Manufacturing Greatness | Productivity | Retention | Profits | Continuous Improvement | Safety | Workforce Development | Labor Challenges | Skills Gaps | Industry 4.0

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, Tracy Hooper — founder of The Confidence Project and author of The Now Hello — joins the conversation to share practical tools for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors who want to communicate with clarity and lead with confidence. Tracy breaks down simple, real-world strategies — from eye contact to starting and ending conversations on the floor — that strengthen leadership presence, improve communication skills, and build trust with your team. We also talk about how confidence directly impacts culture, engagement, and how leaders show up during everyday interactions on the shop floor. 1:36 – Confidence isn't something you're born with. It can be learned from practicing and taking action 3:15 – Complimenting someone is a great way to kickstart a positive conversation—but make sure it's an authentic compliment 6:00 – "How" and "what" are great magic words for starting a open-ended conversation with confidence, but avoid starting with "why" because it can make others feel defensive 9:00 – If you're always talking and never listening, you'll never really learn anything 10:06 – Use the three-sentence rule - saying three sentences, then pausing to let the other person speak or respond 11:15 – Pay attention to body language, too! 15:00 – Even introverted leaders can become confident speakers, especially if they practice first with people they respect and trust 16:30 – To speak with confidence, you always have to learn how to let others speak 17:20 – When giving difficult feedback, "I" statements can help you have a productive conversation without making the other person feel defensive 19:30 – There is power in being brief 23:00 – If you only have a few minutes for a conversation, be a timeframe and be direct by asking to-the-point questions 29:00 – Always look the other person in the eyes when having a conversation to make them feel valued and acknowledged Connect with Tracy Hooper The Confidence Project Email Buy The Now Hello

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! As manufacturing becomes more driven by automation and technology, human leadership matters more than ever. In this episode, Kate O'Neil, tech humanist and founder of KO Insights, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors. Kate explains how communication skills, growth mindset, and authentic leadership help leaders balance innovation with human connection. You will learn practical strategies for workforce development, upskilling, and trust building that support productivity, improve retention, and create manufacturing cultures where technology enhances people instead of replacing them. 1:30 – How can we reclaim our agency? 2:53 – When a lot of manufacturing is being done by machines, it's critical to find a balance between automation and human decision making 3:56 – As we use more and more technology and automation in the manufacturing sphere, human roles actually become more important than ever, especially when it comes to creating safe and effective procedures 7:19 – When using data, consider the humans on the other side 12:50 – Leaders need to determine the processes and nuances behind data, and this often means asking questions instead of just relying on hard data 16:30 "Machines are what we encode of ourselves" 17:50 – What does it mean to lead in a technology-driven world? 21:00 – Leaders and their organizations need to be careful about how they use public trust and responsibility with data and data gathering 23:00 – Due to issues like climate change, supply chain shortages, and labor issues, leaders are in a tougher position than ever, especially when it comes to decision-making 25:00 – Are you aligned with history in the way you want to be? 27:00 – Your actions today are tomorrow's history 29:00 – Social media is important for manufacturing leaders, but be wary of false information 32:00 – When used correctly and responsibility, technology is a powerful tool for manufacturing leaders Contact Kate O'Neil: Website Twitter Books

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In his 1937 classic Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill outlined six steps for success. In this episode, Ann McNeill joins the podcast to help manufacturing leaders turn those timeless ideas into practical tools for today's workplace. Ann shares insights on manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, strategic thinking, and goal setting for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We talk about building confidence, strengthening communication skills, and using mastermind thinking to improve team performance, accountability, and long term success. You will also hear real world stories and simple strategies leaders can apply right away to support productivity, workforce development, and authentic leadership on the shop floor. 2:13 – "Niche to be rich" 2:30 – To become rich, you have to start with the right mindset 3:00 – Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is a great book on this subject 3:30 – In his book, Hill shares six steps and questions for success. 3:37 – How much money do you want to make? What are you going to do to make that money? What date do you want to have that money by? 4:00 – Create an affirmative statement to help find success, then say this statement to yourself twice a day 5:00 – Accountability is key to success 5:43 – "A confused mind makes no decisions." 8:00 – What about people who don't care about the money, but simply want to add value or serve others? 9:00 – Without money, you can't fuel your passions 10:00 – You can't just start a fire! First, you need to add the fuel and wood 11:40 – If you give, you will get back 14:00 – Think and Grow Rich includes some great stories to highlight the lessons in this podcast 16:30 – If you want to be rich and successful, you must be clear about your mindset and purpose 18:00 – You can train your brain and set yourself up for positive outcomes 21:00 – The path to riches and success isn't always easy or perfect Connect with Ann McNeill If you'd like additional resources on the steps outlined in Think and Grow Rich, text "Ann" to 55678. Website

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Improving diversity and inclusion in manufacturing is not always easy. It often requires difficult conversations, honest reflection, and a willingness to address unconscious bias and unintentional divides. In this episode, Reggie Davis joins the podcast to share insights on manufacturing leadership, communication skills, trust building, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Reggie, founder of Uplift Coaching and Consulting, breaks down common diversity challenges organizations face and shares personal stories about bias, growth mindset, and connection. You will walk away with practical strategies to strengthen employee engagement, improve team relationships, and create a more supportive manufacturing culture. 0:45 – We previously talked about unconscious bias with Michelle Maldanado in Episode 22 1:30 – When companies didn't keep up with changing technology, they ended up failing or going out of business – the same thing can be said about diversity and inclusion 2:30 – Many organizations have conversations about diversity, but don't fully or authentically embrace it 3:13 – Don't be all talk and not action! 4:25 – It's a human instinct to be defensive when challenged or corrected 5:18 – How can people bring their "full selves" to the workplace? 6:00 – In an ideal workplace, a very conversative person and a very progressive person should be able to work in harmony, despite their different views 7:05 – Starting conversations about diversity and differences in the workplace can be awkward 10:21 – "What's from the heart reaches the heart" 13:07 – Questions are a great way to start productive conversations 16:35 – Many people want growth, but don't know where to begin 18:22 – Diversity and inclusion start at the "roots" of your organization 21:40 – Approach difficult conversations with intention and trust Connect with Reggie Davis: [email protected] (901)483-7199

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In manufacturing, how leaders use their brain directly impacts communication, decision making, and team performance. In this episode, Dr. John B. Molidor, CEO of the Brain Based Leadership Institute and professor emeritus at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, joins the podcast to explore the science behind manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and growth mindset. We discuss how brain structure influences behavior, why people react the way they do under pressure, and how Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors can use brain based insights to improve communication skills, strengthen trust, and motivate their teams for stronger productivity and engagement. 1:00 – Brains don't fully form until we turn 25, so people from younger generations may have different ways of responding and behaving than older generations 2:42 – The main function of the brain is regulating energy 3:15 – Given a choice, your brain will focus on tasks that don't expend a ton of energy 5:00 – To better help people understand and remember what you say, start with the big picture first, then move onto the details 6:17 – Your brain loves water, so stay hydrated! 6:56 – Later in the day, be mindful of the fact that people's brains are trying to maintain their energy 9:15 – Help people understand the "why" behind your statements 10:40 – When assigning tasks to someone, try not to give them too many things at once 10:57 – If someone has a lot of tasks, they will probably focus on the easiest ones first 12:28 – Rewards and rest are important 13:51 – The brain is unique because it's the only organ that can rewire itself 17:16 – Tell people which tasks you want them to focus on first, and what order you want them to accomplish the tasks in to help them prioritize 20:00 – Avoid "by the way" tasks thrown in with the others 21:02 – Set others by for success 24:00 – Brains are very predictive 27:00 – Culture often separates the head and the heart Contact John: Email

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Stuff, things, literally, simply. How often do these words sneak into your everyday conversations on the shop floor? In this episode, Patricia Fripp joins the podcast to share powerful insights on manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. As an executive speech coach and Hall of Fame keynote speaker, Patricia breaks down how small language habits impact credibility, trust building, and engagement. You will learn practical strategies to sharpen your message, strengthen leadership presence, and use clear communication to inspire action and improve team performance. 0:45 – The best manufacturing leaders are the ones with the best communication 5:45 - "7% is what you say, 30% is how you say it, and 55% is how you look" – is there any truth to this? 8:00 - If your words are well crafted and well-delivered, you can change your organization 8:11 – In a busy industry like manufacturing, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of words in our everyday lives 8:22 – When there's a miscommunication, leaders might assume the other person just didn't understand, but it's often an issue with words and phrasing 8:36 – "Stuff" is a rubbish word 9:00 – By being specific with your word choices, you inspire confidence and build credibility 10:00 – "If it weren't a thing, what would it be?" Use specific words to replace unclear words like stuff or things 10:30 – Specific communication is especially important when you're speaking to someone who doesn't speak English as their first language 11:57 – If it's not fruit, it's not a bunch! Use numbers and specifics instead 13:16 – When possible, use shorter sentences to communicate and keep your communications to one idea per sentence 13:40 – Speak with the aim of being remembered and repeated 14:20 – By taking a pause, you give yourself a chance to breathe and allow the other person time to process 15:11 – "Literally" and "simply" are also naughty words! 18:48 – To improve your communications, record yourself and listen to the words you frequently use 21:00 – Depending on their background and culture, people may express themselves differently 22:00 - To inspire commitment and quality, ask them if their work would be good enough to sell to their own mother 23:00 – Ask as an advocate for your audience 24:52 – Every leader needs to show the person they are beyond their position Connect with Patricia Fripp Website Fripp VT

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! With artificial intelligence and new technology reshaping manufacturing, leaders are being pushed to think differently — and that's where this conversation comes in. In this episode, I'm joined by San Francisco–based executive coach Michael Neuendorff, president of Bay Area Executive Coach, to explore how manufacturing leaders can strengthen collaboration, shift their mindset, and ask better questions to unlock creative, actionable solutions. We talk practical ways Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors can learn from other industries, improve communication, and lead with curiosity as change 00:30 – "Seek to understand, then to be understood." – Stephen Covey 2:48 – To stay curious in the workplace, adopt a "student's mind" 3:09 – Even if it's your tenth or twentieth year on the job, there is still something you can learn today 3:27 – As long as you stay curious, you can learn from anyone—even someone who you previously thought you couldn't learn anything from 4:29 – Due to the rise of AI and other emerging technology, manufacturing could be in for some big and unique changes, and we need to prepare for that 5:40 – If you don't know what didn't work in the past, it's harder to prepare for the future 5:45 – Work with people to find solutions, instead of just telling them what to do 6:13 – If someone is consistently told what to do, they can click off the part of their brain that focuses on understanding and problem-solving 6:58 – By staying curious, we can better work with others to find creative, productive outcomes 7:21 – Ask how you can invest in others 9:23 – If people feel like you believe in them, they're more likely to rise to the occasion 10:18 – To ask questions that foster creativity and collaboration, consider your audience – are you talking to your peers at a leadership level, or someone a few levels below you? 11:14 – Be open to new and different perspectives 12:59 – Look back at your last 30 days. How have you tackled problems? What can you do differently in the next 30 days? 13:56 – When talking to others or setting meetings, consider the time of day. For example, some people may be at their best in the mornings when they're feeling fresh and energized 20:55 – Believe in the power of collective idea generation 21:53 – By building stronger relationships, you can build more trust and engagement levels will increase Connect with Michael Neuendorff: Website for executive coaching Website for executive coach training LinkedIn

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In this episode, CEO Josh Levin joins the podcast to share how manufacturing and construction leaders can put culture first while still driving performance. We talk manufacturing leadership, accountability, trust building, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Josh breaks down how passion, clear expectations, and people-first leadership create stronger engagement and a workplace where teams actually want to show up. You will walk away with practical ideas to strengthen culture, improve communication skills, and build momentum through accountability on the shop floor. 0:37 – In some organizations, people are treated like batteries, which can be easily used and quickly replaced 2:04 – How can we shift our mindsets to focus on people over profit? 2:40 – If your team members don't feel valued, they aren't going to show up and do their best work 4:30 – Your employees, their needs, and their lives outside of work should matter to you as a leader 5:37 – Regular, thoughtful employee evaluations are a great way to show effort and retain employees 6:46 – Being the leader doesn't mean you have to be the voice or face of the entire organization 9:17 – Even if your business has a great brand, you can't thrive unless you have good culture 13:26 – Accountability and honest dialogue are an important part of building trust and relationships 14:45 – To improve, study the behavior of successful people—and pay attention to the behavior of non-successful people, too 20:18 – Remember that employees may have motives for showing up beyond simply loving your company, like needing to support their families 22:48 – As a leader, keep your "passion tank" filled 26:00 – Invest in your employees, especially those who are willing to put in the work 25:55 – "There's never a traffic jam on the extra mile." 28:10 – Someone's past doesn't have to dictate their future Connect with Josh Levin: To learn more about Empowered Electric, visit their website.

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Welcome to part two of my conversation with Ziggy Blondeel and long time team member Ronny Ledoux, as they continue sharing lessons from years of working together at Blondeel Nursery. In this episode, we explore manufacturing leadership, trust building, communication skills, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Ziggy and Ronny break down how they built lasting respect, handled conflict with calmness, and maintained strong employee relationships over time. You will hear practical insights on authentic leadership, difficult conversations, and creating a workplace culture where people feel valued and motivated to do their best work. 3:14 – Think about the whole team when making big decisions 3:42 – When your treat your employees with trust and respect, they will treat you in the same way 6:22 – Leaders can create workplace environments where employees want to do their best possible work 8:00 – When a leader sets a positive example, it rubs off on everyone 10:17 – You get what you give 13:05 – How you make people feel has an impact on how they show up and engage 19:20 – When hiring a new employee, you can usually tell right away if they'll be a good fit or not 20:44 – Make your best attempts to get along with other people, especially your team members

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Great working relationships are built over time through trust, communication, and mutual respect. In this episode, Ziggy Blondeel and Ronny Ledoux share insights on manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, and trust building for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors. Drawing from their 40 plus years working together, they explain how communication skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership help leaders navigate difficult conversations, strengthen accountability, and support workforce retention. You will learn practical strategies for conflict resolution, growth mindset, and relationship building that create manufacturing cultures where people stay connected, committed, and productive. 2:30 – What can leaders do to retain their employees for a long time? 3:25 – Respect plays a big role in building strong relationships 4:30 – In times of disagreement, look for common ground 8:40 – It's important to think about long-term resolutions when settling disagreements 10:50 – Leaders can learn more about their employees by doing the work – to find out the problem, you have to be on the job 13:45 – There are ways to express emotions and handle conflict without losing your temper or tearing other people down 15:54 – Learn the difference between disagreement and disrespect 17:50 – Don't be afraid to take time to pause when needed to handle a conflict 22:23 – Take care of your people and you'll build productive, respectful relationships

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! During a recent visit to Kearney, Nebraska, I noticed something different — every staff member, from housekeeping to the front desk, showed up with energy, pride, and genuine care. That experience led to a conversation with owner Paul Younes about what it really takes to build strong employee relationships and create a workplace where people feel valued. In this episode, we explore what manufacturing leaders can learn from hospitality — including how treating employees like family drives engagement, trust, and performance. Paul shares practical insights on creating a supportive culture, and why when your team is happy, customers and clients feel it too. 3:18 – To cut down on retention issue, create a great environment for your employees 4:20 – You're only as good as your employees 5:25 – Without great team members, a leader can't thrive and succeed 7:00 – It's important to use empathy and understand that all employees have different needs 10:29 – It's simple: respect others and they will respect you 11:50 – In both manufacturing and hospitality, a little connection can go a long way 13:30 – Opportunities for career advancement help to draw in new employees, especially young employees 15:25 – Take care of "your people" in the best way you can Connect with Younes Hospitality: Website Careers

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Manufacturing leadership often feels like being stretched to the limit. But pressure does not have to lead to burnout. It can build resilience. In this episode, Kathy Parry, corporate energy expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, resilience, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors. Kathy explains how emotional intelligence, communication skills, and growth mindset help leaders manage stress and strengthen trust building. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, accountability, and workforce retention that support productivity and create manufacturing cultures where teams bounce back, adapt, and perform under pressure. 2:32 – Knowing how people are going to react in different situations can make for great team building 3:04 – Differences in reactions can be handled through honest and efficient communications 6:32 – If emotions are trivialized or not respected, it can lead to retention and motivation issues 7:16 – Lack of emotional support in the workplace often leads to mental health issues or problems outside of work 11:02 – To create productive conversations, you may have to reframe things 12:47 – When needed, it's okay to take a step back. Pauses have power! 13:07 – If there's an issue, taken time to process and reframe instead of steamrolling ahead 17:17 – When people are overly emotional or don't take a pause, it leads to low productivity and safety issues 19:46 – In times of "stretch" and challenges, there are opportunities for growth and energy 23:10 – Sometimes, tension can create energy Connect with Kathy Parry: Website

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! You probably know the golden rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. But what does that have to do with manufacturing? A lot. In this episode, public speaker Thom Singer joins the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, empathy, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We explore how communication skills, curiosity in leadership, and trust building help leaders strengthen relationships, foster collaboration, and turn employees into true ambassadors for their organization. Thom also shares practical insights on consistency, growth mindset, and why staying curious about what your team is experiencing improves engagement, culture, and long term performance. 7:03 – Your employees are your company's great ambassadors 7:24 – When people feel connected at work, they are more likely to stay with your company and will be more productive 10:57 – High competition can make you a better leader 11:45 – If your employees are on platforms like LinkedIn, it's a chance for them to highlight the strengths of your company 12:45 – Oftentimes, employees leave jobs or being job searching on platforms liked LinkedIn because they don't see opportunities for growth or because they don't feel fulfilled or challenged 14:00 – Friendships and connections are a key part of making employees feel fulfilled at work 15:33 – Some companies worry that if they offer personal or career development, their employees will gain skills they can use to leave the company, but you can combat this by finding them growth and opportunities within your own company 16:06 – The best leaders want their employees to grow into their best selves 17:43 – Sometimes, it may be best for an employee to seek work elsewhere and it's important to make sure they still stay good things about your company once they're gone 18:58 – If you help an employee find a better opportunity, it reflects well on you and your values 25:15 – Don't be afraid of your employees making connections outside of the company 26:17 – Through sharing and collaborating, you have many chances to learn and grow through the feedback of others 28:01 – You want diversity of thought, not an echo chamber Connect with Thom Singer: Website Email

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Sometimes a chance meeting leads to powerful conversations. After a random breakfast with W. Kevin Ward of WKW Consulting Services, I invited him onto the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Kevin shares practical steps for getting off autopilot, seeking wisdom, and reconnecting to vision and core values. We also discuss how intentional leadership, clear communication skills, and strategic thinking help improve morale, strengthen culture, and drive better results on the shop floor. 2:40 – Growing wise is the attention process 4:35 – We all tend to operate on "autopilot" 6:36 – Any role where you're teaching and influencing others is a leadership role 10:09 – It's all about finding a healthy level for yourself and taking intentional steps to manage yourself 10:49 – A big part of being a leader is leading by example 11:55 – The biggest challenge of being a leader can be listening to your own lessons and applying them 13:22 – If something goes wrong with your team, the first step is looking at yourself 16:00 – One big reason people feel like they're on autopilot is that they haven't given good consideration to their own vision 17:50 – Your vision should be a driving force in your life 18:39 – Once you find your vision, communicate it and surround yourself with people with a similar vision 19:34 – If it's something you can do yourself, it's not a vision! 20:04 – What's the difference between a vision and a goal? 20:53 – The pursuit of vision is rarely a straight line 24:56 – If you express your vision well, others will want to be involved 27:28 – A core value is something that you cannot be talked out of 27:56 – There's a need for more love and care in high-stress industries like manufacturing 29:03 – The beauty of wisdom is that when you see it, you gain many other things as a result Connect with Kevin: Website LinkedIn

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Welcome to part two with John Raymer, a longtime manufacturing leader who now helps others revitalize their leadership and careers. In this episode, John dives into integrity, empathy, and challenge, and how Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors can strengthen these traits to improve manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and team morale. We talk about why integrity builds trust, how empathy shapes authentic leadership, and why leaders must invite honest feedback. John also shares practical insights on growth mindset, accountability, and how showing genuine care directly impacts engagement, efficiency, and performance on the shop floor. 12:18 – To be effective, invest in your relationships with people 18:17 – You never know what trials other people are going through 19:40 – Even if you do care, your empathy might not always show up through your behavior 23:00 – The final characteristic of great leaders is "challenge" 24:00 – Leaders who act tired, defeated, or like they're not fully on board aren't inspiring 24:39 – If employees don't feel engaged or challenged, they will not step up in their role

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! People see who you are, even when you don't. In this episode, John Raymer, longtime manufacturing leader and former Toyota Motor Manufacturing professional, joins the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, humility, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. In part one of this two-part conversation, John shares how teams learn everything from their leaders, both good and bad, and why practicing humility helps improve communication skills, build trust, and make employees feel valued. We explore how emotional intelligence, accountability, and growth mindset directly impact culture, engagement, and performance on the shop floor. 0:43 – "Serve the person you once were." 1:00 – How your land with other people don't always match your intentions 2:18 – There has never been a time where manufacturing leadership is more important than it is today 3:41 – Without people skilled in manufacturing and others trades, we're at risk of our whole economic engine fall apart 5:03 – True efficiency requires great leadership 5:59 – To find out why you organization is the way it is, look closely at yourself 6:17 – People learn everything, both good and bad, for leaders in their organization 8:40 – If someone is performing poorly, their leadership and who trained them is a big factor 9:00 – The people you're in charge of will only perform as well as they see you performing 10:45 – People perceive who you really are, even when you don't see it yourself 10:53: What's the different between mistakes and lessons? 12:08 – Change to the whole organization comes from the top 14:43 – When people feel like their contributions aren't valued, they're more likely to leave the organization 15:17 – Humility is an important foundational skill for leaders 16:06 – "Problem employees" can often be the ones with the most valuable insights 17:35 - The biggest mistake that a leader can make is to run over, talk over, or dismiss the opinions of those that work for you. 20:34 – Apologies and humility go a long way 22:44 – Most people remember the best leaders in their lives and the very poor ones, but not the ones in-between 24:59 – When you own your mistakes, people respect it

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Even with ongoing labor shortages, women in manufacturing remain a largely untapped workforce. In this episode, executive coach Nicole Provonchee from Bright Blue Consulting joins the podcast to discuss manufacturing leadership, workforce development, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Nicole breaks down common barriers women and other minorities face on the shop floor and shares practical strategies leaders can use to shift mindset, improve communication skills, and strengthen inclusion. You will learn how curiosity, trust building, and intentional leadership can help cultivate female leadership while supporting engagement, retention, and long term team performance. 2:54 – A lack of flexibility is a big challenge facing female manufacturing employees 3:58 – We need to address how we can help people live the lives they have while still flourishing in the workplace 6:19 – Workplace environments need to be accommodating for women and other primary caregivers 7:25 – By starting dialogues with their female employees about issues like flexibility, workplaces can reach the most productive outcomes 9:11 – Employees also need to have a level of accountability in order to create an open dialogue 12:58 – How can we lead differently to get more women into leadership positions in manufacturing? 13:81 – Even in female-dominated fields like healthcare, women and other minorities struggle to move up to leadership roles 14:54 – The best way to get women into leadership roles is to recruit them early 15:11 – Women can become better self-advocates and articulate what they need from their workplace 16:44- Generally, women only apply for jobs when they're between 60% to 80% confident they will get the position 17:55 – People in leadership positions can encourage women to apply for higher-up jobs 19:25 – Women often hold themselves back out of the misguided belief that they must be experts before they can move forward to a higher role 20:49 – To invest in female leaders, companies should look at their recruitment tactics 22:22 – Cultural systemic change must also take place over time Contact Nicole: Bright Blue Consulting Email LinkedIn

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! What's the secret to retaining talent and building a healthy manufacturing culture? According to Jon Finch, Senior Vice President at Milwaukee Tool, it starts with giving back. In this episode, Jon joins the podcast to share insights on manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We talk about building strong company values, delivering on mission, and creating opportunities for employees to contribute beyond the shop floor. Jon also shares how workforce shortages, changing talent expectations, and compensation pressure are forcing leaders to rethink retention strategies, communication skills, and culture to sustain productivity and long term performance. 7:09 – Get people rallied around a purpose, value, and mission 8:57 – Every business has a "why" statement and something that really matters to them 9:37 – Test and try your ideas and know that it won't be perfect the first time 10:15 – Values are particularly important to Gen Z Employees 13:32 – Find a way to give people who are connected and interested a way to help give back 14:36 – People like to be associated with organizations with positive values 17:41 – Give your employees and leadership a chance to connect to something that really matters 18:59 – Employees who feel like they've had a chance to give back will provide additionally efforts and have greater engagement 19:24 – By treating employees holistically, we see great thing happen and that's why flexibility and perspective are so important 20:29 – When you give to others, it grows your own mindset 22:45 – It's all about delivering stories that everyone wants to be a part of 26:04 – The team that you have at the beginning of the process is a good indicator of how the entire organization will look 27:04 – You can't figure out a company's culture just from an interview 29:12 – It's important for employees to search for accountability 32:37 – Through engagement, you'll see value Contact Jon: Linkedin Milwaukee Tool Careers at Milwaukee Tool

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Is it really okay to lose it sometimes, or are we just making excuses? In this episode, Sara Westrook joins the podcast to talk manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We go deep on owning your behavior, building communication skills, and treating emotions as a leadership skill. Sara shares practical strategies to shift mindset, strengthen self awareness, and show up with authenticity so you can improve trust, engagement, and performance on the shop floor. 1:45 – Leave your emotions at the door like a backpack, NO they are still coming in with you, so how do you move with and through them in a healthy way 3:02 – Do not want to make an emotionally based decision, can lead to regret 4:15 – Allowed to sit with that emotion, not going from emotion to choice, allow it to have room, move with and through, and have your own character based choice, bounce back and move forward 6:13 - emotional awareness, emotional management, and ultimately emotional resilience 8:00 – teams want to be emotionally intelligent, yet they do not know how, like going to the gym, how do you build those muscles? Not by watching videos, by putting things into action, habits 10:57 – first exercise has the end in mind, what's the circumstance, or what are circumstances that you feel hold you back or really trigger you, and what emotion comes out of you 13:08-learn to think and act beyond emotion to honour that the emotions there, but to start to use the emotion as information and even motivation 16:08-how we engage other people matters, the art of communication and that takes being very emotionally aware 19:15-why are emotions sometimes hard to talk about, you could have one group of people say well they're hard to talk about because I feel like i'll be seen as weak and another because of being seen as dramatic 20:13-self care starts to take a big plummet it also can decrease company morale you know just keep shoving emotions down pretending they're not their 20:30-breaking down the boxes, shifting a greater role for women in manufacturing 24:12-when you can start to see emotions is information your brain now knows that oh it's something that I can do something with it doesn't completely have to overwhelm me 26:40-sometimes you have to lean into that discomfort 27:05-doesn't mean you're an anxious person, it means you're a person that's experiencing the emotion of anxious and that's uncomfortable and awkward but it's part of the journey 28:48-emotions are a reason for a behaviour, not an excuse 30:00-Sara's company 3E Emotional Development is about really honing in skills on emotional awareness, emotional management and emotional resilience Connect with her here; Instagram: @iamsarawestbrook Twitter: twitter.com/SaraWestbrook LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/sarawestbrook YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Asvqps

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! What happens when you put others first, work hard, and become a true bridge builder? You build a legacy. In this episode, LaVerne Roberts shares her journey to becoming a Director of Operations in a traditionally male dominated manufacturing environment. We explore manufacturing leadership, authentic leadership, growth mindset, and resilience for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. LaVerne reflects on decades of research and development success, the leadership mindset that fueled her progression, and how trust building, communication skills, and accountability shaped her impact. You will walk away with practical insights on leading with confidence, strengthening culture, and paving the way for the next generation in manufacturing. 3:20 – building a network, not even realizing I was doing it, relationships 5:05 – any doubts came from within, Vice President support and getting surrounded by great people 7:00 – you must work hard, learning the fundamentals not so much the leadership skill, like going to school 8:05 – not asking for help, self imposter syndrome(for more science on this, check out Adam Grant's book Think Again) 10:00 – self-doubt more common, men verses woman may be different 12:00 – one on one coaching, identified my leadership style flexes from leading from behind and leading at the front 13:00 –leading from behind suggesting to the team, supporting them 13:55 – in the beginning, you may need to lead from the front, create the vision, help the team see what we wanted to look like 15:30 – Jim Collins, Good to Great, I or we, how LaVerne allows the team to take direction 16:30 – do more with the kernel, how it is received, will determine the next steps 17:54 – husband Scott says LaVerne is a bridge builder, not for LaVerne, for the excitement of what is going to happen when the connection is made 19:10 – when people can see you are not in it for yourself, people ask more questions about you 20:20 – finding the sweet spot-on building trust, finding the common ground, something we connect with 21:55 – you also must be a good listener, you can with enough ambition and desire achieve great things, and chart your journey, we are a lot stronger and smarter than we think

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Not all family businesses successfully transition from one generation to the next, so what makes the difference? In this episode, Troy Corrigan joins the podcast to share lessons on manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Troy talks about the personal adjustments he and his brother had to make to succeed through their team, why accountability and communication skills matter, and how being connected to something bigger than your own business strengthens culture, trust building, and long term performance. 3:20 – the foundation of Corrigan Electric and how it all started, from college to the 4-year apprenticeship program, and decided to get involved in IEC leadership 6:25 – electricians are hands on, and young people can come out debt free, and make great money. Need for the industry is here to stay, look at electric vehicles 9:20 – need to be creative to keep employees 11:25 – cannot throw money to keep people, it is about the personalities, where do you want to be regarding culture 13:02 – they must know you care, by asking questions and being involved with them, open door process and be part of the team. What can we do to help? 14:35 – remind us of what we were taught, recognize when someone needs support, and what action may come out of that conversation. What's going on? Bottled up or blow up. 17:00 – we are all working on how we show up, we are all human. Not just for me, it is for my team that I need to work on myself, learning skills in Leading with Emotional Intelligence 19:02 – conversations create a different experience and that creates culture 19:30 – love the discussions with staff, you always learn something about the person 20:02 – getting aligned with brother and partner Shawn, game changer 21:15 – we must be able to take the feedback from each other, having conversations to call each other out, better result for the team be the role model 21:35 – Trevor personal example of still missing signs, and the power of having someone to call you out 23:45 - gotta invest and take the time and you will have the outcome, and act on what you are learning or being reminded of. Helped me learn and listen. You probably don't think you need it. 25:15 – stay in the zone, practice what you preach, and realize we all make mistakes Learn more about Corrigan Electric here https://www.corriganelectric.com

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Like me, Joel Davis grew up on a farm, starting his business as a small project at 17 and growing it into a multi-division family company in South Carolina with over 100 employees. In this episode, Joel joins the podcast to share lessons on manufacturing leadership, authentic leadership, and growth mindset for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We talk about how putting people first, investing in community, and building trust drives real results. Joel shares practical insights on accountability, communication skills, and culture, and why strong relationships are not just the foundation of his company, they are the outcome. 2:05 – spending more time with your people than you do your family, and when you look forward to helping your people personally and professionally, it no longer feels like a job 4:30 – sometimes things evolve on their own, neighbour to neighbour 5:10 – changed 10 years ago our mission, from providing quality construction service, to wanting to have a positive influence, insight from John Maxwell – 15 invaluable laws of growth 6:10 – challenges turn into growth opportunities, with turnover less than 5% extremely low for the industry, care for the employees! Not the highest paid, but fair, honest, and enjoyable to be around 8:30 – life is too short to put on a show, what transparency looks like in an owner 10:00 - start the morning with a devotional, keep the big thing the big thing 11:00 – Values, respect, innovation, safety, and ethics RISE 11:50 – Hard to find employees like ours – ask Chick-fil-A – Stopped focusing on the resume and skills, and now hire people that want to be part of a team and the right culture fit 14:35 – Referrals from employees still number one, and encourage team members to share and use social media 16:15 – When you are engaged you can grow – Challenge is not getting the business, getting more great people- watch the video focused on their employees the video is real 18:05 – Whole lot easier to be yourself, what is the impact you are having on other people. To break down the walls, you must be open yourself 19:10 – have a positive impact on as many people as we can 19:30 – can deal with mistakes, not a lack of integrity 21:01 - on-boarding new employees is like your relationship with your wife, create opportunities for fellowship and personal interactions to build relationships 22:30 – Community dedication started from the Bible, keeps the mindset of doing for others 24:46 – What do you want your tombstone to say between the dates? What do you want to be remembered by? Joel's website https://jdavisgc.com/#about-3 Watch the great video on Joel's culture! https://jdavisinc.com/culture/

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Two years in, and this podcast is still going strong thanks to you. No sponsors. Just curiosity, courage, and a shared commitment to better manufacturing leadership. In this solo episode, I reflect on what we've learned together and what Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors need to think differently about moving forward. We cover manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, communication skills, and authentic leadership, plus why staying curious, strengthening accountability, and having deeper conversations are essential for improving team performance, engagement, and results as we head into a new year.

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In manufacturing, we spend plenty of time planning capital budgets and assembly lines. In this episode, we shift the focus to something just as powerful: social capital. Vivian Blade joins the podcast to talk manufacturing leadership, trust building, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. With a background in Lean Six Sigma and talent development, Vivian shares why relationships matter more than ever, how values-driven leadership impacts retention, and why today's workforce is searching for organizations that truly align with who they are. You will walk away with practical insights on communication skills, engagement, and building influence that drives long term team performance. 3:53 - Old way of thinking with command and control, do as I say. 4:29 – People want to be more involved in their workplace, making decisions and contributing in valuable ways. 4:59 - Leading with influence and engaging people, rather than leading by dictating and telling people what to do. 7:56 – Giving people leeway and coaching them through. 9:59 – Leading as a coach and guide at a level of influence. 12:39 – Think about how you can selflessly add value to others. 16:06 – How are people being measured and are your measuring outcomes as a team or individuals. 18:29 – What are you measuring, are you measuring individual goals or the collective effort. it is truly having on your organization, and the health and well-being of your people.24:59- How do we turn this ship around from a people standpoint, which is your most important asset. 26:52 – What people want today is the authenticity from leaders. Connect with Vivian! https://vivianblade.com https://InfluenceWithScale.com https://ResilienceReady.today LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianblade/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/VivianBlade Influence in Talent Development on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mC8z4B Resilience Ready: The Leader's Guide to Thriving Through Unrelenting Crises on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3s4pSvC

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In this episode, Jim joins the podcast to talk manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and growth mindset for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Jim helped get Mindfulness Manufacturing up and running as a professional podcast, saving days of frustration and time. We also talk small business strategy, accountability, and why having the right support systems in place matters for productivity, clarity, and long term success. If you're looking to strengthen your leadership presence and simplify how you show up in your business, this conversation delivers. 1:33 - When you look at the economy you have inflation rising, issues with supply chain, it will take a long time to work its way out. 1:51 – People are getting a little nervous, I think that it is at the business level but also at the household level and you can bring it into the office. 3:19 – One of the things that is going to enable any business to succeed is their ability to communicate effectively, it will always come down to that. 3:40 – True leader need to be super cognizant even more than you have been. About what you say and what you hear, because there is going to be a lot of questions and people are nervous. 5:06 – It's ok to raise your hand and say I don't have all the answers right now, but the authenticity, honesty, and integrity that you back it up with will carry the day and help sooth people's nerves. 5:33 - Leaders need to be cognizant to allow people to voice their concerns. 6:07 – The one thing that is going to enable a company regardless of the balance sheet, or the economy is the people. The people in the business are what will make it win or lose. 12:54- What worked in the past I don't believe will work in the next 12 months. 14:28 – Allow people to arrive to the answer and they will have a stake in it. 17:12 - It's ok to be nervous and scared about things, it's ok to have those feeling it's what you do with those feeling that will determine your success or failure. 17:53 – Cultivating advisers outside your normal channels will make all the difference, especially when things get more difficult. 22:22- Making sure your team is diverse is a strength, and the smart companies are the ones that are cognizant of that and are working towards those goals.

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Debbie Muno of Genos International joins the podcast to share insights from 25 years of assessment experience and why retaining today's workforce means getting comfortable with making average uncomfortable. In this episode, we talk manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, emotional intelligence, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Debbie breaks down practical strategies for engaging the people you already have, strengthening communication skills, and building trust so leaders can improve retention, motivation, and team performance on the shop floor. 2:26 The last couple of years have really been a steak in the ground to make life changing decisions. 2:53 What is important in their lives? and how the world of work fits into what is important in their lives. 3:01 Friends that are energized and engaged, has to do with their work and has to do with how they are treated in the workplace. 3:36 Those who do not feel connected are making changes. 3:47 The world of work will never be the same. 5:08 People want to be valued and appreciated and empowered to get their work done. 6:31 It is all about how connected I feel, do I feel appreciated? do I feel valued? and am I engaged in my organization? 8:38 People feel empowered by being able to make choices. 9:19 75% of people leave their job because of their boss. 10:20 We never forget how people make us feel. 12:36 We don't realize the tiny incremental shifts can create massive outcomes. 16:23 If I was totally present in a conversation what difference would it make? 18:16 Putting your phones down as soon as you get into conversation. 20:42 Top performers do their job and carry the weight of low performers and they don't get the acknowledgment. 24:54 Organizations are realizing programs are needed to help enhance well-being and enhance people's ability to become more mindful. 27:09 It is critical to be present and mindful Contact Debbie directly at [email protected] or at https://www.genosnorthamerica.com

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 2:09 Walking in and being judgmental and pointing out all the stuff that is easy, like these guys that are perpetual list makers. 2:55 At Crossover we would not tell you what to do unless we are willing to do it ourselves. 3:32 We are always learning and don't have all the answers but have enough to get started. 3:53 Holding people accountable is all part of the right outcome. 4:12 "How the heck did they get here?" "What's so wrong that here's where we're at?" "Why did the emotion of a situation get so elevated?" 5:39 Make sure we protect the customer and support the employees of that organization. 7:14 Often times we are not given all the tools to be successful at the start, but find the best way to support. 12:52 We look for a way forward that is meaningful for everyone involved. 15:12 The experience and bandwidth to lend that type of help that is truly required. Something Crossover can support with speed and precision. 16:57 It's not necessary to say you know how you are going to help me; "it's why you think you can help me." 18:51 First step is somebody realizing and recognizing that they potentially need help, this is a huge step and it takes courage. 25:11 Authentic self and how you show up today is extremely important. Contact Michael at [email protected] Website xosol.com

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! With over 30 years across multiple manufacturing environments, Michael Forhan has seen organizational transformation at its most intense. In this episode, Michael, President and Managing Partner at Crossover Solutions, joins the podcast to talk manufacturing leadership, resilience in manufacturing, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We dig into staying mindful during supplier interventions and crisis moments of potential shutdown, plus how communication skills, emotional intelligence, and growth mindset help leaders navigate pressure while protecting team performance and morale. The conversation was so good, we split it into two episodes. 2:24 How do you mentor? How do you walk into situations under the gun? 2:57 Thoughtful and respectful of what is going on, and bringing sense of calmness, understanding and listening. 3:40 Benchmark of what performance should be and measure the performance, listen to how the company got to where they are is just as important. 5:09 Being calm and provide clarity to situation and how to work our way out of situation. 5:59 Walking in with a sense of listening to understand and rational what is going on, with standard of expectation off data. 7:03 Temperatures do get high particularly when put in by client, supplier has more anxiety. 7:28 Why 3rd party put in by OEM to understand actual risk and help figure out our way out. 11:25 Tornado ripped through plant and ripped the roof off, but we still needed to build parts. 11:59 We are there to help and not criticize, use helpful approach and getting thing calm and cool to temperature, rolling our sleeves up to help and not using a hammer. 15:16 What do we know for sure? Let's ground each other. 15:32 Can you trust someone that does not care about you? How do you build that trust? 22:25 Rebuild relationship and trust between client and supplier. Contact Michael at [email protected] Website xosol.com

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Raw, Real, and Relevant with Trevor & Dave 00:00 – Introduction 00:30 – Enjoy the moment and enjoy the new things; Dave Baker will be moving on 01:39 – 3 things known to be true 02:50 – Always be raw, real, and relevant and the rest will take care of itself 03:30 – Editing and Clean up – keeping it real 06:00 – Polished vs. Real 06:33 – Raw defined 07:14 – Real defined 08:56 – Relevant defined 09:50 – Overdoing it 13:28 – When others see you as raw, real, and relevant 14:50 – When you go home are you a different person? 18:15 – A platform for living with no regrets 20:00 – Being at peace in being who you are 21:25 – Keeping it all in context - Ecclesiastes 22:53 – A Relevant example 23:56 – Living in Fear 24:57 – Keeping it all in context 27:16 – Maintain your sense of humor 29:28 – Mindfulness in manufacturing 30:17 – Closing 30:54 - End

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! If you haven't listened to episode 44, head back and catch my first conversation with Nikki Langman. In this episode, Nikki returns to talk about stress in manufacturing and how leaders can build resilience by reconnecting to their core values and checking in with themselves. We explore manufacturing leadership, resilience in manufacturing, growth mindset, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Nikki shares practical strategies to strengthen emotional intelligence, improve communication skills, and support both short term and long term workforce stability while navigating pressure on the shop floor. 1:17 What are the core values in the business, that we're going to stick to no matter what? 1:40: When push comes to shove at the end of the day, there are decisions that we look back on and think, was I was true to who I am or I did I go against my core values 2:39 Self awareness and core values are two of the most pressing topics that any industry needs to be talking about 3:09 Leave your personal ideas at the door and put on your armor, no way! 4:55 My history of being a recovering alcoholic, and this is something that I never brought into the workplace until a few years ago 6:49 I think that's the heart of self-awareness and core values really lies is in our ability to be honest with ourselves 7:43 We are struggling with external pressure and our internal ways of coping with it and our ability to be honest with ourselves 9:27 There are things that we can do in the short term to relieve the pressures we're feeling 10:35 Might be starting to feel untenable with our employees or even desire to want to be a part of that company 11:05 Look at the person in the mirror and just be have an honest chat to say all right, gloves off, and be honest with yourself 12:45 What does okay look like to you? Why are we tempted to use this bland word, ok, when we know that having a strong emotional vocabulary is one of the keys to emotional self 19:21 If people start seeing the results of your behaviors, then that is either going drive you deeper into that behavior or it's going to be a wake-up call for you 27:18 Can you help me understand the impact I have had on you and how we can move forward and assist each other to be more present?

Mindful Employment: Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water with Trevor & Dave #45 ______________________________________________ Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:00 - Intro 00:28 – Mindfulness relative to the employment challenges today 02:07 – The "shortage 03:35 – We just need warm bodies 05:08 – The pressure on incumbents to feel valued 06:00 – Values and retaining your culture 06:41 – 6 X 12 workweek and its impact 08:18 – Are we driving our workforce away? 09:12 – Making mindful decisions as an employee and employer 10:56 – Intentionality 10:15 – "If you can label it, you can tame it" 10:50 – Turnover rationale 12:02 – Loving you workforce and why the relationship is sustained 13:48 – Go flip hamburgers somewhere. Really? 14:45 – Leaders' mindfulness messaging and alignment 15:15 – The huge disconnect 16:00 – The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know 17:06 – The employment equation 17:47 – A Mindful word for the Employee 19:46 – A Mindful word for the Employer 22:20 – It's time for us to talk about this 23:28 – Closing 24:00 - End

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:00 - Intro 00:28 – Nikki Langman intro 00:51 – Emotional Intelligence and Safety in manufacturing 03:29 – Safety: the common denominator 03:57 – Safety is a 'safe' word – emotional intelligence not so much 05:03 – Taking 'emotion' out of the mix 06:02 – Psychological Safety training 07:48 – Results: 86% LTI(Lost Time Injury) reduction! 09:12 – Talking about trust, communication, accountability people make better choices 10:00 – Emotional Intelligence training can save lives 10:15 – The Genos Emotional Intelligence model 11:00 – The most impactful: Self-Awareness and Self-Management 13:50 – Opportunities for compromises. Really? 15:19 – The Leader's overall presence and empowerment 17:03 – Managing emotions for a positive outcome 18:25 – A story of Shawn's journey and realization – a life-changing impact 20:43 – You just don't know what others are going through – ever 21:46 – Awareness of those around 22:06 – We cannot inspire others if we can't inspire ourselves 23:06 – Becoming more self-aware 24:10 – The Wet Bathing Suit feeling 26:30 – What's the trick to getting out of it as soon as you can? It's time to Pause. 27:21 – Discomfort? An invitation to Pause. 29:04 – Tough conversations 29:50 – Closing 30:22 - End

Show Notes: Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:28 – If you're going to coach others, you may want to look this guy up – Andrew Neitlich! 01:50 – Coaching: a term used rather flippantly 02:47 – What Coaching Is and what it's Not 06:36 – When to Coach and when not to 08:02 – The most powerful technique to apply in real life 09:11 – The 1, 2, 3 Punch 11:00 – Accountability and powerful Coaching – an example 13:49 – Understanding and being mindful of what's truly going on 14:43 – Ending a conversation with accountability with new actions 15:58 – "I don't have time to Coach others" 17:19 – Being Mindful of where you are in the conversation 18:22 – Sick and tired of being sick and tired – there is a better way 20:22 – Coaching is imperative to being a great leader 22:02 – Getting a lot more by making a small investment now 23:35 – How do you know when they get it – "I can't believe it!" 24:47 – Today YOU can do this… it's a game-changer 27:20 – Labeling it as a Coaching Conversation 29:38 – The secret is out now 30:14 - Conclusion 31:10 – Outro Contact Andrew Neitlich: [email protected] Center for Executive Coaching: https://centerforexecutivecoaching.com/ Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewneitlich-executivecoachcertification/ Get your Complimentary 46-page ebook "The Three Keys to Success for Coaching Executives, Leaders, Managers, Up-and-Coming Talent, and Business Owners." https://centerforexecutivecoaching.com/#:~:text=Get%20your%20Complimentary,and%20Business%20Owners.%E2%80%9D

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Hey, I have something to tell you, but don't tell anyone! That makes me question whether I can trust you moving forward. Joe Johnson introduction Being Mindful of your Actions in what you Say and Do. Letting someone know of what's to come. Why share it? Why now? What will be gained? What are the risks and burdens you put on others by sharing what you know? Transparency and truthfulness vs. letting the cat out of the bag. Who is it about? You OR them? Keeping those lips sealed When do you have the license to share information? That's for those that need to know – and you're not one of them. Kind? Perhaps more than you know. We lean in and want to be friends, but now it's a burden to contain it within Respect for each other in honoring known information. Confiding in others can result in feeding the rumor mill. A serious risk in eroding trust Hey! Why don't you tell me? Here's why… and thanks for sparing me the angst. When we're in the know, sometimes our Pride wants others to know we're in the know. When you forget you're operating with 'confidential' information you are compromising everything Leaders take the burden! What are the motivations for sharing? Mindfulness advice on when/what to share. What's to be Gained vs. what's the Risk. Considering the impact on trust Is there a back door to 'your safe'? Check your Pride. Keeping front of mind and what's important. Self-awareness: being empathetic, authentic, and just smile It's a battle of the mind – is it really about "the people"? Mastered it or learned from it. A dose of humility. How do you build trust if you can't share the message?

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Show Notes: 00:05 – Get out of your own way 01:30 – Ryan Forte – Jefferson Metal Products 03:28 – You can't do it by yourself 04:01 – When it's time to engage others and break the pattern of what you've always done 05:52 – That critical moment where there was a turning point 06:30 – Wow! Everything looks great, the way I wanted it 07:00 – 360 feedback – what an eye-opener 09:30 – What would have come up in that 360?! 10:30 – Mindfulness manufacturing at it's best 12:35 – If you always do what you've always done, you get what you always got 13:20 – What are you doing differently 14:00 – Consciously setting expectations 15:20 – How you show up 16:50 – The burning question on behalf of listeners 19:00 – Stress is contagious 20:50 – Holding up the fist – a symbol for the brain; it's time to curb it 22:05 – A license to call you out 24:03 – We're good, but we want to be great; so who does the heavy lifting 25:20 – Listen to your people, provide reasonable expectations and the tools 26:37 – Joy: this is what it looks and sounds like 28:28 – It's raw, the real deal - what you see is what you get

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Intro 00:06 - Are you giving more than you're receiving? 01:23 – Adding value; a real-life story – Michelle with Grizzly Country Wildlife Adventures 03:50 – Welcome Bob Burg – finding ways to add value and create change https://burg.com/ 05:00 – A story of Go-Giving: excellence, knowledge-base, needs, do you care, consistency, consider others as a human being, empathetic, conscience of fears, gratitude, 07:35 – The Go-Getter vs. Go-Giver vs. 'a Go-Taker' 11:39 – When they call, you know instantly whether they are a Giver or Taker 12:32 – Human nature, we deal in truths and work successfully within those truths 13:04 – Getting stuck in our own silos and where leadership comes into play 15:35 – How would a leader know they are effectively self-aware. Being Aware of not being self-aware. 16:31 – Our ability to receive and the Law of Receptivity 18:00 – An Unconscious Operating System and the messages we receive 18:50 – Our relationship with money and prosperity 20:00 – Most wealthy people have achieved it by providing a product or service that others have willingly bought and is not inherently bad despite a tendency to think otherwise. Why? 23:08 – Giving: providing value and living within one's values 25:19 – If you want to thrive, you have to help a lot of people 28:38 – The Go-Giver Success Alliance Community; taking it to the next level https://gogiversuccessalliance.com/ Close

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! :40 - Sara Blakely - greatest lesson in life is working in Sales when she spoke to Simon Sinek 3:30 - We did not call it emotional intelligence, Jeff Summers shares his experience of buying a Cutlass Supreme in 1983 - Authenticity 7:35 - Vulnerability, being humble when you need to get a weld fixed and spend the time before building a relationship 8:10 - Difference between the good ol boys club and a real relationship - transparency 9:50 - The superstar in sales they did not want to benchmark - Jeff explains the internal damage 12:25 - Have the ability to reflect - the infinite game 14:00 - Short term results do not build a legacy 15:00 - Always be closing? 17:00 - Lacking the ability to empower others, you do not need to do it all on your own, authenticity realizing you can get more done through others 19:16 - Showing up as your real self - Jeff's bloody nose and how being open drew a connection and success in speaking 24:30 - take the mask off 25:30 - Jeff uses a story that includes the Minnesota Vikings, and story with the Purple People Eaters is a good one - how to relate in sales 28:38 - It is not what you know about features and benefits, it is what you can get to know about that person and where they are coming from.

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Marilyn Monroe said it best: fear is stupid. So are regrets. In this episode, we explore manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and resilience in manufacturing for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We talk about how leaders get caught in their own fears, how the environment has fueled stress and uncertainty, and why emotional intelligence, communication skills, and authentic leadership matter more than ever. You'll walk away with practical insights on staying curious, owning your mindset, and showing up with confidence to improve engagement, morale, and performance on the shop floor. 1:30 - Getting caught in our own fears, and how the environment fuels it over the last 18 months. 2:50 - The 4 fears - loss, failure, rejection, and the unknown 5:00 - Dave talks about the fear of a new plant manager! 9:30 - Taking the armor off, turn the tables with a different approach 12:00 - Like riding a bike or a new leader in an organization 13:30 - Pull over and reflect, self-awareness looking at yourself, conversations can create more stress than reality 17:00 - Step out and watch the traffic, so the fire in your hair does not take you over 19:00 - Trevor talks about focus on himself early in his career, fueled by fear of insecurities 21:00 - New Testament - Love is when you benefit your neighbor 22:30 - We are not alone, we all have fear, in this together, be who you are in being present 23:00 - Mark Twain - I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened

00:00:03.510 --> 00:00:51.510 Trevor Blondeel: Well Dave I was about to start a training session a couple of days ago, and with a group of manufacturing leaders and we're talking about the aware leader I'm all pumped up. And I got a call from my son about 15 minutes before he's 22 and he's going through some major challenges that I can't all explain here, but I can tell you, as a dad, I was shaken up, and it was difficult for me and my mindset to kind of get back on track. A lot of that comes down to just that resilience and what we practice ahead of time, but it was still hard and you Dave had had something in your life to change your mindset this week and tell us a little bit about that. 00:00:52.050 --> 00:02:30.000 Dave Baker: yeah, well you know I tell you. there's you know our guest today provided us this great quote which has helped me check this out mindset drives and shapes all that we do, how we engage with others and how we behave. In every moment and every situation and it's from the Arbinger Institute, and I saw that and read that, in the wake of having to put my best buddy down - man's best friend. On Monday, just a couple of days ago, and you talk about a heartbreaker it absolutely tore me up and quite honestly, it's not easy to talk about but. I have been doing my best, thus, far to just hold it together and that's, all I can do, but you're you know it's all about mindset and my mindset in this grieving process of losing him. It's has been ebb and flow in the days that you know, since it's transpired and where I keep you know I fight self-pity, anger, restlessness you know just woe is me and what am I going to do it says, you know my if I don't check my mindset man, we go in dark places and I know you can't move forward, and I've found myself stuck and it's like check your mindset they where's your head at where is your head and 00:02:30.330 --> 00:03:23.610 Dave Baker: So, know just in time we've got Jacob Knight, our guest with us today, Jacob is all about mindset and we're so excited to have Jacob with us today, he's the manager he's a leader at FC in the Florence South Carolina area he's he owns Jacob Knight, and he runs Straight Talk on LinkedIn, which is fantastic. It's a community of like-minded folks to sharing thoughts and inspiration so Jacob welcome and man, we can't wait to hear and learn how mindset has impacted you and your career and your personal life so let's jump in man, I mean tell us about this. 00:03:24.150 --> 00:05:00.510 Jacob Knight: yeah, first all day then Trevor, thank you for having me on the show I've listened to several episodes and really enjoyed the content and the material, so thank you for that also sorry to hear about your son Trevor going through some things in his life now and I'll be hoping and praying that it'll strengthen him and helping him in the long run. You know Dave about you about your dog I was like you said man's best friend, I know it's tough and just let me say one thing on that I know you talk about mindset. doesn't always mean that you must pretend like something different happen or something ever happened, you have to do with what happened but deal with it in a positive way that'll get you out of that slump so sorry to hear about that as well. Again, thank you, but the mindset, and whenever you think about mindset, there's a lot of different things that may come to mind. Maybe just how you think about some particularly or to be a small scale or larger scale, but when I think about mindset, I just mean your general frame of mind, you know, whenever you get out of bed. Whenever you look at a task whenever you have an obstacle come your way you know what's the foundation. Of where you're coming from, and I think there are different levels to talk about, but I think at the end of the day, success is driven by having the right kind of mindset, as your foundational steppingstone. 00:05:00.540 --> 00:05:12.360 Dave Baker: So Jacob, as a dyed in the wool manufacturing born and bred, I mean, as I understand man, I love the story, where were when you started sweeping floors? 00:05:12.720 --> 00:06:40.050 Jacob Knight: that's right off the bat. I grew up you know southern in the country most of my family was I guess you'd call them entrepreneurs I didn't know what that word meant back then. We built houses wired houses was pushing was on total lumber did all these things from I think my dad kind of laughs about it. I was three years old, the first time I pull wire under the house, so I was doing that forever since I was born right come out when pulling while my GI joes under the House. Yeah, so you talk about the first large company that I, I was hired on to I'm still a teenager. Just at a high school and we're waiting on equipment to come in the facility, and you know we were asked to sweep the floor and I'll tell you what I didn't know at the time, but you could really tell a lot about people whenever they were asked to do that task you had, I th

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Trevor 0:12 You know Dave, I've been working a long time on my awareness of others, and I'm a task-oriented. Go get them, type person, and really been trying to balance that. And the same thing is that I always kind of wake up thinking, I'm a good person. But then sometimes I find myself being short with people and someone said to me, you know, it's not about, you got to try to be kind, you just got to be mindful of not being unkind, what do you think of that Dave. Dave 0:47 That's crazy. I, first of all, I appreciate you admitting your work through your self-awareness because that's all part of the process here. But as we all are, especially me, but, you know, with kindness. A my take on that is, you can be kind all day long but if you're not aware of how you come across people read through that kindness perhaps as manipulative or a little bit of, it's not sincere. And you may be kind, but you're truly unkind, in the eyes of others and Tate's gets kind of cool and we've got Elizabeth guests with us here today and she is. Got a quote or a motto that is just phenomenal. It's, it's basically genuine kindness is tested and proven method and leaving people better than when you met them. And that's just, that's extraordinary and I used to say that about safety at work in a manufacturing environment. We want people to leave as good or better than they were when they came here but, Elizabeth, put a different twist on this relative to kindness, and we're going to jump in with Elizabeth today on this topic in many others I'm sure as we go but welcome Elizabeth, how are you doing today? Elizabeth 2:17 I'm doing well, thank you so very much Dave and Trevor for having me I am super excited and stoked to be here with you all today. Dave 2:25 Good deal. Good deal. Well, you know, from Queens, New York as a native of Queens, New York. With this migration south, you know, as I understand from back in oh six of kindness was not a part of your experience in one of the reasons that you moved to South Carolina. Right, I go in there and ask you to unpack that for us because you've got a great story there. Elizabeth 3:00 You see, in 2006 I didn't understand kindness. I was actually… I am a survivor of domestic violence and uprooted my family my three boys at the time and moved to South Carolina barely knew anyone here had some family here and I really just was looking for that fresh start. And you know, being from Queens, New York. Kindness is not really the thing that's associated with the New York, uh you know you've got the, you know I'm looking here kind of thing going on. And, you know, so I always felt that, yes, I was born and raised in New York but I believe I'm, I've always been a Southern belle but, you know, at heart, but kindness is just, to me it is just the most important thing to me it is the currency of success. It is what I have used it is tested and proven, and more than likely people will understand, you know how your interactions have impacted them and they'll want to experience those things over and over again, and the method that has to be included in that is going to be kind and how you continue to treat others and how you know that is reciprocated through relationship. Dave 4:10 Well, Trevor. I mean, don't ask me about kindness I mean you set me up in the beginning, but that's why I'm so glad Elizabeth is here today. Yeah, Elizabeth. Trevor 4:23 So what do you think about kindness then, you believe like everyone is naturally kind, and then our brains are kind of hardwired, and take stealing from Brene Brown a bit there, you know, we'd love to judge, and for some reason our, our brains if we're not intentional, just turn to that judgment, and it's not a good feeling and I catch myself doing it sometimes and it's kind of like, why did that unkind thought, Where did that come from because I don't want that. Where do you think that comes from or what are your thoughts on that? Elizabeth 4:58 I believe it's the understanding of kindness. Kindness is not the absence of judgment, it's not the absence of error, I think it is intentionality, it is you're making an intentional decision to treat someone better, you know than maybe they would expect to go above and beyond what's expected and kindness sometimes has this, I guess misperception of being weak, or you know just being you know no place in the workplace or, you know, I've got to be aggressive or you don't have to, you can have such significant present presence, and leave a kind, you know, I guess feeling with someone and just really just have an exchange that is pleasant. So, I can still have great influence I can stil

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:00 – Introduction 00:29 – We're all wound up and need to unpack 01:33 – Rick Ezell; a workplace Chaplain 02:19 – The "boss's role" 02:46 – Unpacking vs. Venting 03:35 - Work, Personal, and Relational issues 04:25 – The Paradox 05:25 – The impact of time, expertise, and geography 06:11 – The proven need to talk, be reassured, and reminded 08:55 – Listening for the trends 09:30 – Advice for leaders without the luxury of an onsite Chaplaincy service 11:14 – The rules and value of a "listening session" 12:53 – % of conversations at work tend to be about personal and relationships 15:12 – Anecdotal evidence for leader's job requirements rarely recognized nor assessed 18:00 – The peril of ignoring the non-work-related issues 19:21 – The value of transparency and empathy 21:11 – Healthier people make better employee 24:40 – A manager's role in partnering with others 26:29 – A renewing of the mind 27:25 – A culture of care and desire for a resource 28:50 – Summary and closure 29:09 – Share your feedback with us 29:43 – End Have an important message to share or a topic you'd like to hear more about? Please contact us with your thoughts, feedback, or suggestions. We'd love to hear from you! Trevor Blondeel: [email protected] Dave Baker: [email protected]

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:00 – Introduction 00:30 – What is there to be grateful for in 2021 01:04 – Keeping your mindset not on what you don't have 01:51 – Lisa Ryan introduction and tie in of gratitude to manufacturing 02:41 – Gratitude starts within yourself 03:52 – "They get their paycheck every Friday" 05:25 – Discretionary Effort; a gamechanger 06:34 – Making a beeline to the office because I'm all that and a bag of chips 07:43 – Ideas are Free 08:18 – The companies that need it the most are the one's least likely to make the investment 09:20 – Make the decision whether to stay in a toxic environment 10:30 – Negative Ned & Negative Nancy, changing the energy 12:55 – Persistence 14:01 – Tolerance of toxicity and who needs to be fired 15:30 – What do I own in it and when to walk away 16:58 - Positivity vs. Gratitude 17:50 – Making the shift in re-wiring your brain 19:56 – Accountability; 12 yrs and counting 22:56 – Starting today with the little things 23:38 – The 30-day challenge gratitude and a path to happiness 24:40 – Gratitude starts with you -> today 25:55 – Grounding yourself with what you DO have 27:05 – Closing 27:39 – End Have an important message to share or a topic you'd like to hear more about? Please contact us with your thoughts, feedback, or suggestions. We'd love to hear from you! Trevor Blondeel: [email protected] Dave Baker: [email protected]

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:00 - Intro 00:28 – Authenticity and sharing your knowledge 02:01 – Seeing others not just through your own personal needs 02:38 – Selling ice to an Eskimo 03:29 – The unique ability to connect with others 04:39 – Where do these skills come from? 06:54 – DNA? Yes. But where's the choice? 08:44 – 2,000 new relationships 09:25 – Managing expectations and focus of time 11:52 – Contacts change, but relationships remain 13:30 – 3:3 above & below 15:00 – Relationships and risks go hand in hand 16:30 – The task at hand and impact on others 17:48 - Relationships trump the perfect plan 19:25 – The challenge for new-in-career or those in a new role 21:12 – Try to do something alone 22:04 – The more I let go, the more I have 22:49 – Getting the 'mileage' 25:25 – Your greatest legacy may be how you've helped others 26:20 – Staying grounded 30:28 – Summary 31:36 - Closing 32:12 - End

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! 00:30 - Well, Dave and I have been talking a lot about getting stuff done. And in manufacturing, every hour is about getting something done, whether it's just getting that order out, getting that task completed, getting that inspection done. 01:45 - Just this week I've heard three different people say, 'I gave this idea, but they turned it down.' 'They didn't listen to me.' 'Yeah, we've tried that.' 03:14 - Running through the glass door to get it done. 03:39 - But how do we stop Dave, and just be present so you can see more? Because when we're running to that task, or if we've laid down because we're just frustrated because we're not going get it done? What do you do? 04:00 - Which side of the fence am I on? 05:27 - What do they have going on? Is this the right time for me to be bringing something up, for me to be making a suggestion? 06:18 - We used to call it barfing on the table. Don't make your problem, my problem. 07:19 - Their job is to throw it over the fence and let somebody else worry about implementing it. 08:41 - What do I own in that? 09:14 – For the folks on the front line, there are some things that are obvious of needed changes. 10:35 - Don't say they didn't listen, there has to be a reason why they didn't listen. 10:52 - 20 ideas for others to do. 12:15 - Relationships are the foundation of dialogue. 13:14 - Paying attention to your own emotions first. 13:57 - Difficult conversations. 18:13 – What's on the other person's agenda? Where are they at? Where am I at? And how can this be presented? 20:43 – Two different approaches with Charlie. 22:37 - So why do we need to talk about this? 24:22 – Takeaways. 25:39 – Share your feedback with us on different approaches. Reach out to us if you've got any thoughts on different topics and what's helpful and what's not. 25:52 - Closing

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Martha Clarke challenges leaders to get clear on their desired outcome first, because once you know where you're going, the right questions and behaviors naturally follow. In this episode, we explore manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and growth mindset for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Martha shares practical insights on communication skills, accountability, and authentic leadership, plus how staying curious helps leaders improve clarity, strengthen trust, and drive better team performance on the shop floor. 00:00 – Intro 0:35 – Martha Clarke introduction; Fremont Consulting Group 1:40 – Being mindful when you don't have the answer 3:20 – …but what you do have to have 4:50 – Manufacturing 'is the same' everywhere 6:52 – Be mindful of what you want 7:35 – A perfect outcome based on your language 9:51 – The secret sauce to connecting with the 'locals' 12:24 – It's O.K. to smile – how your presence impacts others 15:05 - The difference between managers and leaders 16:02 – Showing up in a way to achieve the desired outcome 16:47 – Beginning with the end in mind 18:28 – Believing, Actions, and Outcome 20:12 – Digging deep to understand the Why behind your belief 21:11 – Closing off opportunities for breakthrough 22:35 – Belief without the trust of others 25:37 – The A shift vs. B shift phenomenon 26:52 – The final word: respect, believe, and communicate

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! In this episode, Desen Lu joins the podcast to challenge manufacturing leaders to rethink how they approach everyday decisions and problems. We explore manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and growth mindset for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Desen shares practical insights on communication skills, accountability, and authentic leadership, plus how shifting perspective helps leaders uncover root causes, strengthen trust, and drive better results on the shop floor. 00:00 - Intro 00:35 – Talent development and the awareness of others in growing your organizations 01:18 – Desen Lu introduction 02:01 – Let's talk Talent. The confusion between Performance & Talent. Talent comes first – Performance is a byproduct of Talent 04:22 – Focusing on the upside of having great talent – not the cost of its absence 05:34 – What separates great talent from average talent - Ownership 08:21 – Ownership and daring to admit that you made a mistake 10:02 – What it looks like to admit mistakes – and the effect 12:00 – The team's response 13:11 – The night and day difference in an organization's culture where it's o.k. to admit mistakes 14:56 – The ripple effect of ownership in talent development 18:15 – Failing your way to success 19:46 – Staying grounded 21:36 – Every day is a battle 22:53 – Diversify with experience opportunities on the 'opposite side of the table' 24:50 – Mindset focus on what you gain on the backside of the storm 27:23 – Gratitude to check your mindset for the rest of the day 29:10 – "We grew a person" – the best news of all in a day! 30:47 – "Performance is a function of human equity" – Desen Lu

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! Dr. Ben Palmer joins the podcast to challenge manufacturing leaders to check themselves in powerful ways that are game changing for business and life changing for people. In this episode, we explore manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Dr. Palmer shares practical insights on self awareness, communication skills, and accountability, plus how staying curious helps leaders strengthen trust, improve engagement, and drive better team performance on the shop floor. 00:00 - Intro 00:38 – 2020: a year with much-needed empathy, resilience, and self-management 01:35 – Intro to Ben Palmer with Genos International 02:42 – Game-changing for business, life-changing for people 03:49 – "HR Puff & Stuff" - What's NOT emotional intelligence (EI) 05:45 – Sizing up Anger. Anger that creates Engagement – not disengagement 07:14 – Here's what emotional intelligence IS 07:49 – A No Crying Zone? 08:52 – The emotional intelligence experience in real life 10:33 – The Story of 2 Pens and your business 13:31 – Who takes care of who - Customer or Employee? 14:40 – The Ripple Effect and the effect on Safety 16:18 – A culture of 'artificial harmony' and 'fear of confrontation' 17:15 – Magic moments and simple behaviors demonstrating levels of emotional intelligence 22:59 – The biggest predictors of your own mortality 27:33 – Introverted or Extroverted and the awareness of how we show up 29:10 – If you can walk and you can knock begin experimenting to learn 30:24 – Opportunities for 2021: Considering your Perspective, the need for Empathy, and your own Well-Being 33:40 – I just want 2020 to end. Why wait to start? 34:22 – Considering other's perspectives – You don't want to be 'that guy' 35:11 – Wrap Up 35:52 - Closure

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! What does it mean to leave a legacy of love in leadership? In this episode, Jason Zenger opens up about his leadership style and how he stays grounded in his values while leading at a high level. We explore manufacturing leadership, authentic leadership, and emotional intelligence for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Jason shares practical insights on communication skills, trust building, and accountability, plus how leading with clarity and care strengthens culture, engagement, and long term team performance. 00:40 – 1 year of Mindfulness Manufacturing 01:54 – Jason Zenger; President of Zenger's and 'Making Chips' podcast host 03:00 – A transparent business model based on relationships 03:53 – Every great story comes from a history of struggles 04:23 – A Legacy: I want my team to know that I lead them like I loved them 05:40 – How am I going to show up for work today 06:14 – Where's the risk? What's the cost? 09:27 – Responsiveness and lack thereof 10:30 – Displayed by the best of the best on our team: DO-BE-GO-LIFE 12:38 – Accountability to making the tough calls 14:26 – Groom it or Hire it? 16:46 – Your actions and behaviors supersede your words when it comes to loving others 19:17 – A commitment to establishing your mindset and staying grounded 22:27 – Rebounding from setback 25:40 – What it takes to swallow that humble pill 30:00 – Learning through uncomfortable times 32:21 – Closure Contact information for Jason Zenger: linkedin.com/in/jasonzenger zengers.com (Company Website) MakingChips.com (Blog)

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! How do mindfulness and manufacturing leadership connect with dentistry? In this episode, Dr. Patrick Carter joins the podcast to share insights on communication skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. We explore how connection starts the moment people walk through the door, why trust building matters in every industry, and how mindful leadership improves engagement, relationships, and performance on the shop floor. 00:47 - A great experience at the dentist? Yes 01:29 - Dr. Patrick Carter - Introduction 02:46 - The connection to Mindfulness Manufacturing and a Dentist 05:33 - What's different? Meeting people where they are and knowing that you care 08:29 - We've seen it before, but for others it's all new - it's all about Patience 10:18 - Leading the staff while wearing multiple 'hats' 11:29 - Setting the stage and expectations. It all begins when you walk through the door. Your team makes all the difference and it begins with hiring the right people 12:45 - Making the human connection 14:45 - Open conversations to become more aware 15:51 - Creating a culture to evaluate times when things do not go well 17:28 - Taking the time to get buy in and execute 18:51 - Stress on all sides and leveling it out 21:25 - The conscious effort and putting it all in context 24:20 - The value of experience and learning throughout your career 25:20 - Rewarding experience: having a profound effect on how others think about themselves 27:33 - Building resilience and taking the time to recharge 29:30 - A morning formula to stay grounded

Welcome to Manufacturing Greatness with Trevor Blondeel, where we work with organizations to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have to achieve greater retention, productivity, and profits. To learn more, visit www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor's monthly newsletter. Now, let's jump in! To get your team on board, Greg Morgan joins the podcast to share why mindfulness is actually a critical leadership skill. In this episode, we explore manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and growth mindset for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Greg breaks down how staying present improves communication skills, accountability, and trust building, and why mindful leadership helps teams stay engaged, focused, and aligned on the shop floor. 01:20 - Greg Morgan introduction and connecting Mindfulness to Manufacturing 02:15 - LinkedIn "Inspirational Leader" award even now 03:45 - What does Mindfulness have to do with it 04:58 - Top 3 things contributing to success of a start up in India 06:52 - Making the connection - we all have the same basic needs 08:00 - A Start Up vs. Existing facility - each location has its own personality 09:37 – The Old Ways & Callouses 11:54 - Do-Over's & Repeats 15:20 - People selection - everything must change from the top 16:54 - HR's role and getting others onboard with setting the culture 19:30 - Where do you start in recognizing the people side of the business 20:48 - What not to tolerate 23:22 - What we all have in common despite tough times 24:04 - Our egos and an inverted hierarchy mindset 25:44 - Engage & Enroll - that one thing! 28:55 – "The books says…" "this is how we did it where I came from…" No one cares. 30:34 - Too many cars and that '48 Buick 31:56 - Hey boys, this is what we were doing 30 years ago!