84 Becoming the Ultimate Diffuser of Drama with Cy Wakeman
Release Date: 02/08/2023
162 Designing Time for Engagement in Manufacturing Plants with Brian Herriot
Manufacturing Greatness
In manufacturing, the biggest constraint isn’t labor, equipment, or margins. It’s time! When you’re crunched for time or feel like you’re constantly fighting fires, you lose out on valuable opportunities for curious conversations and stronger connections. Overtime, this can lead to issues like communication breakdowns, slowed productivity, and a culture where people are burnt-out and not showing up as their best selves. In this episode, I’m joined by guest Brian Herriot to take a look into how manufacturing leaders can rethink work, leadership, and scheduling to build stronger...
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161 Frontline Manufacturing Leadership: How Structure, Curiosity and Accountability Drive Retention with Ken Handsaeme
Manufacturing Greatness
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, which he first operated out of a barn with a single machine. It eventually grew into a thriving manufacturing company serving military, aerospace, and medical customers—and helped Ken fulfil his successful retirement dreams. In this episode, Ken shares the lessons he learned throughout his career, ranging from the...
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160 Manufacturing Retention and Team Engagement: Why Leaders Must Reduce Uncertainty with Falisha Karpati
Manufacturing Greatness
In manufacturing plants, the same leadership action can motivate one employee and overwhelm another. Why? It’s all about brain science! In this episode, guest Falisha Karpati discusses how frontline leaders can harness brain science to build more inclusive, human-centered organizations. Falisha is a Brain-Based Inclusion Consultant located in Montreal, Canada. She holds a PhD in neuroscience and a decade of experience studying the brain. Through her signature UNITING BRAINS framework, she guides organizations through the development of inclusion-focused initiatives and provides interactive...
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159 The Showing Up Gap: Why Great Manufacturing Leaders Get Overlooked with Susan M. Barber
Manufacturing Greatness
In manufacturing, it often feels like there’s nothing more importance than performance. If they want to move up in their career, leaders are told to hit their targets, keep the line running, and solve problems as quickly as possible. But in reality, performance alone rarely drives real career growth. If you want to actually grow in your manufacturing career, it’s time to put more emphasis on visibility, curiosity, and building stronger relationships. Learn more in this episode with guest Susan M. Barber, a former Fortune 500 leader with over 25 years of experience at Kraft Heinz. She’s...
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158 Improving Manufacturing Retention Through Purpose, Optimism, and Better Relationships with Kathy Miller
Manufacturing Greatness
Welcome back to previous guest Kathy Miller! Kathy is a member of the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame and has held leadership roles at General Motors, Delphi, and Rolls-Royce. She is also the co-author of Steel Toes and Stilettos and the author of a new book, MORE Is Better, which introduces practical frameworks for frontline plant leaders. She’s an expert in blending academic research with real-word stories, and it’s always great to hear her insights! In this episode, Kathy draws on both her manufacturing experience and her master’s degree in applied positive psychology to...
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157 Better Teams, Better Outcomes: Manufacturing Leadership Through Deeper Conversations with Reggie Davis
Manufacturing Greatness
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 if you’re ready to transform your leadership and change how you show up for your team, the first step is leaning into discomfort. Learn more with guest Reggie Davis, the founder of UpLift Coaching and Consulting and the author of Better Together: Embracing the Discomfort of Difference. With over two decades of leadership experience, Reggie helps people navigate the hard-but-necessary conversations they need to forge lasting...
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156 Manufacturing Teamwork and Accountability: Leading with the Thermostat Mindset with Sheri Holt
Manufacturing Greatness
Are you leading like a thermometer or a thermostat? If you find yourself reacting to problems instead of setting the tone for your team, you might be acting like a thermometer. But with practice and the right mindset, you can become a thermostatic leader who sets the climate for your whole team or organization. Learn more in this episode with guest Sheri Miller Holt, the author of Thermostatic Leadership: The Quiet Power of Creating Balance and Influence. Drawing on her years of experience in organizational development and leadership training, Sheri unpacks the true meaning of thermostatic...
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155 Culture Improvement Starts with Self-Awareness in Leadership with Anne Bonney
Manufacturing Greatness
Change can be daunting, but learning how to effectively navigate uncertainty and discomfort is essential for leaders who want to grow their mindset, shift from panic to curiosity, and show up as their best selves for their team. In this episode, take a deep dive into the psychology of change with Anne Bonney, a certified speaking professional, leadership expert, and TEDx speaker who specializes in helping leaders navigate change. She covers topics like how leaders can shift their mindset to thrive in uncertainty, how to manage the fear of the unknown, and why understanding the human brain’s...
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154 Break the Blame Cycle: Approaches to Solving Problems with Maggie Harlow
Manufacturing Greatness
If you want to change your results, you need to change your approach. These words of wisdom come from Maggie Harlow, the co-owner of Signarama Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky. With years of experience in the custom sign manufacturing industry, Maggie doesn’t just talk about leadership—she lives it. She’s also a keynote speaker and speaks on a range of topics, including visionary leadership, gratitude, and finding new approaches to problem-solving. In this episode, Maggie shares more about her background in the sign industry and offers practical, transformative insights on what it...
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153 Closing the Generational Gap: What Manufacturing Leaders Must Get Right Now with Michelle McCullough
Manufacturing Greatness
When your workplace includes baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z employees, it can seem impossible to keep everyone happy and fulfilled. In a multigenerational workplace, can you really create an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and motivated? It is possible—and in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, guest Michelle McCullough provides the insights and tools you need to drive engagement, trust, and emotional well-being across all generations. Michelle is a nationally recognized speaker, leadership expert, and workplace culture expert and has spent years...
info_outlineDo you want to get rid of drama on the manufacturing floor? As a leader, you avoid drama, set boundaries, and inspire by your team by becoming the ultimate “drama diffuser!” In this episode, I’m joined by guest Cy Wakeman, the president and founder of Reality-Based Leadership and the bestselling author of books like No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results. I’ve been a fan of Cy’s writing for years, and I’m excited to have her as a guest to talk about how leader can use skills like curiosity and self-reflection to overcome drama in their organization.
1:30 – To avoid drama—and your own ego—approach every situation by considering what you know for sure
3:30 – It’s easy to fall into situations where you believe someone else is the villain or that you’re doing the right thing, which is why it’s important to consider facts, mindsets, and what details you know for sure
9:07 – The power of self-reflection is the ultimate drama diffuser
10:19 – Instead of judging or making assumptions, approach situations with curiosity, patience, and grace
11:49 – By extending an invitation instead of a lecture, you can “call people up to greatness.”
13:20 – “As the leader goes, so does the team.”
15:05 – If something happens that’s unpreferred, you need to step up and impact it
20:02 – As a leader, you can set an example and set your team up to avoid drama
21:32 – By setting a strong leadership example and empowering your team, you can find productive solutions while still maintaining healthy boundaries and not falling into the trap of being a “fixer” for everyone’s problems
23:05 – A question to ask yourself: if I see behavior I don’t want, how am I enabling it?
24:29 – When you quit buffering your team member’s relationship with reality, they will make better choices
29:32 – To get through to others, state reality and ask for what you really need
33:16 – As a leader, you can only make the invitation—it’s up to others to decide what to do with that invitation
34:59 – With the correct leader, your team will step into brilliance most of the time
35:16 – If you have drama in your workplace, it’s because people are venting instead of self-reflecting
Connect with Cy Wakeman
Reality-Based Leadership Website
Read Trevor’s book review on No Ego