91 Connecting the Leadership Locomotive with Jason A. Hunt
Release Date: 05/17/2023
Mindfulness Manufacturing
What’s the secret to retaining your team members and creating an organization where people love to work? DigiKey, an electronic component manufacturing organization in Thief River Falls, Minnesota has it all figured out—and Shane Zutz, DigiKey’s vice president of human resources, is here to share the stories and insights behind DigiKey’s success! In this episode, Shane shares stories highlighting the importance of curiosity, empathy, and leadership presence, and offers simple-yet-powerful strategies manufacturing leaders can put into action to build trust, accountability, and...
info_outline 126 Transforming Your Approach to Retention with Cara SillettoMindfulness Manufacturing
Are your team members “houseplants” or “trees?” It might sound like a strange question, but knowing the answer is the key to retaining your best employees, strengthening your team, and transforming your organization. In this episode, learn about identifying—and nurturing—your houseplant and tree team members, plus hear other great insights on improving retention, communicating with your team, and showing up as a more emotionally intelligent leader with guest Cara Silletto. Cara is the founder, president, and chief retention office of Magnet Culture, a partner in helping...
info_outline 125 Lessons for Saying Less and Learning More with Michael Bungay StanierMindfulness Manufacturing
We all love giving advice! But when advice is your default as a leader, you can fall into an “advice trap” that actually crushes curiosity, creates disconnect, and prevents your team from finding productive outcomes. Bestselling author Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS) tackles this subject in his newest book The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious & Change the Way You Lead Forever. In this episode, MBS shares some of the key lessons from the advice trap and his other books, including lessons and insights leaders can use to change their mindset, grow their curiosity, and create great new...
info_outline 124 Bringing Great Leadership to a New Plant: Stories from a Greenfield Site with Daniel KnechtMindfulness Manufacturing
What goes into launching a brand-new manufacturing plant? A successful greenfield site is about more than finding the right space or getting the right equipment—you also have to pay attention to the people you’re hiring and the tone you’re setting as a leader. In this episode, take a journey through the steps of a greenfield site with Daniel Knecht! Dan is the solar project director for NSG Group, one of the world’s largest glass manufacturers. In his role, he focuses on strategic projects to support the renewal energy market. In this story-filled episode, Dan talks about his unique...
info_outline 123 The Tools You Need for Bridging the Uncertainty Gap with Jay BaerMindfulness Manufacturing
In manufacturing, retention and recruitment are two of the biggest challenges. To attract great talent and keep your best team members, you need to set yourself apart from the competition—and you can start by improving your response times! In this episode, join guest Jay Baer for a deep-dive into the tools and procedures you need to improve efficiency, strengthen your communications, and bridge the “uncertainty gap” in your organization. Jay Baer is a researcher and advisor specializing in business growth and customer experience. He’s also a seventh-generation entrepreneur, the...
info_outline 122 Good People, Bad Process: How to Measure and Improve Your Team with Martin LowMindfulness Manufacturing
Results matters! Whether you’re looking at safety, quality, or productivity, you and your team want to know how you’re performing. But when it comes to people, it can be difficult to measure your return on investment. In this episode, guest Martin Low walks us through the best strategies for measuring your team, plus shares great insights on why people matter most in your organization. Martin is the founder and CEO of On Plane Consulting, where he helps organizations transform and improve by building and leveraging their people capabilities. He also has over 20 years of human resources...
info_outline 121 Why We Need Storytelling on the Manufacturing FloorMindfulness Manufacturing
Stories resonate with people, which makes them a valuable tool for sharing information, seeking new outcomes and connecting with your team. So let’s bring more storytelling to the manufacturing floor! In this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, meet guest Trevor Perry. Trevor is an award-winning speaker, author, and perspective-changer, who uses his unique perspectives and love of storytelling to help others find their own light and improve their influence in the world. In this episode, Trevor shares his journey of finding his storytelling passion, and discusses why leaders should...
info_outline 120 How to Unlock Your High-Performance Potential with Mike MooneyMindfulness Manufacturing
How can we bring more mindfulness to the manufacturing floor without comprising speed or efficiency? With a background as an award-winning senior executive for agencies, brands, and team properties in NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula One racing, Mike Mooney knows all about speed! He now uses his unique background to help leaders accelerate culture, unlock potential, drive opportunity, and create traction. In this episode, Mike shares why humans are high-performance vehicles, and how leaders can use presence, intentionality, and curiosity to improve communicates, reach creative outcomes, and...
info_outline 119 Your Blueprint for Building Trust with Justin PattonMindfulness Manufacturing
Trust is the antidote to so many common issues that can occur on the manufacturing floor. But how can you build trust—both in yourself and with your team? Find out in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with guest Justin Patton! Justin is a certified speaker professional and leadership presence expert, who challenges leaders to reimagine how they lead, love, and communicate. He’s also the author of and the recently-released The High-Impact Manager: Your Blueprint for Bringing Out the Best in Your Team. In this episode, Justin talks about the vital role trust plays in improving...
info_outline 118 Why Compassion and Connection are the Keys to Transforming Manufacturing with Karin J. LundMindfulness Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry just keeps getting greater—and it’s all thanks to passionate, mindful leaders who show up every day ready to engage their teams, improve their mindset, and create an environment where people love to work. One of these leaders is Karen J. Lund, a bestselling author and keynote speaker with a long career in the steel industry. Drawing on her experience in the steel industry, Karin now leads the team at G-Power Global, an organization she founded to inspires corporate and organizational entities to lead with compassion while continuing to focus on productivity,...
info_outlineIf the front isn’t connected to the caboose, a train won’t stay on the rails for very long! The same idea applies to manufacturing: if top-level leadership isn’t connected to the shop floor, there’s bound to be miscommunications, productivity breakdowns, and more. What can leaders do to keep the leadership locomotive running smoothly? Find out in this episode with Jason A. Hunt. With a background in both education and manufacturing, Jason is full of great stories about why connection plays a critical role in problem-solving. He also shares his tips on how leaders can use skills like delegation to help their teams solve problems and develop their critical thinking.
3:17 – When you’re a leader, it’s all too easy to set out to solve one problem, then get distracted by another problem and forget to solve the first issue
4:53 – Many leaders believe they have to have the answer to every problem, and feel like always having the answers is part of their job or what makes them important as a leader
5:58 – By always solving problems, leaders may actually be taking away valuable opportunities for their team members to learn, grow, and develop their own problem-solving skills
7:33 – Delegating can mean the difference between losing three minutes or losing three hours
9:36 – When you ask people to solve their own problems, they may pushback or be upset at first, but it’s a valuable opportunity for them to learn how to think critically and come up with their own solutions
15:12 – Leadership is about far more than your title, your knowledge, and your ability to manage others
16:08 – If the front of a train is moving ahead without connecting with the other boxcars, it’s not going to get to its destination
18:15 – Instead of solely focusing on KPIs or getting your products out the door, think about what you can do to connect with your team and really develop your relationships
21:29 Turn This Ship Around by L. David Marquet is a good resource for leaders
23:23 – To build better connections, shift your mindset and spend more time thinking about how you can build relationships with others
Connect with Jason A. Hunt
Connect with Jason on LinkedIn
My book review of Turn This Ship Around