Beyond the Hammer: Three New Tools for Transforming Your Manufacturing Leadership

Beyond the Hammer: Three New Tools for Transforming Your Manufacturing Leadership

When you encounter a problem around your house, you can’t always reach for the same tools. This also applies to manufacturing leadership. All your team members are unique individuals with different perspectives and goals, which means you can’t always rely on your go-to solutions. To be an effective leader, you need to shift your approach and expand your leadership toolkit.

Three Tips for Growing Your Toolkit

#1. Set the Tone

As a leader, you play a critical role in setting the tone for your entire team. If you’re stressed, distracted, or just plain disengaged, those emotions ripple throughout your team. As your team mirror your behavior, it can lead to issues like low morale and decreased productivity.

To set the best tone, pay attention to your own mood and behavior. Think about small ways you can be more intentional and positive, like being present on the manufacturing floor, engaging in conversations with your team, or simply making sure your camera is turned on during online meetings. In everything you do, model the behavior you want to see in the rest of your team.

#2. Think Beyond the Metrics

In manufacturing, we often get focused on results. You might find yourself fixated on KPIs or get distracted attending to urgent matters. If you really want your organization to grow, shift your mindset to focus on people, not just metrics. True growth comes from growing people, and your role as a leader is be a transformational influence.

Get started by taking the time to foster true relationships with your team. Have curious conversations to learn more about role and goals and how they fit into your organization’s larger goals. Then take the time to focus on the personal growth and development of each team member.

#3. Have Deeper Conversations

Conversations are an important tool for leaders. However, many leaders struggle to find the time to walk the floor and have deeper conversations. As a result, their interactions with their team are often short and shallow. The busier you get as a leader, the harder it can be to find time for conversations.

To transform your leadership, prioritize one-on-one interaction. Go beyond surface-level conversations and make sure each individual team member feels seen, heard, and valued. Consider asking questions like:

  • What makes you want to come to work every day?
  • What would one day make you want to leave?
  • What is one thing the organization is doing wrong today?
  • What is one thing you need from your manager that you’re not getting?

Additional Resources

To learn more about growing your toolkit and transforming your leadership, check out Beyond the Hammer: A Fresh Approach to Leadership, Culture, and Building High Performance Teams by Brian Gottleib. Brian offers a parable about how one business leaders find creative solutions to everyday challenges. It’s full of insightful and actionable insights all leaders can apply to challenges in their own culture.

You can also hear more from Brian Gottleib on the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast. In his episode, Brian talked more about his book and shared great tips for growing your toolkit and going “beyond the hammer” with your own leadership. Listen to Brian on Mindfulness Manufacturing here.