The Human Side of Manufacturing Reliability: The Questions for Moving Beyond Blame

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 some mindful time to ask the right questions and understand the human element beyond your issues, you might only be scratching the surface of your organization’s challenges. You might think you’re doing root cause analysis (RCA) but you’re really only doing “shallow cause analysis,” as my friend Bob Latino likes to say!

Bob is a seasoned expert in RCA. Influenced by his father, who pioneered research on equipment, process, and human reliability while working for Allied Chemical (now known as Honeywell), Bob profound understanding of both the technical and human aspects of failure, and is now passionate about championing progressive leadership mindsets and helping leaders understand and improve systems, rather than simply placing blame.

Bob was also a recent guest on the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast, where he shared some insights and lessons for shifting your approach to RCA and asking the right questions to find deeper, more productive solutions.

The Questions for Moving Beyond Blame and Improving Reliability

When an issue occurs on the floor, it’s often part of our nature to jump right to blame and judgement. But judgement can be poison to your organization, and can prevent you from digging deeper and finding the solutions your team and organization actually needs to improve and grow.

Instead of asking an accusatory question like “why didn’t you follow procedures?” try a more curious question, such as “what does right look like?” It’s a simple shift, but it opens up a deeper conversation. For example, you might discover a gap between your written procedures and on-the-floor conditions, or realize your procedure is actually out-of-date.

Through curious questions like “what does right look like for you?” you not only find deeper solutions, but strengthen the culture of your organization. By creating a culture that moves beyond immediate blame, you bring more sustainable reliability to your organization, and set yourself up to focus more proactively on the future growth and improvement of your organization.

Learn More on Mindfulness Manufacturing

To learn more about RCA with Bob Latino, check out his episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing here.

Mindfulness Manufacturing

Our show is about providing listeners with real stories that come from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. Most importantly it’s about what we learn from these stories and applying Mindfulness in our everyday work and personal lives.
Our intention is to create an environment where people can learn through open honest discussions on how we apply Mindfulness. Although our experiences and stories come from time in a manufacturing environment hence the title “Mindfulness Manufacturing”, we still see our discussions and topics relatable to any organization or profession.

In manufacturing, we’re all familiar with stress. But did you know that a lack of challenges and too much comfort can also have a negative impact on your health, mindset, and productivity? This is the core concept Paul Taylor presents in his great book Death by Comfort: How Modern Life is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It. As a former British Royal Navy crew member and a current Ph.D. candidate in applied psychology, Paul has in-depth knowledge about stress, resilience, and performance.

In this episode on stress, comfort, and psychological safety, Paul draws from his own experiences and research to delve deeper into why discomfort and challenging situations build confidence and resilience, plus shares some of his favorite methods for rethinking how you perceive stress and engage with your team.

2:20 – In manufacturing, stress can be inevitable, so you need to find the right level of stress in your environment 3:36 – You can use principles from physical fitness and apply them to stress management 7:11 – To stay healthy and keep a productive mindset, you need to balance stress and recovery 11:54 – When you practice self-efficacy and do hard tasks, it builds your confidence 16:21 – Uncomfortable yet necessary conversations play a key role in workplace environments 17:38 – To change and improve how you give feedback and have challenging conversations, use the SBI (situation-behavior-impact) model 18:36 – Use the OARS model for motivational interviewing to encourage open questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarizing 24:58 – Take time to understand your purpose and the impact of your work 24:58 – Don’t overlook the role of accountability in psychological safety

Connect with Paul Taylor Visit his website Listen to The Paul Taylor Podcast Buy Death by Comfort on Amazon or at your favorite bookseller Read my book report on Death by Comfort