Employee Engagement in Manufacturing: Growing a Leadership Mindset That Shows People They Matter with Josh Levin #68
Release Date: 06/29/2022
Why People Leave Manufacturing Jobs — A New North American Research Study #166
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. If you have questions regarding workforce development in manufacturing operations in North America, email me at and we will propose it in the project scope of research. Why are manufacturing organizations struggling to recruit and retain great people? Let’s find out together! Manufacturing...
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Resilience for Frontline Supervisors: Building High Agency to Navigate Adversity and Improve Team Performance with Vickie Lanthier #165
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In this episode, Vickie Lanthier — author of High Agency Human: Navigate Adversity and Live Big and former military leader with four deployments — shares practical strategies for building personal agency in high-pressure environments like manufacturing. Drawing from...
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Defining Manufacturing Greatness: Help Me Choose the Subtitle #164
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In manufacturing, most leaders don’t struggle because they lack technical knowledge. They struggle because they’re not connecting with their teams. When skill gaps widen, labor shortages grow, and hiring challenges persist, it’s rarely an operations problem. It’s...
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Manufacturing Leadership Development for Plant Managers: Driving Continuous Improvement Through Curiosity on the Shop Floor with Bruce Mayhew #163
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In this episode, Bruce Mayhew, corporate trainer, keynote speaker, executive coach, and author, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and trust building for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. You’ll...
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Employee Engagement in Manufacturing for Plant Managers: Designing Time for Frontline Connection with Brian Herriot #162
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In this episode, Brian Herriot shares insights on manufacturing leadership, productivity, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Brian brings a practical, human-centered approach to help manufacturing...
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Employee Retention in Manufacturing for Frontline Supervisors: How Structure, Curiosity, and Accountability Build Strong Teams with Ken Handsaeme #161
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! How do you turn a one-machine operation into a thriving business? Find out in this episode with Ken Handsaeme, founder of On Time Precision. Ken’s unique journey started as a machinist, but when he decided he wanted a better retirement plan, he started his own business,...
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Employee Retention in Manufacturing for Plant Leaders: Reducing Uncertainty to Build Engaged Teams with Falisha Karpati #160
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In manufacturing plants, the same leadership action can motivate one employee and overwhelm another. Why? It comes down to brain science, communication skills, and how leaders show up under pressure. In this episode, guest Falisha Karpati shares insights on manufacturing...
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Leadership Effectiveness in Manufacturing for Plant Managers: Closing the Showing Up Gap to Increase Influence with Susan M. Barber #159
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! In manufacturing, it often feels like nothing matters more than performance. Leaders are told to hit their targets, keep the line running, and solve problems as quickly as possible. But performance alone rarely drives real career growth. If you want to advance in manufacturing...
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Employee Retention in Manufacturing for Plant Leaders: Building Purpose, Optimism, and Stronger Relationships with Kathy Miller #158
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! Welcome back to Kathy Miller, Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame member and former leader at General Motors, Delphi, and Rolls-Royce. She is the author of MORE Is Better, which provides practical frameworks for frontline plant leaders. In this episode, Kathy shares insights on...
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Manufacturing Team Performance for Operation Managers: Driving Better Outcomes Through Deeper Conversations with Reggie Davis #157
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 and to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter. Now, let’s jump in! Strong manufacturing leadership isn’t just about process improvement or hitting production targets. It’s about how we show up for people on the shop floor. And real leadership growth often starts with leaning into discomfort. In this episode, Reggie Davis, founder of UpLift...
info_outlineWelcome 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.