking is different and actually slows you down, it can take you 23 minutes to get back on track according to studies by Gloria Mark.  Office workers checking phones every 5 minutes, open our phones 50 to 80 times a day.

5:30 – How to get things done with an open door policy?  Productivity is very personal, Connor explains how Google managed and best practices.  Blocking time in your day and making clear expectations.  How that creates greater productivity through entire day, less meetings!

11:48 – The Make Time program, defaults are all around us.  Recognize and adjust – Larry Page felt that every person at the meeting over the total of 7, diminished the effectiveness of the meeting.  They are not for status updates.  Explains Asynchronous communication.

14:20 – If an agenda is not set out 24 hours ahead of time you don’t need to go – (I Love that!). Great advice on how to be more productive!

17:50 – Search Inside Yourself – the case for skeptics of mindfulness in the workplace – connecting to the broader scope of emotional intelligence.  Training yourself in self-awareness by practicing mindfulness.  Based on the foundation of Daniel Goldman and his book Emotional Intelligence and neuroscience.   Your software can change your hardware.  (Connor goes deep here check it out if you are a skeptic like I was!)

26:30 – Willpower – the dangerous idea, is it as real or as important as we think?  Research is leading to the environment structure being more important.

31:15 – The Infinity Pool – these apps are just never ending, like ESPN where they are designed to make it easy to consume more and more great content.  Technology is not evil, however they are designed to make it fun and keep you engaged.  Try deleting the app??

36:28 – Space to pause – the STOP method, Stop, Take a Breath, Observe how you feel and proceed.  ##Control your response

You can hear from Connor on his weekly newsletter, One Percent Wisdom, where he shares simple, sustainable tactics and strategies you can use to develop your mind and better your work 🧠 or follow connect with him on one of these platforms.

Website: connorswenson.com

Newsletter: connorswenson.com/newsletter

Twitter: @crswenny

LinkedIn: profile

Email: connor@connorswenson.com

2:25 – What Jesika does different – put the team first, and all things will fall into place.  ‘No one person is above the team’ Bo Schembechler

4:07 – Jesika’s background – how this made her what she is today

6:25 – The three C’s to a team culture, being collaborative, communication, and consistently – they key to their growth

8:30 – 2M to 20M in annual revenue manufacturing plants, are forecasted to be the growth space for woman to have ownership in manufacturing.  If that number grows by 2.5% per year, one third of manufacturing could be owned by women by 2030.  (From article published by Frances Brunelle)

9:53 – Jesika’s biggest struggle – getting a seat at the table, still a struggle today!  Always being one to raise her hand, working hard has earned her a presidents role at the Metro Manufacturing Alliance, a group for manufactures by manufactures.

13:08 – Advice for other’s – nothing is not earned, woman still need to perform.  Things need to change and evolve – example is the flex time – involved the team and there was a great morale and productivity boost.  Not the whistle blowing break time, think outside of the box!

17:00 – You are with your team more than your family, enough trouble outside the four walls so work together – Rank everyone on Safety, Quality and being a good team member.  Being accountable, dependable, innovative and showing initiative.

19:00 – Performance evaluations come with personal incentive plans

21:05 – A fourth C could be Celebration!  Recap on the success and build on it.

26:00— Managing the ego, make yourself aware of your strengths, and consistently stay in my lane.  Built a team with the strengths that I do not have.

28:42 – Sit down, absorb what you got, and think and act with intention to better yourself.

Follow Jesika here;anks Trevor, that certainly captures it. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesikayoung/ 

https://www.facebook.com/jesika.k.young

https://twitter.com/JesikaYoung

Cimtech website: www.cimtechmachine.com

1. 1:05 IOM.The Institute of Organizational Mindfulness.  Trevor talks about this institute and the benefits of the IOM.  Join the effort by signing up for their free community membership program.  By joining you'll get access to exclusive member content, webinars, news, and more! www.iomindfulness.org/membership
2. 1:55 Mindfulness Manufacturing introduces Deiric McCann.
3. 4:00 Challenges.Deiric explains the challenge of the name “Emotional Intelligence’ his own and others struggles with this title. He never had a really good definition of Emotional Intelligence that inspired people or turned them on.   He and his colleagues came up with a definition that made sense to them and others.
4. 9:25 Charisma.  Trevor asks the question can you be charismatic and not be emotionally intelligent?  Deiric discusses his findings writing his book and the challenge of finding a definition for charisma and what Leadership Charisma means.
5. 15:26 People, people, people.  Trevor talks about technology and people.  Deiric shares his insights and experiences with technology and people and how it has always been people, people, people. Sharing how technology has been introduced into organizations and how people can worry about this and the role emotional intelligence plays in all of this. 
6. 22:25 Advice. Mike asks, what advice would you give to someone who is interested in Leadership?Deiric states, to focus on developing the ability to work more effectively with people.   Two ways to develop emotional intelligence read a lot of books and start to pay attention to the way you show up, develop a mindfulness practice.  Develop a self-awareness to tune into yourself and others.   Start working on your emotional intelligence. https://www.capgemini.com/research/emotional-intelligence/
7. 27:27 One thing to leave the listeners.Deiric talks openly about the pandemic and how this snuck up on all of us and how big of threat it was and is.  He talks about building up the resiliency with the people he works with to handle these challenging times.  What we are seeing is an epidemic of stress in people over this.  People are just not talking about it.  He openly talks about it being normal to be stressed, it’s a normal natural reaction on how do we deal with this adversity.  The moment you say this is normal this is natural you take a lot of pressure off of yourself.   
8. 32:03 What was the first concert you ever attended?An Irish group called Aslan. Deiric explains his memories of this and other musical bands.
9. 33:10 Stranded on an island what band or artist do you bring with you?James Taylor.

1. 2:56 The human interface. Terry discusses the human element and how this has always been a constant.  The human interface in buying and selling components is still consistent today, 40 years later since Terry has started.
2. 5:40 Automation and computerization. Terry talks about where he sees Manufacturing going and how manufacturing companies were not very good at marketing their companies, good at marketing their products not their companies.  They have not marketed the jobs or careers within their company very well.
3. 8:05 Everything starts with integrity. Terry talks about never deciding based on a financial gain or loss it has always been on integrity and honesty and running a company on these virtues.  What has happened over the years there has not been as strong of a mentoring program for the younger people.
4. 10:20 look for somebody who is a good person. Terry talks about looking for people who are good to the core and want a relationship.  People want a job but they truly want to have a relationship at their work.  There is way too much jumping around.  Terry discusses Manufacturing day and the importance of promoting this to show videos and films and invite people into the facilities.  This helps to show what todays manufacturing offers.
5. 13:25 Show up early, stay late and tell the truth. Terry talks about the 3 things that he promotes and finds important to help the younger people in a career.  The importance of taking the time to live by these helps create a career rather than a job.  Terry talks about how he has lived these 3 virtues within his own business.
6. 17:31 Champion now. Terry talks about Champion now, ‘Change How American Manufacturing’s Perceived In Our Nation”. In 2012 founded he founded the organization with the sole purpose of changing perceptions of manufacturing for the better.  Helping the younger generation understand the great careers offered in manufacturing today.
7. 22:23 There’s an opportunity. Terry talks about woman in manufacturing and how we need to be advocates of this.  He talks about being fortunate of meeting and working with woman in manufacturing even within his own business.  Being more aware and being more open to this can make the difference.
8. 25:56 Relationships make the world go around. Terry talks about the importance of relationships and the role this plays in manufacturing and within his own business.
9. 27:20 First concert. Terry’s first concert, Bad Company.  And if stuck on an island one artist to take with you?  Dan Fogelberg would be my choice.

https://championnow.org/product/podcast/  Copy and paste the link to access information on Terry’s book.  You can follow and reach Terry at the following social media platforms Twitter feeds

@Championnow

@terrymiverson 

@iversonandco

Facebook pages

Iverson & Company

C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N. NOW

What does it take to progress your career when you are a woman in Manufacturing on the shop floor running production? Diana Soares joins us for this episode to discuss her journey over the past 30 years from loading parts, to leading plants through continuous improvement activities. As you may have already guessed, it has a lot more to do with mindfulness and relationships than it does being technical. Join us for some laughs and lessons to make your next day better!

1. 00:55 Introductions, Mike and Trevor welcome Diana to the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast.
2. 4:27 It’s a man’s world, isn’t it? Diana speaks openly about a comment made to her after asking a question.  Being a woman in a manufacturing environment and the challenges she faced in the beginning.  Diana talks about working very hard, her main goal at that time was to learn everything and understanding the equipment, doing every job as a focus when she started.
3. 6:58 Is everything okay, you don’t smile? This comment made by a team member took Diana back and really made her think.  Diana’s body language had the team members thinking she was upset and this changed things for her.  I had to show them that it is fun and I had to shift focus to be not only on the equipment but to ensure I spent time on the people. The team member that asked this question brought the mindfulness out in me and made me think about this.
4. 10:07 How do you become more intentional? Diana explains ways of being more intentional as a leader.  Be authentic!  Be open to listen to feedback and don’t be afraid to step back, listen to the people and be true to yourself and you can make it anywhere in any role.
5. 11:37 Do you remember the broom one Mike? Diana talks about an experience that she encountered a long time ago, first starting out.  I asked a team member to clean up and sweep and he said to her “I don’t’ get paid to sweep”.  Diana didn’t know what to do and headed for Mike’s office in a panic.  Diana and Mike took the time to role play the situation and practice on how to handle it.  Doing this helped to build Diana’s confidence and as time moved on with more role playing she became very good at handling all different situations.
6. 15:46 We also had fun! Mike opens the conversation with Diana, even during the stressful times we always laughed and this helped me so much.  Diana speaks about when we had to get the work done we did it and we genuinely cared about each other, we we’re a team and when we could we always had fun and this helped so much during chaotic times.
7. 16:30 Hotspot. Diana openly discussed about Mike putting her on the tougher areas, the “hot spots” She recalls one time being out on Line 12 a very strong male dominant team, we reduced from 18 to 11 and Diana thought how am I going to do this?  Diana speaks about taking the time to learn every station and this gained me a ton of respect.  Diana had people bringing her coffee and drinks and really warming up to her.  At the end, we produced more parts with less people and the team ended up being just amazing!
8. 20:02 Short notices and coming to help others. Diana shares her experiences on being asked to go to other divisions to assist with operations and helping to improve the numbers.  Another time she was asked to go to another plant and not to focus on the equipment, she was asked to help with the people and ultimately the culture.  3 months of talking with the people!  Another experience was going to a plant the unfortunately experienced a fire and help them rebuild and get production going. The corporate world knew who Diana was and the value she offered!
9. 22:34 So what do you do different? Diana had an AGM ask her, “so what do you do different’?  How do you get the numbers?  Diana’s reply was I don’t know and I truly didn’t know.  It was natural to be myself and be there working with the team, be yourself and be authentic.  Wherever Diana went the results followed and therefore those questions got asked.  Mike explains Diana’s ability to build a relationship was so great and worked very well and this is how she built teams and achieved results.
10. 27:10 You put me and a co worker on opposite shifts. Diana shares a time when Mike put herself and another co worker on opposite shifts to achieve results.  The chemistry Diana had with this other leader was like no other.  The two of them created a one team culture across two shifts which is very hard to do. They both took care of each other and it was important for them to be one unit and one team.  At times, some teams will work against each other. People struggle on how to get two shifts to perform as one.  The best way is to not point the finger at the team member but to get the leadership together and share ideas and see how we can help each other so we all can be successful.
11. 31:25 Spare me the labour pains, just give me the baby! Mike had a saying he said to Diana, “Spare me the labour pains and just give me the baby”! The intent was to deliver and don’t get caught up in excuses!
12. 32:26 What advice would you have, a couple key take aways for our listeners? Never give up, be authentic to yourself and don’t be afraid to take a couple risks.  Mike and Trevor pay their compliments and respect to Diana for all she has done for them professionally and personally.
13. 34:38 What was your first concert? Guns and Roses!  Stranded on an island what artist would you take with you?  Diana picks Eric Church! 

1. 1:48 What was it really like working in that culture?Scott explains what it was like working for Horst and the type of transparency and culture he focused on.  Scoot encourages the listeners to listen to the podcast with him and Horst if you haven't yet as it will help understand some of the items he discusses.
2. 4:07 Leadership approach, what was yours?We had a lot of successes and in many cases the guys were promoted into leadership because they were the best tool and die maker, best engineer but we didn’t equip them to be prepared as a general manager.  We were just go, go, go and growing.  In this type of setting you better be a good listener!  We had to empower and help each of these guys and girls and be open to learn to be able to adapt to those different functionalities.
3. 7:30 Learning opportunities.Scott explains his strategy on helping the general managers to be great leaders.  We had regular interactions with them, and we created this “Lean leadership Development program “We integrated the leadership expectation with lean learnings and functions. Lean gives you the tools right on the shop floor, focused on the people and the floor.
4. 10:17 What’s the how look like?  Scott talks about the successful divisions and the only way this program was going to work is it had to start with me.  I had to start with me and being open to change and being that humble learning leader.  I had the most opportunity to change but it’s tough as I had to expose my weakness.
5. 12:35 How do lean and mindfulness go together?Scott talks about the humble learning leader and how my behaviors affect those around me.  I learned a lot about how my behavior was affecting others around me, I was always late for meetings and taking calls when I was talking to others.  So, it was a lot of self-reflection and making changes to be better.  I had to make a conscious decision if I can’t be on time then be early. 
6. 17:38 We would go to each division.Scott talks about the lean leadership transformation how himself and other leaders would visit each plant and learn and share what each of them were working on as part of their lean leadership journey.
7. 19:02 Leaders model.Some general managers were open to change, and some were not, they would push back, and I looked at it that they didn’t get it yet.  Scott talks about his role helping the general managers understand the program.  We would do a little bit of modelling certain things and sharing with others. 
8. 23:47 What were your results?Scott talks about the lean leadership program and the results from it.  The was really good impact but keeping in mind lean is a very long journey. We had much more opened minded general managers.  The financial crisis of 2008 happened, and everything went from long term to what is happening right now, and this pushed off the rails for a bit.  I feel good about the impact the program had on the capabilities of the general managers.  I don’t think enough of the lean stuck and I didn’t do enough aligning or creating measurable results.
9. 33:00 Are you a chicken or are you a pig?As we wrapped up Scott explains the breakfast analogy that he referenced over the years “are you chicken or a pig” this refers to are you committed?  In a breakfast the pig is 100 % committed and give its life for the greater good and a chicken is only partially in.  The same commitment is in your work and everyday life.  Are you a chicken or a pig?

1. 1:12 Do something small.  Horst talks about being a Plant Manager and you are behind financially and on resources, do something small, take a small step and this is not expensive and is better than doing nothing.
2. 2:59 You can’t be a spreadsheet manager.  You can’t drive results from a spreadsheet, you have to help people hands on and be an inspired manager and help build the teams.  I cannot promise anyone it is easy, in manufacturing as a leader it is challenging but very rewarding.
3. 4:26 How did you manage your ego?  Scott explains they helped each other keep it in check, talking and having frank discussions.  Even though he is my boss I had to more than once have a heart to heart and kick each other in the butt.  It goes back to our relationship and having different skills, we could move mountains and we did.  Horst talks about bringing some ice cubes and cooling down, honesty and saying what you need to say.
4. 7:40 A lot of it is around empathy.  Scott tells a story about Horst.  Horst didn’t get angry much but when he did we knew it and we called it, “you used to lose your lips”  your lips would tremble, we would talk about it and joke about it but that was always a cue for us and we would refocus.  It’s your job as a team to tell the leader when he is losing his lips or becoming angry, or driving off the cliff, if the leader is open minded and mindful, they will listen. This is key to a collaborative environment. 
5. 13:23 Alignment.  Horst talks about alignment and you as a leader being aligned with the organization, shareholders and your boss that's basically ownership.  If you are not you will eventually run into trouble.  This applies for everybody.  I would also focus on work life balance; I was mostly working so I would do that differently.  Scott talks about work life balance and his experiences with this.
6. 15:40 What is important for you?  Horst discusses the importance of each of us truly knowing what is important to us “The purpose of life is happiness” so you should ask yourself are you happy?  If you are not you should change it, it’s your life!  Do what make you happy!
7. 19:54 Go slow to go fast.  Sometimes you need to slow down and consciously make good decisions.  Horst shares his experiences on the importance of stepping back when under stress, step away and make good choices.  Most of the time we don't need to react right away, get all the facts and then make the move.  You have to “Go slow to go fast”!
8. 24:10 The 3-legged stool.  Horst explains his vision and the analogy of “The 3-legged stool”.  We used this analogy of having 3 parts of your business, your customer, investor and people.  It’s important that all 3 legs are successful and to focus on each of them.  One can be very strong but if the other legs are shorter or not as strong than your business is not balanced.  Each of them needs attention and balance.  The bottom line is you need a balanced business.  There will be times when one leg is stronger or shorter but over time the responsibility of the Manager is to balance these.  This applies to any business.
9. 31:04 What are you guys doing now?  Horst and Scott talk about their lives today and what each of them are busy at and enjoy doing.

“I’m great in my role and have valuable information to share . . . so why doesn’t anyone want to work with me?” If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, this podcast with guest Karine Leblanc is for you! Karine Leblanc is a bestselling author and international public speaker who uses her unique engineering background to help technical professionals bridge the bridge between technical brilliance and human connection. In this episode, Karine shares her personal story of discovering the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence,

4:10 – In any role, there is much more to do that simply learn the technical role of your job

5:00 – By having a mentor or someone else you trust in your organization, you can gain valuable feedback and insights

6:18 – To better yourself through feedback, you need to be ready to hear feedback and make it clear to your team that you’re open to listening to them

8:30 – When you work on yourself and improve your self-awareness, it can have a positive impact on all levels of your information, including your relationships with clients

9:45 – Emotional intelligence is not about being happy all the time, but learning to be self-aware of your own emotions and behaviors

10:42 – Through being intentional conversations with your team, you can still find productive outcomes and dynamics even when you’re not at your emotional best

11:51 – Have the courage to be vulnerable

15:05 – By being self-aware and intentional, you can learn your own behavioral signals and find the best ways to navigate challenging situations

16:18 – Using emotional intelligence, you can also learn other people’s behavioral signals and triggers, and find the best way to communicate with them

18:12 – If you’re stuck, all you need is a fresh perspective

19:09 – To find new perspectives and feedback, take a pause and zoom out

21:23 – Through simple and honest dialogue, you can improve safety and find more productive results

22:37 – When you combine technical skills with human skills, magic happens

Connect with Karine Leblanc

Visit her website

Connect on LinkedIn

1. 1:07 Introduction, Horst Prelog and Scott Turner on Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast.  Trevor talks about these two gentlemen, their background, accomplishments and how this impacted manufacturing and 
2. 3:42 A challenging undertaking.  Horst spends time talking about taking over a successful organization and the challenges that go along with this.  Explaining how important it is to have goals and everyone moving in the same direction with good alignment.  Focus on the people and what is expected.
3. 5:50 People and Different mindsets.  We were great but how do we become greater?  Horst references good to great and not to become complacent and giving good direction.
4. 7:40 Hands on, Scott and I were hands on people!  We established a clear vision of where wewanted to go, what is our mission on this journey and what are the values we are achieving to get there.    We created a credo writing down our goals and what is important for everyone to have and understand. 
5. 10:04 A collaborative approach.  Horst talks about collaboration as well asnon negotiables for the team and how important this is with leadership.   
6. 12:00 The credo!  Horst explained the credoand how we wrote this down and handed it out to every person in the organization that created accountability and the team held us to it.  Respect, trust, values and commitment, we decided on and we always helped each other.  
7. 16:21 I can’t say that this is an easy thing to do.  Horst talks about if you choose not to follow these values you will find trouble down the road.  It’s a slippery slope violating our commitments and how important it is to stick to it.
8. 19:40 We changed the compensation model.  Horst explains how he and Scott changed the compensationmodel so each person's compensation (bonus) was affected if there were challenges.  This was not an easy undertaking but the right thing to do. 
9. 22:00 Howdo you handle that one plant who doesn't want to help the other plants? Horst explains how he would spend time talking with these plants and helping them understand and convincing them the right thing to do is help each other.  There are certain percentages who don't want to, and we would ask if they would want to be a part of this team.  The right seat of the bus and if you didn’t want to be a part of it then exiting the bus. 
10. 25:27 Scott and I were a fantastic team!  We worked so well together and as a leader you have to recognize what are your strengths and when do you need to fill in with people who can help you.  
11. 27:10 The learning environment, why is that so important?  Horst and Scott talk about the importance of being a learning organization and without that you are limited.  You always requirelearning; all businesses have to do this.  Firing people is not the answer, no one is perfect, and you have to learn that hiring and firing is not the way, becoming a learning company is the way.  Horst shares under his and Scott’s leadership the different leadership learning programs offered. 

Keep your stick on the ice, even during these times!  Join us for some great discussion around with Vancouver Canucks Captain Bo Horvat.   Great insights on how Bo goes from a player to a captain, what that takes from a mindfulness perspective, and much more!

1. 2:10 Being out of the game.  Bo shares his thoughts on getting the team back in the mode once they return to the ice.  Getting back to the team aspect again and in the same mindset, everyone is on the same page.  Team bonding.
2. 4:40 Promoted within the same group.  Trevor asks how did you find going from player to the captain?  Bo explains he had tremendous support from the players, the coaching staff and the city.  Leading by example, it was challenging but if you have the right guys around you it makes all the difference.
3. 6:50 Positivity.  Bo talks about the importance of being positive and displaying that to the players, win or loss.  He thinks it is so important to be this way even when you have bad days.  It comes natural to him and if someone is down then it can disperse amongst the group and that doesn’t make anyone better.
4. 9:04 It’s good to get away from it.  Although I love the game, it’s good for me to get away from it.  I like to decompress and think about other things and coming home to my wife and dog.  I don’t like to sit in my hotel when on the road, I like to see the cities we are in, get out and do things.
5. 11:54 The white noise. Bo talks about how he handles the media and passionate fans.  Blocking out the white noise as his coach would call it and focus on the guys and listening to the coaching staff really helps with this.
6. 13:20 The advantage of a small community.  Bo talks about how the whole town of Rodney is like one big family and how that community has always supported him and his hockey career.  This speaks to how I grew up and where I am today has to do with the community.
7. 15:29 Grateful to wear the C.  Bo talks about how happy he is to play for a Canadian team and how his dream of being drafted and playing in the NHL came true.  Can’t really think of anything he would change, very happy with where he is and his past.
8. 17:00 Get to be yourself.  Bo talks about living who he is and being himself.  This is something he works hard at staying true to himself and not allowing his head get too big or take for granted where he is and how he got here.  It’s a great career but not a long one so I make the most of it and am grateful for what I have.
9. 17:42 Role Model who’s yours?  Bo talks about his parents and how they did everything to get him where he is today.  I wouldn’t be where I am if it was not for them.  Bo talks about surrounding himself with the right people is so important and how his wife is his rock and is so great for me to come home and talk to, it keeps me sane.
10. 20:20 What was the first concert you went to?  Nickelback, my parents took me to it, I was 15 and I loved it.
11. 20:50 If you were stuck somewhere, who is the one artist you would take with you?  That’s a tough question, I like country music, I really like Eric Church.  Bo talks about his diverse interest in music, lots of depth in Eric Church, great choice.

1. 2:55 I’ve never spent so much time at home.  Trevor discusses the challenges of changing habits and the time we all have right now and how that creates space.  With space you have a chance to get to know the inner self more, understanding self-awareness.
2. 5:27 Why are you going so fast?  Trevor talks about the feedback given by Mike as to why Trevor was driving so fast.  There is no reason to rush or speed.  You can take that and apply it to your own life.  What have you felt during these times and will it change to help you make a difference?  Out of tough times comes good things and choices.
3. 7:58 What do you see in yourself?  Are you going fast?  Have you asked for feedback from others to be better?  Feedback should come from a point of caring and being genuine.
4. 10:00 Time available, what do you do to get better?  What fits for you to make your state of wellbeing, be the best for you?  It’s important to find your outlet and what really works to keep you stable.  Once you find it, practice and be disciplined to do so.
5. 12:15 The “What If’s” Falling into the trap of the what ifs and what if this or that happens and the negative effects the what ifs can have on all of us.  Take time to ask yourself if the what ifs are real and if they are then do something with it, if they are not then let them go.
6. 15:03 Committed to have a better self.  What can we take away during these times to be better?  What's the good stuff you take with you when everything starts to move again?  We all have negative thoughts especially during these times and that’s okay.
7. 17:10 I can spend some time to myself and that’s okay.  Learning things through these times that help us. Making use of technology and connecting worldwide with friends and family and what works for you to feel better.
8. 19:04 The intent.  Our intent always is, looking to provide questions and discussions that make people think and how it can help make you be better.  When we talk about mindfulness how do you personally find your stability.  How do you work to be better and minimize the chaos?  One person can make a difference.
9. 21:25 Can you just let it happen?  We see something good coming out of this.  What’s worked for you, it’s in you to develop yourself and help others. Thanks to all the front-line workers, very appreciative and thanks so much for listening.

1. 1:20 Eric Wood introduction and background. Listen as Eric talks about his NFL career and when his world was rocked and how God had different plans for him and his family.
2. 3:18 Looked like one of the everyday members in the gym.  Eric talks about humility and how he played a game where he got to throw a ball around for a living.  Not taking himself too seriously and not holding himself in too high of a regard and staying grounded.
3. 6:03 Servant Leadership.  Eric talks about what he wants to see in a leader. Getting better or getting worse there is no grey area.  Eric talks about taking time and getting to know his teammates and making friends and following a servant leader.
4. 8:22 Trust.  Mike discusses trust and how that impacts teams and relationships.  Podcast 0, Eric’s introductory podcast speaks from a place of authenticity and sincerity.  Eric talks about how he got into his podcast “What’s next with Eric Wood”.
5. 11:11 Receiving the news on your career coming to an end.  Eric talks about his career ended and how he felt at that time.  He took the approach of motivating himself and realizing he is starting in an industry he was not familiar with.  Eric talks about doing a lot of inner work to be better and help to get through tough times.
6. 14:08 Others oriented.  As soon as it’s about you, you are going to struggle in your life.  Eric talks about helping others through community and church and controlling your mental being and being there for other people.
7. 15:19 Walter Payton award.  Eric talks about the Walter Payton award and what that means to him and the sport.  How you treat people is completely within our control.  Eric talks about how good it feels that his peers voted him in for the Walter Payton award.
8. 19:00 Mindfulness.  Eric talks about where he sees mindfulness going.  More and more studies show how visualization and mindfulness play such an important part in our lives.
9. 20:54 Float around on auto pilot.  To be living based on routines we all have, meditation allows us to stop and look at doing things differently.  Be intentional, do things that benefit you. Enjoy the moment and enjoy where you are in life.
10.  23:15 Serving others.  Eric discusses the way we share, and others share with all of us.  Having a daily gratitude practice will fill you with peace and help uplift others around you.
11. 24:56 Make an impact at home first.  Eric talks about a life coach he has worked with in the past and the question of “are you making an impact at home first”?  So much more value in taking the opportunity to make the impact in your own home.  Just be home with family.
12. 27:00 Trevor asks a few quick questions.
13. 29:08 The ways to follow Eric Wood.

1. 1:20.  The topic today is resiliency.  During these uncertain times keeping in mind we are not alone; we are in this together.  How do we adapt to stress and the different landscapes we are in?  With this comes growth and different ways of thinking and what will our world look like months from now.
2. 3:30.  If you don’t like what your focused on change it!  How do we do this?  If you can focus on others, who can you help, who needs your help?  Diverting your attention a lot of healing can come from that.  Make best use of your day to be better!  When you find meaning in your suffering it ceases to be suffering.
3. 5:36  Labeling it is important.  Once we identify something and label it we can focus on it and work through it.  It’s a good time to look deeper into self, ground yourself and look at what is important in your life.  Look at one day at time.
4. 8:00  It doesn’t matter what your situation is, if you are working or not working, everyone has level of being uncomfortable.   The fear is common for all of us, no better time for mindfulness and understanding our own emotions.  Every one of us are capable of observing on our own emotions.
5. 10:56  What will it be like in 6 months?  We know great things will come from this, not totally sure what these are but it will happen.  As the saying goes, you can go through it or you can grow through it!  Looking for different ways, people are very giving right now! 
6. 12:24  The thinking for resiliency!  We have the physical, how much sleep are we getting, exercise and finding ways to do new things.  Making good use of our time, relationships and connecting with people, who needs that phone call?  Using today's technology to see each other from all around the world.  Use the different platforms that are available to all of us.
7. 14:42  The only thing you can control is your reaction to what is happening around you!  We are all human and accept the situation, diffuse the emotion and gain control over it.  Have a little self-compassion.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.  If you miss certain routines that’s okay, get back on track and get back into your rhythm.
8. 17:05  Watch a movie!  Take the time to enjoy a movie, laugh and take your mind off of the everyday stress we are all faced with.  Focus on what your in control of!  Doing different things is so good during these times to help with these circumstances.
9. 18:48  Social media.  How can we use this to connect and express ourselves!  so many different ways to spend our time!

1. 2:55 The ways we got better.  We discuss our offsets and the benefits of this.  Being different is good as you learn from each other and grow.  Emotional Intelligence.
2. 5:05 If you have to announce it your likely not practicing it!  Ways to be more mindful and come from a place of authenticity.  Saying your something all the time doesn’t necessarily mean your living it!
3. 7:00 Your a good dancer.  Mike tells a story from his past on how he would use big words to try and impress people and all he was doing was confusing people.  It is so important to be yourself and not dance around the issues.  Always be real and yourself.
4. 11:35 The Asshole Pill!  Discussion on the feedback we both received years ago on being more of a hard leader on the people, and to take an “Asshole Pill”!  Rather than sending a person away crying we talked through situations on how we could do things different and be a good leader for the people.
5. 14:25 Being open to change, can I show up a bit differently for the better.  Partnering with the right fit and we share experiences on growing and learning all the time.  
6. 15:30 Mike your just too nice, take the “Asshole Pill’.  Mike shares his experience on reflecting on how to be assertive and respectful to the people.  Are you willing to trade in your beliefs for something you are not?  Can you sleep at night knowing your being something you are not?
7. 19:25 The autopsy review.  Mike shares a story of how we can all get into a mode of deflating others and ourselves.  A leader’s job is to help pull the person out of being defeated and inspire others to have a purpose.  What can I do different to get a different result?  Can’t just be about coming in and building product has to be about giving people purpose.
8. 21:15 Ask for help.  Trevor explains his current partnership with an organization and the steps this owner is taking to be a better leader with self-awareness.  
9. 24:20 The top of the organization and the willingness to want to make a change for the better.  Being open to change has to start at the top for it to work.
10. 25:40 How do you have mindfulness without human connection.  You will have people that you don’t connect with and that’s okay, be curious and learn from each other.  Offsets are so important for all of us.

1. 2:19. My growing up phase.  Lianne talks about her discoveries around emotion and passion and how they can work for you or against you.
2. 4:40. Passion the definition.  Lianne talks about how she portrayed passion and how this was perceived by her Leader and others and the impact that had on her and her career.
3. 6:00. Mindfulness, the moment to moment awareness.  Knowing in the moment where you are at and the importance of talking through things.  Accept and let it go!
4. 8:37. I moved on.  Lianne goes into detail and explains the valuable lesson she learned years ago from a not so favorable situation.
5. 10:04. My message is not, not to be emotional.  Be conscious of what you do and say and try to learn this early on. Be aware of your emotions and knowing when it is good timing to show them.
6. 12:45. Gas or water, you decide.  As a leader and being mindful we have a choice to help resolve situations or add to them.  Do you know what’s inside your bucket?  Are you bringing gas or water, how are you showing up?
7. 14:45. The importance of H.R. experience and operations experience.  The group discusses the experiences and the power of having worked in H.R and also working in operations.  The value of being well rounded and how this helps.
8. 17:40. Lessons learned.Lianne explains the importance of learning from mistakes and how we don’t have to answer questions right away.  Take a moment to understand and then answer.
9. 21:00. You don’t have to be the first to finish the race.  The group discusses how manufacturing can be very hectic and it’s okay to take time to step back or away and ensure you are handling situations appropriately.
10. 23:10. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.  Lianne opens up the discussion on the importance of this statement and how important it is to allow yourself to be you.
11. 24:40. Employee involvement.  The power of asking the employees to assist in problems and creating ownership at shop floor level.
12. 27:45. Lianne's closing comments “One last thing woman need to think about”.

Welcome Mindfulness Manufacturing community!  The legendary Brian Skerrett shares some of his wisdom gained through his 40 plus year career.  A pioneer integrating mindfulness and leadership training, it is a privilege to share this with you today.  His primary focus has been business coaching, with a niche in helping people to make individual changes today that will help them to grow and live more fulfilled and satisfying lives.

1. 1:50 The beginning of Brian’s career.  Listen as Brian talks about his experience meeting the one and only Stephen Covey and the mindfulness journey.
2. 4:00 Pushing yourself into a pretzel!  Brian talks about the purpose of mindfulness and how it is meant to quiet the mind and create a healthy body.
3. 5:40 EAP and the connection to mindfulness.  Both management and employees were hurting, conflicts not being resolved, creating anxiety and frustration.  That's when I introduced mindfulness practice and where do you put your attention.
4. 8:20 You gave me a gift that I never opened until many years later.  Trevor talks about meeting Brian and the approach to mindfulness.  Brian talks about how most people have to go at mindfulness and come back to it many times until they grasp it.
5. 12:16 Leaders intentionally creating conflict.  What do you tell Leaders who operate this way? Creating an uncomfortable environment does not create a better environment.  Brian shares how stress harms the body and the effects it has on us.  Fight or Flight?  Mindfulness allows us to avoid this type of behavior and not get hooked by the conflict and be present. 
6. 15:36 You’re not chained there.  You have options in how you handle things.  It’s only a gong show if you buy into the gong show.  Mindfulness is key.
7. 17:16 The speed of technology.  Brian shares his experiences with technology over the years and how mindfulness plays into it.
8. 19:00 Emotional Intelligence, it takes courage to embrace and stick with something.  Learn how to adapt and advance your culture.
9. 22:35 The sizes of our enterprises.  The large companies have a hard time adapting to challenges and mindfulness.  Working with the highest level and having an impact on the organization.  Brian shares some great quotes and perspectives on leadership.
10. 25:48 The bosses who listen to feedback.  Brian explains the importance of a boss allowing others to give feedback to them and the impact and the need. Today it doesn't happen often enough.
11. 27:42 It’s around trust.  It's a fundamental piece if a solid team, how do build trust, maintain trust and this is something that is sadly lacking.
12. 29:22 Mistakes and failures.  Brian talks about the leadership style of making mistakes and the learning opportunity.  It’s important in terms of people learning.
13.  31:28 What things are like at home versus what things are like at work.  Brian talks about the connection between home life and work life and the importance of these two.  People have to have a life of their own and have a balance.  Spending too much time working and not enough time at home.
14. 34:35 Legacy.  Brian describes what legacy means to him.  How companies can push you until you are dry, and some are more in tune to the employees needs and got good results, they cared.

Welcome Mindfulness Manufacturing community! Today we get some great insights from JC Wilkinson.  He is currently the  VP of Business Transformation for Vivid Impact based in Louisville KY.  Prior to Vivid Impact, JC spent 10 years as a COO/CFO for privately held organizations and another 10 years working with regional consulting firms providing accounting, tax, and operational support.  In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), JC is Six Sigma Greenbelt trained, a Charted Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and holds the designation of APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM).    

1. 1:10 Transformation.  Growing a company on what matters most and what matters least.  Listen how J.C. explains the challenges of execution and how everything starts with the Leader.  Leadership is commitment, devotion and alignment.

1. 5:35 Leadership, hours on the floor.  It’s important the leaders are on the floor.  J.C. explains how the process of tracking the number of hours each leader dedicates to the shop floor.  He talks in detail about leading with humility and developing a culture of respect.

1. 8:40 Language and people.  We start at the top and establish a cascading effect right through to the operator, linkage is very important.

1. 10:57 Measurement drives behavior.  Safety, People, Quality and Cost, the people are super critical, the hiring of the right people in the hiring process is the most important thing.

1. 13:34 Turnover.  Check first to see, am I treating my external customer better than my internal customer?  J.C. explains the impact the book, “The Dream Manager” had on him and how they incorporated this into their work place.

1. 15:04 Emotional connection.  We asked the team members, what are your dreams, what are your aspirations?  We put out a culture survey to capture data, with questions such as, “what can the organization do to help you be a better version of you”?

1. 17:10 Leadership alignment and consistency.  Common challenges, managing through the chaos and fighting fires.  J.C. explains the importance of standard work and how that helped to bring clarity and control to the work day.

1. 22:15 People wanting leadership positions.  Clarity, expectations are so important to people seeking leadership positions.  When we are faced with problems, we always bring it back to, “how is this helping our customers”?

1. 24:20 What do you look for in an employee?  We established a criteria matrix comprised of skills and behaviors.  We use a role descriptor not a job description and a team-based hiring approach.  We quantify each candidate.

2/ 14:30 Always important to be self-aware. Knowing who we are is more important than what others think.  Every time you step into a new role you have a new opportunity to reflect on what worked and what didn’t.  

3/ 16:00 Like to have a good time.  No one takes on a new role with the idea of failure in mind, but it happens.  If we feel we can influence or change or situations and there is a return on it then we should do it, if we can’t it is time to move on.

4/ 20:13 What to look for meeting people, 3 quick evaluation tools.  Does the individual know what they are talking about?  Can I trust them, which is purely instinctive, first impressions are important.  And do they care about me personally, do they have the ability to build a relationship?

5/ 27:20 The salty email she thought she would get fired for.   Always representing the values of the organization are so important, being direct and clear to help build people, coach mentor and guide.

6/ 30:40 When and how to speak your mind – awareness of others.  I have always been very vocal, always spoke my mind maybe when I shouldn’t have.  A little more tact would have been far better for me.  We learn from our mistakes, reflection helps.

There’s a four-letter word you should avoid on the manufacturing floor . . . and it’s not the one you think! In this episode, hear from guest Shawn Rhodes on why hope is the four-letter word you should remove from your processes. With a background as a war correspondent, Shawn knows firsthand how environments can quickly change, and now serves as a speaker, author, and international expert helping others learn how to pivot when change enters their plans. In this episode, Shawn discusses why hope shouldn’t be part of your strategy on the manufacturing floor, and pulls from his unique background to share actionable ways to replace hope in your organization and operations.

2:58 – If you rely on hope and wait for your environment to change, it can spell failure

3:15 – Identify where you’re using hope in your plans, then replace it with something else

5:08 – As a leader, replacing hope starts with changing your mindset

6:03 – To replace hope, identify areas where issues could occur, then work to address the issues

8:50 – By making small changes, you can eliminate bigger issues and free up more time and resources for yourself and your team

11:18 – By changing your mindset to remove hope, you will also create a positive standard for your team and organization

13:51 – Take time to monitor your environment and assesses what is and isn’t working

15:07 – Set objectives and figure out what you need to do to reach them

18:40 – As a leader, your biggest concern should be living up to your potential and fully showing up in how you serve

21:05 – Replace hope with systems and processes

21:53 – Take ownership and think about what you could do differently as a leader and how you can put those changes into action

25:16 – Have the courage to take a pause or briefly shut down operations, and it will save major time and stress down the line

27:30 – If you put in the work to replace hope and improve your leadership, success will find you

Connect with Shawn Rhodes

Find him on LinkedIn

Learn more about Shawn’s book Pivot Point

Welcome Mindfulness Manufacturing community!  Today enjoy some great discussions with Andrew De Haan.  He is a culture builder in automotive manufacturing.  A toolmaker with a love for people and leadership.  He touches on aspects of emotional intelligence, discusses his mistakes and successes, and shares a few laughs.  Including his mantra of -Do what is right, Do the very best you can, and Treat people the way you like to be treated.  

Part 1

1/ 4:55 Neutral to Positive or completely negative.  The instant feeling we get when starting a conversation with a person, are they thinking like a victor or a victim.  WE know this in the first part of a conversation with any individual.

2/ 6:30 Be confident in who you are.  Self awareness and confidence both have a very important part within a Leadership position.  Be confident in what you represent, helping the organization and helping solve problems, talking about the facts are good leadership qualities.

3/ 7:20 You can’t be 100% technical.  Andrew talks openly about the balance of technical skills and people skills. Explaining the role each plays as a leader and the importance of how both play a role in manufacturing.

4/ 9:10 Need to know who you are and add value to people’s lives.  Being self aware and clearly knowing yourself are key items to helping the people around you.

5/ 12:05 Focus less on me and more on others.  Spending time understanding the importance of helping others and less time focused on yourself is the job of a Leader.

6/ 13:45 Still about results. At the end of the day, results are what matter!

7/ 17:30 Culture of Engagement.  Gaining the trust of your people and instilling a sense of pride creates a culture of participation and engagement.

8/ 18:30 Frogger – an easier way to get across.  Watching people take a shortcut to get to the other side of a very busy highway made me realize I needed to do something different with my leadership team. Taking the time and having the patience and not looking for short cuts are essential to Leading a team.

2/ 7:45 Why are we not following the standard work?

3/ 9:35 How you say it and how you do it, and the message sent is not always in how it is received - self-awareness

4/ 11:30 Set the tone - sing a song - don't try to change the world, change yourself

5/ 15:00 Crowd control - keep things in perspective when the pressure is on

6/ 19:00 Walk slow - be present

7/ 23:30 Sharp elbows - developing into how Bill stopped being what people expected him to be and start being who he is - Authenticity 

5:00 Try harder - does not work - those who Bill used to think were soft, actually had a lot to offer

9:00 Timing on when to send your message, positive or negative

13:50 Awareness of others

17:20 Mentors and why they are key - Bills favourite books - Give and Take by Adam Grant and Change Your Questions Change Your Life by Marilee Adams

21:00 The man who is always right will never know when he is wrong

24:00 Bill's final reflections - instilling confidence in others

Episode 1:  Mike Hillman and Trevor Blondeel are excited to launch their new manufacturing podcast.  This episode provides information about how and why they decided to develop this resource.  Each episode will feature an interview with manufacturing leaders on the topics of leadership challenges.

Do you want to improve relationships at your organization and change the way you show up for your team? It all starts with self-awareness . . . and in this episode, guest Zovig Garboushian is here to show you the tips you need to become a self-awareness champion!

With years of experience in brand marketing, management consulting, and leadership development, Zovig now puts her passion and experience to use at Boldness Ablaze, a boutique professional firm that helps leaders overcome personal limitations and find authentic success. In this episode, Zovig delves into the important topic of self-awareness and shares her favorite tips on how leaders can use skills like curiosity and compassion to grow their self-awareness, form healthier connections, and find the life they want to have.

2:30 – Self-awareness is the key to having the kind of life you want to have

2:50 – It is also about the ongoing and evolving relationship you have with yourself

7:20 – Through self-awareness, you develop the ability to notice and change when something in your life feels incongruent with what you want for yourself

8:40 – The more we connect to ourselves, the more we behave in our natural ways

9:12 – Our essence is our unique way of showing up and adding value to the world

11:24 – Self-awareness also requires you to attend to yourself and practice self-care

13:25 – One way to practice self-awareness is to take small moments throughout your day to pause and reflect on how you want to show up

16:43 – Another self-awareness tip is to observe yourself, your behavior, and your interactions and reactions

18:40 – By staying self-aware and reflecting on your own behavior, you can improve your relationships with others in your organization

19:48 – Showing up with self-awareness takes courage

20:18 – Everything we do for others begins with ourselves

20:35 – Self-awareness includes curiosity, compassion, and acceptance for ourselves

22:05 – You’re never going to treat someone else better than how you treat yourself

24:26 – You deserve to take time for yourself

Connect with Zovig Garboushian

Visit her website

Email zovig@boldnessablaze.com

Connect on LinkedIn

What are the 3 P’s of success? Grab a cup of your favorite tea and find out in this episode with Tonia Jahshan! Tonia is the founder of Canadian loose leaf tea company Sipology, which skyrocketed to great levels of success after Tonia pitched her business on Dragons’ Den, the Canadian version of Shark Tank. Today, Sipology is one of the fastest growing companies in North America, and Tonia is one of the top entrepreneurs in Canada.

In this episode, Tonia gives a behind-the-scenes look at her experience on Dragons’ Den and shares why passion, purpose, and perseverance are the three ingredients you need to find your own great success.

2:18 – Tonia shares stories from her experience on Dragons’ Den

8:49 – When pitching a new idea, do your homework and know your audience

9:18 – Be transparent and show you truly care about your product or process

10:18 – Strong and long-lasting partnerships often start with a personal connection

12:04 – To drive change, you have to show up with passion

12:27 – The three P’s of success are passion, purpose, and perseverance

13:26 – If you’re not showing up with passion, others in your organization will feel it as well

16:24 – By setting boundaries and taking care of your own mental health, you can improve your mindset and how you positively show up for your team

18:52 – On the journey to success, you’re not alone and it’s okay to rely on your team and others in your life and organization

19:28 – If you’re not passionate about w hat you’re doing or feel like you’re lost your purpose, reconsider and rework

Connect with Tonia Jahshan

Learn more about Sipology

Connect with Tonia on Instagram or LinkedIn

Visit Tonia’s website  

What does manufacturing leadership have in common with running marathons or climbing mountains? Learn the answer in this episode with guest Steven Pivnik!

Steven is an entrepreneur, author, and international speaker, who took his company Binary Tree to great success during his time as CEO. He is also an endurance athlete who has reached the summit of mountains like Kilimanjaro and competed in the grueling Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

In his soon-to-be-released book Built to Finish: How to Go the Distance in Business and Life, Steven shares his stories about finding success in both entrepreneurship and endurance sports. In this episode, he delves into a few insights from his book, plus shares lessons on endurance, shortcuts, and connections that you can use to find more successful outcomes, whether you’re on the manufacturing floor or getting ready for your next athletic adventure!

2:19 - There are actually many tie-ins between endurance sports and entrepreneurship

6:11 – Avoid taking shortcuts, especially when it comes to tasks like hiring

6:55 – Shortcuts may feel good and lead to easy solutions, but they don’t always lead to long-term, sustainable outcomes

8:20 – Many people have the false notion that there is always time to do sometime twice, but there’s rarely time to do it right the first time

10:57 - If you rely on shortcuts, it can hurt you in the long-run

12:22 – Often, going slowly instead of rushing or using a shortcut leads to more positive outcomes and a greater chance of success

14:23 – When it comes to forming connections and having deeper conversations, it’s especially important to slow down and be intentional about your behavior and mindset

14:50 – In relationships, quantity supersedes quality

16:50 – Stronger connections come from building true relationships through work

18:43 – When people have strong personal connections at work, they are more likely to show up and productively engage with their organization

21:20 – Forming stronger relationships takes work and patient, but the benefits can be very rewarding

22:43 – Everyone has stories and greatness, and you can discover opportunities for new connections by being open and willing to learn

Connect with Steven Pivnik

Visit his website

Connect on LinkedIn

Pre-order Built to Finish

From convincing a valued team member to stay with your organization to motivating an employee to level up their performance, you use influence everyday on the manufacturing floor. But what exactly is influence, and how can you more productive ways to influence others in your organization?

Alyson Van Hooser has the answers! Alyson is a keynote speaker, leadership expert, and the author of Infinite Influence, which offers the keys to unlocking more productive relationships and outcomes. In this episode, Alyson uses personal stories and memorable anecdotes to show the importance of influence within teams and organizations, plus discusses how curiosity and intentionality can make a big difference in how you influence and communicate with others.

2:57 – There are many ways to influence people, from convincing them to stay on your team to influencing someone to level up their performance at work

3:19 – Change the way you think about everyone you know and recognize your ability to influence anyone, anywhere, at any time

4:27 – Influence is very different from manipulation

5:21 – You can’t motivate someone to do something they don’t want to do

14:52 – Instead of making assumptions, stay curious and think about what others need

17:25 – By making assumptions, you might not be meeting your team’s needs, if you are going in with good intentions

18:51 – You need a combination of good intentions and intentional actions

22:48 – Leading with biases and assumptions instead of curiosity and intentionality can lead to further disconnect in your organization

23:46 – You don’t need radical shifts to change your leadership. Instead, you can focus on small moments of building curiosity and intention

26:03 – To find the best way to communicate with someone, you need build a relationship and get to know their story

28:33 – Successful organizations are built through the support and investment of others

Connect with Alyson Van Hooser

Visit her website

Connect on LinkedIn

Learn More About Infinite Influence

In the busy and high-stress world of manufacturing, it can be hard to find your focus! What can you do to reset your focus and prioritize what matters most? Find out in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with “Focusologist” Penny Zenker.

Penny is as an international speaker, business strategy coach, and bestselling author who has been featured on NBC, Forbes, and more. She is also a leader expert in the psychology of productivity, and works with organizations to maximize results by eliminating perfectionism, distractions, and self-sabotage. In this episode, she shares her three-step process for building a reset mindset aligning yourself with what matters most to you, your team, and the productivity and culture of your organization.

3:46 – Focus always coming back to setting objectives and aligning your actions with those objectives

4:47 – To find your focus, you need to step back, get out of your daily cycle, and reset

5:29 – To engage in reset practice, you have to recognize the trigger for the reset moment and then take a step back to get perspective and realign

7:03 – The more you practice, the easier it is to build a reset mindset

7:53 – If you don’t give yourself permission to step back and reset, you increase the risk of errors that can hinder productivity and cause mistakes

8:53 – Taking small break is a way to relearn how to focus

9:30 – Another part of practicing a reset mindset is learning to recognize when something isn’t working, like getting rid of an unproductive meeting

11:39 – Stepping back can mean giving up control in some areas

12:14 – Being able to step back creates a culture with less bureaucracy and more trust and autonomy

13:59 – Sometimes we focus on the wrong areas, like focusing on micromanagement when it would be more productive to focus on fostering autonomy

16:30 – A reset mindset starts with creating reset moments for yourself

17:44 – Constantly look for ways to bring out the best in yourself and in others

18:22 – A reset mindset also requires curiosity and a willingness to adapt

21:24 – If one person in an organization can demonstrate a reset mindset, others will learn to do the same

Connect with Penny Zenker

Visit her website

Check out her Take Back Time podcast

Is humor the secret weapon for bridging the connection gap in your organization? Find out more in this episode featuring Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE. Tim is a Hall of Fame speaker and business coach who uses his own humor-infused presentations to help others use humor to improve productivity, create stronger connections, and bring more resilience and resourcefulness to their organizations. In this episode, Tim shares why humor can be a powerful tool for combating disconnect and communicating with your team, all while sharing some humorous stories of his own!

2:49 – When humor comes at the expense of others, it fuels disconnect

4:14 – Self-effacing humor is a strong skill in the workplace, but can be difficult to master

4:49 – There is a difference between understanding humor and being humorous yourself

5:35 – If you can find humor in a stressful situation, it can lead to moments of connection for you and your team

7:04 – By figuring out what is humorous to your team members, you can find ways to bridge the disconnection gap with humor

10:25 – When you can work hard and laugh hard with you team, you can find results

10:58 – If you’re not connecting with someone, you have to adapt to their communication style and figure out what’s important to them

12:01 – You also need to be aware of your behavior and how others might interpret it or react to it

12:47 – If you don’t connect with someone at first, don’t abandon the process

15:32 – By having your own good mood and positive mindset, you can convey that to your team

17:34 – Humor can also be used to convey safety messages in your organization

20:07 – By using humor, you can draw others to you and your team and can get better results

22:35 – Harnessing your own positive thoughts and feelings is a powerful tool for connection

25:08 – We can’t always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we perceive and react

Connect with Tim Gard

Visit his website

Learn more about Sticky Safety

Just think positive! We’re all heard this phrase before, but thinking positively can be easier said than done, especially if you’re dealing with a painful situation or difficult challenge. In this episode, guest Dr. Paul Jenkins is here to help you find a new approach for positive thinking. Dr. Paul is a professional psychologist who specializes in science and practice of positivity. He is also a coach, author, speaker, and “black belt in positivity” who creates models to help others find empowering new ways to view positivity.

2:39 – Positive thinking is more than a trite motivational phase

4:35 – The equipment of your mind is amazing at what it’s intended to do

5:55 – Your brain’s job is to keep things really efficient

6:44 – Metacognition is thinking on a higher level, or thinking about thinking

7:06 – Metacognition creates a space where choice exists

9:19 – You are constantly judging and evaluating, so you brain can work to keep you safe and to prove you right

13:59 – You can’t always get rid of a negative situation, but you can find a sense of relief and gratitude by comparing it to something worse

17:59 – If you assume something is bad or has no upsides, your brain will work to prove you right

18:40 – You can’t tell others to just be more positive, and others can’t do the same for you

20:03 – Toxic positivity is when you ignore the difficulty and act like everything is okay

22:37 – Creation mode is all about what is to be and what doesn’t exist yet

23:34 – When you imagine that worse things are coming, it leads to anxiety

25:15 – What we imagine is our brain’s blueprint for moving forward, even if what actually happens doesn’t perfectly match what you envisioned

27:25 – The two stages of thinking are evaluation and creation

28:48 – As a leader, you can help others create their own positive visions

30:01 – Come to peace with how things are, then work to upgrade your situation

Connect with Dr. Paul Jenkins

Visit his website

Get your free positivity model here

Results matters! Whether you’re looking at safety, quality, or productivity, you and your team want to know how you’re performing. But when it comes to people, it can be difficult to measure your return on investment.

In this episode, guest Martin Low walks us through the best strategies for measuring your team, plus shares great insights on why people matter most in your organization. Martin is the founder and CEO of On Plane Consulting, where he helps organizations transform and improve by building and leveraging their people capabilities. He also has over 20 years of human resources experiences at companies like Amazon and Blue Apron, and brings great insights on how to measure your team, clarify your processes, and create a culture where everyone shows up at their best.

3:23 – You can’t measure people in the same way you measure inventory, cash flow or other main areas of your organization

6:31 – If you don’t invest in your people, it leads to issues like high turnover and halted productivity

7:36 – If you don’t have a baseline, you can’t measure

8:45 – If someone on your team is underperforming, use curiosity to find the cause

8:52 – Establish a baseline for what good looks like within your team or organization

9:45 – If someone on your team has higher rates than others, study their process and see how you can implement their methods for your whole team

11:50 – When results don’t meet expectations, approach the issue with curiosity instead of judgement

14:08 – With clearer processes, your team can improve and your organization can reduce turnover

14:24 – As a leader, you should make your expectations clear and hold others accountable

15:33 – With clarity, your team members find more agency and can improve the way they show up

17:31 – Create a process where you and your team can use your energy in a productive way, instead of just trying to survive the day

19:37 – Surveying your team is a strategy for assuring everyone is aligned and understands your processes, values, mission, and goals

22:52 – With a survey, leadership can find solutions directly from their team on the floor

24:18 – Most people show up wanting to do a good job, and clear processes can help them improve how they show up

Connect with Martin Low

Learn more about On Plane Consulting

Contact On Plane Consulting at hello@onplane.com

Contact Martin at martin@onplay.com

If you missed part one with guest Jon Giganti, be sure to listen to Episode 103 here.

Jon Giganti is speaker, tech executive, and USA Today bestselling author. He is the author of With Intention, where he delves into how leaderships can use skills like agency, awareness, and ambition to find new success, take ownership of their past, and bring impactful change to their organizations. In this episode, Jon shares more lessons and insights about how leaders can use intentionality to form strong connections, find productive results, and serve their team in the authentic, impactful ways.

1:29 – Schedule white space or margins into your day to avoid overbooking yourself

3:29 – Quiet moments in your schedule give you a chance to rest your brain, body, and soul

8:06 – Setting aside time in your schedule is a way to invest in yourself and your future\

10:00 – Scheduling margins also gives you time to form more productive connections within your organization

13:27 – When you have a lack of connection, you have a lack of engagement

13:40 – Let others see your authenticity

14:22 – By building trust and serving as your authentic self, you can work toward stronger results with your team

15:57 – You need self-awareness to find the best ways to improve and serve

17:27 – Get below the surface to know yourself, including your identities, beliefs, and values

20:20 – If you don’t deal with what’s in your head, it will impact your heart

22:26 – By building relationships, you can impact others and drive change

25:45 – Vulnerability is a superpower

Connect with Jon Giganti

Visit his website, where you can learn about his speaking, podcasts, and With Intention course

Check out my book report of With Intention, then get your own copy

Do you find yourself starting the day with positive intentions, then leaving your manufacturing plant at the end of the day feeling like you didn’t actually accomplish any of your intentions? You might be struggling with “intention deficit disorder!” This is definitely something I’ve struggled with, but I felt much better after reading With Intention by speaker, tech executive, and USA Today bestselling author Jon Giganti. Jon is also a friend and professional speaking colleague, and after reading his fantastic book, I wanted to hear more of his thoughts on how we can all bring more intentionality to our leadership and organizations.

That’s why I’m excited to have him as my guest for this special two-part episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! In part one of my podcast with Jon, he shares some stories that lead to the lessons on intentionality he writes about in With Intention, and discusses why self-awareness, agency, and connections play a key role in practicing intentionality and improving results.

6:33 – To accomplish something, you need to show up, serve, and add value

7:08 – Intention is finding out what your priorities are, then living into it as much as possible

7:58 – Every day is a new day with opportunities to be intentional and make an impact

9:28 – In order to serve others, you have to serve yourself first by establishing a routine and setting yourself up for success

10:48 – To find sustainable results, you need to have self-awareness and self-intention

13:13 – You need to put yourself in the right position for success

14:08 – Your energy levels are not the same throughout the day, so being intentional about your time is important

15:44 – Journaling or writing down affirmations is one way to practice intentionality

16:34 – You should also set a core foundation yourself by working on your own standards and beliefs

18:30 – To accomplish what you want to accomplish, show up, and form habits

21:07 – If you want to be more intentional about how you lead or connect with others, start with curiosity, connection, and bridging disconnects

23:29 – To serve others on your team, act as a safe place to connect

24:00 – To get stronger results or find out what is driving a performance issue, stay curious and find ways to connect with your teams

24:39 – Trust also plays a large role in building connections and finding results

25:23 – Along with self-awareness, you also need agency and the ability to take ownership of your past, present, and future

Tune in next episode to learn more about intentionality with Jon Giganti!

Connect with Jon Giganti

Visit his website, where you can learn about his speaking, podcasts, and With Intention course

Check out my book report of With Intention, then get your own copy

Relationships play a key role in fostering curiosity, building connection, and combating disconnection. But how do we create strong, authentic relationships? To answer that question, I’m joined by guest Corban David Jenai. Corban is an entrepreneur, artist, world traveler, and father. He also currently serves as the Chief Hope Officer at HopeGuide, where he draws from his own PTSD diagnosis and healing journey to help others find the freedom and connection they need to recover from their trauma. In this episode, Corban shares why vulnerbility and intentionality are important for building strong relationships, discusses why "being a witness" to others is the key to building relationships, and shares some authentic stories from his own journey.

3:14 – Talking about ourselves and real aspects of our lives is a way to kick off strong connections

4:00 – Vulnerability is a path to connection

4:23 – By listening and getting to know others on your team, you build a sense of trust, which in turn leads to greater results on performance, quality, safety, and more

5:03 – To show others that you care, you have to actually care

6:36 – To build connections, think about what is important to you, and work with the assumption that others might have feelings similar to yours

8:23 – While modern society gives us the chance to connect with many people, we don’t always have the time or capacity to form meaningful connections with every person we encounter  

10:15 – By connecting with smaller groups, we have the chance to be a witness to others, and they can be a witness to hear, see, and feel us as we are

11:06 – By investing in others at a deeper level, you can improve productivity and results

12:56 – Being vulnerable and open with your team allows them to see your humanity as a leader

14:38 – By looking at someone and actually seeing them, you can make a major difference, even if you don’t have a solution to their problems

16:51 – When people feel seen and heard, they are more likely to show up for you and your organization

20:06 – Even small moments of connection, like making eye contact, go a long way when forming connections

25:54 – Being a witness can help you show up better in all your relationships

Connect with Corban David Janai

Find Corban online at his website

Learn More About HopeGuide here

To make better decisions and increase the overall engagement in your organization or workplace, you need diversity of thought! This is why I’m always so excited to talk to women in manufacturing roles, like Kathy Miller! Kathy has held multiple executive roles in manufacturing, including roles at General Motors, Delphi Automotive Systems, and Rolls-Royce. She was also inducted into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2021, and has written about her unique journey as a woman in manufacturing in her book Steel Toes and Stilettos.

In this episode, Kathy shares more about her experiences and successes as a woman in manufacturing, and shares how both male and female leaders can build stronger connections, find more diverse results, and show up as their most authentic, empowered selves.

3:29 – Steel Toes and Stilettos is inspired by the different roles women play to be both their authentic, feminine selves and hold their own on a shop floor

4:21 – A successful journey in manufacturing requires soft skills, which can be harder to develop than people realize

5:19 – To make a significant cultural transformation stick in your organization, you need to make it feel like it belongs to the employees, and make them feel it with their hands and the hearts

8:23 – To get more women and their perspectives into manufacturing roles, it’s important to get women into manufacturing roles at a young age

9:12 – Inclusive environments get better business results

9:35 – Every person in your organization has a heart, a brain, and a set of hands, and you have to tap into all three

11:00 – By giving others an opportunity to contribute, you can find new and better results

13:50 – Kathy’s equation for successfully improving plants involves relationships, realities, results, and authenticity

14:45 – Every single relationship matters

16:37 – Face your realities and work on what’s in your control

17:27 – Focus on where you are and you’ll find results

18:09 – If you’re a man in manufacturing, work to amplify female voices

19:05 – Women in manufacturing can also advocate for their authentic selves

Connect with Kathy Miller

Connect with Kathy on Linkedin

Learn more from Kathy and her coauthor Shannon Karels on their website

Buy Steel Toes and Stilettos 

“Are you winning?” This is one of my favorite questions to ask when I enter a manufacturing plant, and it’s always interesting to see the variety of responses. To learn more about how leaders and their teams can do more to “win the day,” I’m excited to welcome my friend and former neighbor Eric Berdan to the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast. After years of experience in manufacturing and running factories, Eric now works at the business optimization leader for Nestle North America. In this episode, he shares some great stories about what it takes to win in the manufacturing industry, plus shares tips on how to motivate your team and find productive results.

3:28 – Every person in your organization has a different definition of what it means to win

3:55 – By engaging your team in their daily activities and their goals, you’ll find stronger overall success

6:11 – You don’t have to be perfect, but you still need to win and set up a winning streak for yourself

7:19 – To achieve results, you need to break your paradigms, be willing to push through challenges, and find ways to motivate others

8:56 – Momentum always plays a key role

10:28 – Let you team work within their own frameworks and set goals that are attainable for them

14:10 – You can’t expect everyone to share your goals or reach the same expectations you personally set for yourself

17:54 – By being intentional about how you start your day, you can set yourself up for wins

22:23 – Sometimes, a strong winning streak can actually hurt productivity

24:59 – Understanding how you’re doing at work requires many different senses

27:38 – Discretionary effort adds to win and productivity

28:19 – The key to success is tapping into emotion and getting your team emotionally connected to a goal

“What else can I do to help?” For Susan Baier, the founder and president of Audience Audit, this question changed the trajectory of her career when she received generous assistance as a recent college graduate. She now gives back through her work with Audience Audit, where she helps businesses grow their ROI through transformational thought leadership reputations and stronger marketing. In this episode, Susan joins me to share her story and insights about how leadership can shift their mindset and find ways to be “relentlessly helpful” in their organizations and lives.

2:08 – To be relentlessly helpful, ask other what else you can do to help them and think about what you can do to help the others around you or in your organization

3:44 – Shift your mindset to think about the ways you can have an impact on others

3:54 – We all know things that someone else doesn’t know

8:15 – The people with the greatest experiences and the most unique perspectives are often not sharing their information

8:40 – Being generous reaps huge rewards and builds goodwill

10:37 – Being relentlessly helpful can also be a way to break out of your own routine and make yourself feel better about your own role

12:36 – Some days may have more opportunities to be helpful than others, but there are always small gestures you can make or questions you can ask to support others

14:34 – Both overconfidence and a lack of confidence can impact the ability to be relentlessly helpful

14:54 – Organizations, not just individuals, can embrace a culture of relentless helpfulness

18:39 – Learning on the job is a critical component of advancement

19:45 – To understand what is helpful for others, you need to listen and communicate

20:33 – As you shift your mindset, you’ll grow your listening skills and find more way to be helpful

22:18 – We often dismiss our own knowledge and forget to think about how our knowledge can be important to someone else, even in a small way

23:34 – Just being open and available for conversation can help others

Connect with Susan Baier

Audience Audit website

Contact Susan  

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Do you want to grow your writing skills or find new ways to use words to inspire your team and grow your organization? If you’re ready to take the first steps toward writing a book, AJ Harper is here to help! AJ is an editor, publishing strategist, and former ghostwriter who now uses her skills to help others write transformational books, grow their leadership, and make a unique impact on the world. She shares her methods through workshops like her Top Three Books Workshop, and she is also the author of  Write a Must Read: Crafting a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own.

In this podcast episode, AJ shares more about Write a Must Read and her experiences as a ghostwriter. She also shares some practical methods manufacturing leaders can use to grow their storytelling skills, whether they’re getting ready to write a book or simply looking for new ways to engage their teams.

1:03 – In a previous episode with Michael Port, we talked about speaking and growing your speaking skills to improve your impact in your organization.

2:39 – As a ghostwriter for bestselling books, AJ gained the experiences and insights she now uses to help others craft must-read books

5:01 – Like manufacturing, crafting a good book means developing strong systems and processes

5:30 – By having a strong and repeatable system, you can overcome challenges like self-doubt or your inner critic

6:28 – A key point of strong storytelling is remembering details

6:48 – To remember details you want to write down or share with your team, write them down in your phone or even record them for later

8:33 – Even if you have a very busy schedule, you can still find times in your day to write

9:17 – Writing doesn’t have to be daily and you don’t have to write a ton of words every day, as long as you find time to write on a regular basis that works for you and your schedule

10:42 – Other people may have already written ideas similar to yours, but the world still hasn’t heard it in your unique voice

11:43 – To connect with your audience, you need to put your reader first

13:35 – By using the reader first concept, you can also find better ways to connect and communicate with your team

14:50 – Even by just acknowledging an existing problem or condition, you can still motivate and support your team or audience

16:37 – Think about the hearts and minds of your audience and demographic

19:12 – Having a script is a way to prepare yourself before speaking, even if it’s just a few key points

20:42 – Instead of only focusing on your own objective, think about how you want to make others feel

21:35 – Don’t expect to be great at first

Connect with AJ Harper

Visit her website, where you can sign up for her newsletter with more writing tips

Learn more in my review of Write a Must-Read

What do manufacturing leaders have in common with performers? More than you think! In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Port, a bestselling author, former professional actor, and the founder of Heroic Public Speaking. Drawing from his experience as an actor and speaker, he joins me in this episode to talk about how leaders can improve their performance skills to heighten their impact, grow their role in their organization, and find the most effective ways to inform, persuade, and motivate their teams.

3:30 – Putting on a performance doesn’t necessarily mean showcasing a fake version of yourself, and performances can still be intentional and mindful

5:02: To change what other people do, consider what you make them think and how you make them feel

5:30 – You need to earn the privilege of influencing how others think

8:11 – To be a person who others want to help, you need to create value for them

10:48 – Success is not just about numbers and goalposts, but about growing every single member of your team

12:05 – To build a long-term, sustainable organization, it always comes back to being intentional and thinking about how your team feels and how you make them feel through your leadership and behavior

15:28 – As a leader or manager, you need to be careful and deliberate about what you say on a everyday basis, and think about how others might interpret your words

17:14 – Before starting a conversation, especially in a time of conflict, think about how the other person might react to your words, and what you can say to start an engaging dialogue without them feeling attacked or defensive

18:40 – To increase productivity and create a healthier workplace culture, you need to make your team feel like they’re in a safe environment

21:11 – You want to present you team with something that can get excited about, and show them something of value they’ll get out of it

22:41 – Along with showing your team members what they’ll get from your initiative, you also have to highlight the consequences of not doing it

23:59 – Most people don’t really hear you until you’re sick of saying the point you want me to hear

25:21 – To be a person who others want to help, you have to show others you can both make and fulfil commitments

29:55 – If you always shut down other’s ideas, they will eventually learn to stop coming to you

30:27 – To have productive conversations, you need to keep them moving

Connect with Michael Port

Heroic Public Speaking website

Heroic Public Speaking Substack

Follow @HeroicPublicSpeaking on social media

In episode 92, guest Sylvie di Guisto talked about the factors that go into creating a successful and memorable first impression. One of these factors is appearance, particularly the way we dress. To dig deeper, I’m excited to chat with today’s guest, Morgan Wider! Morgan is a personal style expert, speaker, and the founder of Wider Style, as well as the author of Worthy Wardrobe: Your Guide to Style, Shopping, & Soul. Drawing on her decade of leadership experience at major retail giants, she now uses her speaking, consulting, and styling to help others increase their performance through their image. In this podcast, she talks more about why clothing and appearance matters, and how leaders—especially women in male-dominated industries like manufacturing—can use clothes to present themselves in an authentic, appropriate, and self-honoring way.

2:42 – You only have seven seconds to make a strong first impression, and your appearance is typically one of first elements others notice about you

4:03 – By dressing as your authentic self, you also encourage your team to be themselves and show up in their own authentic ways

5:18 – Even if your role requires a uniform, there are still ways to show your own authentic personality and style, like through hair or makeup choices

6:20 – In male-dominated industries like manufacturing, women may feel like they need to blend in with their fashion choices, but this can also keep them from showing up as their most authentic selves

9:12 – In your clothing and appearance, you need to be both authentic and appropriate

10:33 – Make style choices that honor who you are and truly present who you are in the best way possible

11:33 – By being mindful of factors like your body type, age, strengths, and weakness, you can dress in a way that’s both appropriate for your role and honors who you are as an individual

12:24 – When you’re comfortable and happy with how you look, it improves your productivity and morale, plus makes you feel better and more confident

13:23 – By putting effort into your appearance, you can get yourself into the mindset you need

14:39 – Different audiences and occasions can mean different style choices

18:40 – If you don’t put in the effort, it can affect how others perceive you and how you show up

25:30 – As a leader, think about what you can do to create a space than honors diversity

26:58 – If find yourself in a space or role where you can’t be your authentic self, it might be time to consider if it’s the right space for you

Connect with Morgan Wider

Website

More on her book, The Worthy Wardrobe

On the manufacturing floor, you might not see rabbits being pulled out of hats or people being miraculously levitated, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t everyday chances to create magical moments. To find out how leaders can create moments of magic, surprise, and delight on the manufacturing floor, I knew I had to go to the expert: Jon Petz, an entrepreneur, speaker, bestselling author, and magician! In this episode, he shares why workplaces need more everyday magic, plus shares insights on how leaders can use intentionality, creativity, and mindfulness to turn simple, everyday moments into important connections.

3:11 – In the workplace, magic is all about creating moments that make your team feel valued, support, and like they’re part of something special

4:24 – To create magic, be intentional, lean into organic moments, and create moments of surprise

5:15 – Don’t overlook the simple moments

6:31 – Magical moments play a big role in improving productivity and efficiency

10:58 – Purpose drives passion and helps your team find ways to truly engage instead of just getting up in their role

12:39 – You can’t always plan for moments of magic, but you can think about what your team needs to feel empowered and supported

15:05 – Deeper conversations drive results and solutions

16:06 – Take a genuine care in your team member’s outside of their role in your organization

17:17 – Jon’s book recommendation – Work Plus Love by Marcus Buckingham

18:01 – Take steps to truly appreciate and recognize your team

20:45 – You also need to pay attention to other’s mindsets and see what they need to feel valued or encouraged

21:36 – With title comes authority, but title does not always come with leadership

Connect with Jon Petz

Website

Buy Significance in Simple Moments, now available in paperback

Stories resonate with people, which makes them a valuable tool for sharing information, seeking new outcomes and connecting with your team. So let’s bring more storytelling to the manufacturing floor!

In this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, meet guest Trevor Perry. Trevor is an award-winning speaker, author, and perspective-changer, who uses his unique perspectives and love of storytelling to help others find their own light and improve their influence in the world. In this episode, Trevor shares his journey of finding his storytelling passion, and discusses why leaders should learn and practice storytelling skills.

4:04 – When someone owns, lives, and feels a story, that makes for powerful storytelling

5:31 – Some people might be bad storytellers with great stories to tell, or great storytellers with bad stories

6:24 – Storytelling is a way to connect and help others relate to what you’re trying to share

7:12 – Good storytelling is transparent and draws on your own experiences

8:42 – If you’re telling someone else’s story, you still need to find a way to personally connect and own the story you’re telling

11:18 – Storytelling is an inherent part of human nature, which is why stories resonate so well

12:47 – Every story needs a purpose, especially if you’re in a leader or mentor role

15:15 – If you’re trying to adopt someone else’s story as your own, it won’t feel authentic

16:19 – A culture of storytelling can bring more connection to your organization

17:44 – How you tell a story is always going to be different depending on your audience or situation

20:28 – Practicing improv is a unique way to hone your storytelling skills 

20:30 - Learn more about improv and storytelling in Episode 97

22:55 – You can also learn about storytelling about listening to others

23:57 – As a human, you are a storyteller

Connect with Trevor Perry

Visit his website

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please visit our website or contact Trevor here.

Why does communication break down and lead to conflict? Can we find a way to harness emotions for good, or are we always doomed to division and misunderstandings? As someone who grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, Dr. Irvine Nugent is no stranger to questions like these. Living in a time of great violence and turbulence has given him a unique perspective on emotions and body language, and he now uses his skills to help leaders understand and master their own emotions, discover the power of emotional intelligence, and transform their ability to engage with others. He is also the author of Lessons from the Pub, where he shares leadership lessons learned while growing up in a pub.

I’m excited to have Dr. Irvine as my guest for this episode, where he shares more about emotional intelligence, body language, and how to use emotion to build more meaningful connections.

1:57 – How we present our emotions has a big impact on how we forge relationships, avoid conflict, and find more productive outcomes

5:04 – Before you can lead others, you need to lead yourself

6:59 – One tip for increasing your self-awareness is to take a one-minute pause before entering a room and give yourself time to process your emotions and get rid of any emotions you don’t want to bring into the room

7:57 – You can’t always make your emotions disappear, but you can manage and acknowledge them

8:16 – If you don’t give people the information they need, they’ll fill in the gaps themselves and are more likely to jump to conclusions about your emotions and behavior

9:43 – Emotions are contagious

11:32 – By taking the time to have quality interactions, you can find better outcomes and change the way you show up for your team

14:54 – Leaders need to know the truth, and that truth becomes data

17:57 – On a strong team, everyone holds each other accountable

19:17 – Anger, fear, disgust, contempt, surprise, happiness, and sadness are the seven universal emotions

20:20 – By learning to recognize facial expression and body language, you can understand when you need to ask more questions or start a deeper dialogue

25:15 – Even in times of violence and conflict, there are always reminders of humanity’s resilience and potential

Connect with Dr. Irvine Nugent

Website

YouTube

More about Leadership Lessons from the Pub

Do you find yourself dreading Mondays ? Are you constantly stressed out about falling behind or not living up to your team’s expectations? You might be dealing with burnout, an occupational phenomenon that arises from chronic workplace stress. To learn more about burnout and what you can do to prevent it, check out this episode with guest Nina Nesdoly. Nina has an academic background in both neuroscience and organizational behavior, and she uses her niche expertise to help other manage stress, prevent burnout, and promote health and resilience in their organizations. In this podcast, she combines scientific insights and practical tips to talk about the causes of burnout and what leaders can do to combat burnout in themselves and their organizations.

2:43 – Burnout is different from just feeling tired or overwhelmed at work, and there are three major characteristics that set it apart from regular feelings of stress

2:50 – The first symptom of burnout is physical exhaustion, including physical symptoms like headaches and muscle tension

3:13 – The second symptom is cynicism and depersonalization

4:20 – The third and most difficult to spot symptom is professional efficacy, or a feeling like you and your work are not good enough

6:01 – When you tried to compensate for feeling like you’re bad at your job or not meeting expectations, it can actually fed into the cycle of burnout

7:21 – The difference between stress and burnout is that stress is your body’s response to demands in your environment, while burnout is the consequences of chronic stress built up over time

8:46 – Over time, burnout can change your brain and make it harder to regulate your emotions and stress response

10:16 – To combat and prevent burnout, evaluate when you’re putting your energy and how you’re expending your energy

11:25 – Oftentimes, we are the ones putting unnecessary stress on ourselves

12:45 – When you’re feeling stressed, it’s important to connect with others, and there are even hormones in your body that will push you toward wanting to connect with people

14:25 – To say yes to some things, you have to say no to others

15:34 – By being intentional about when you say no, you can make sure you have the time and energy to say yes to the projects that really serve your organization

16:36 – Thinking about your goals is another way to combat burnout, as we can get stuck in the same stressful trajectory

17:30 – If you find yourself in a position that doesn’t align with your values or goals, have the courage to say reevaluate and say no

18:50 – You can practice saying no in low stakes situations

19:32 – You can also practice the 24-hour rule to give yourself more time to evaluate a situation before saying yes or no

21:30 – There are also alternatives to saying no, like telling someone you need to shift your priorities or that if you do one task, it means you won’t be able to get to another

22:54 – To combat burnout, you need to REST, or recognize, evaluate, say no, and take care of yourself

33:00 – You can’t focus on everything at once, so be intentional about how you use your time

Connect with Nina Nesdoly

Find her on Instagam and Tiktok @WorkplaceClarity

Website

LinkedIn