Leading with Vision: The Leaders Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce | Simon Vetter, Bonnie Hagemann, John Maketa, 2017 What’s It All About? In manufacturing, too many leaders are caught up in metrics and KPIs, yet struggle to connect people to a bigger picture. That disconnect shows up in engagement, retention, … Read More
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 … Read More
A leadership change at a manufacturing plant can bring a host of unique challenges, from changed team dynamics to cultural shifts. At the same time, it’s also an opportunity for growth and improved greatness. It’s all about taking the right approach! Just ask Joe Carrothers and Kristin Rivait from SWT Group, a manufacturing organization in … Read More
On the manufacturing floor, you have dozens of everyday opportunities for negotiation, from talking with a team member about an upcoming pay raise to trying to get a better deal from a supplier. In your everyday negotiations, what can you do to say less, get more, and make effective changes? You need to master the … Read More
Say Less Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want | Fotini Iconomopoulos, April 2021 What’s It All About? Have you ever shown up ready to collaborate and negotiate, only to find the other person you’re dealing with is being competitive or combative? It’s a frustrating situation, but in her book Say Less, … Read More
When a crisis occurs on the manufacturing floor, you want to add water to the fire, not oil! But in the bustling and technical manufacturing industry, many people overlook the importance of critical thinking and emotional intelligence, which means they might not have the tools and mindset they need to safely and effectively navigate threats, … Read More
Are you too comfortable in your manufacturing role? While stress sounds like something you want to avoid on the manufacturing floor, facing stressful and challenging situations can actually help you grow your mindset, improve your resilience, and change the way you engage with your team. We recently took a deep dive into stress and resilience … Read More
Beyond the Hammer: A Fresh Approach to Leadership, Culture, and Building High-Performance Teams | Brian Gottlieb, 2024 What’s It All About? This title caught me right away! In three words, it says so much about leadership—and Brian Gottlieb’s Beyond the Hammer: A Fresh Approach to Leadership, Culture, and Building High-Performance Teams definitely offers a new … Read More
Recently, I heard the story of a GM plant in New York who were struggling to fix a machinery issue that was slowing down production and losing their plant almost $40,000 per week—that’s nearly $1.5 million dollars a year! But then, during a single short meeting, they found a simple and affordable solution. How? They … Read More
In manufacturing, we have a tendency to focus on the technical, like broken parts, mechanical failures, and physical problems. Manufacturing is a fast-paced industry, after all, and when there’s a problem, we want to find the root cause and a solution—and we want to do it as quickly as possible. But if you’re not taking … Read More