101 Relationships, Realities, Results, and Authenticity: The Equation for Success with Kathy Miller
Release Date: 10/04/2023
142 HR Partnerships in Executive Coaching with Kristin Rivait and Joe Carrothers
Mindfulness Manufacturing
When there’s a leadership shift in a manufacturing organization it leads to major change—and brings its own unique challenges like new team dynamics, cultural shifts, and general growing pains. With the right approach, a change in leadership can also lead to valuable opportunities for growth. Just ask Joe Carrothers and Kristin Rivait from SWT Group. Joe is the president of SWT Group who moved from being the CFO to being the president of the organization, and Kristin is SWT Group’s HR director who worked closely with Joe during this unique leadership transition. In this story-filled...
info_outline
141 Negotiation Strategies for the Manufacturing Floor with Fotini Iconomopoulos
Mindfulness Manufacturing
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 art of negotiation—and in this episode, guest Fotini Iconomopoulos is here to share the tools you need to know. Fotini Iconomopoulos is a master communicator and negotiator based in Toronto. She’s also the author of In this episode, she shares more about the power of...
info_outline
140 De-Escalation and Conflict Prevention: Keys to Manufacturing Safety with Carol Cambridge
Mindfulness Manufacturing
When your manufacturing organization is experiencing a crisis, the last thing you want to do is add more oil to the fire! But in a technical industry like manufacturing, many people don’t have the skills they need to safely and effectively address a dangerous situation, like how to de-escalate a conflict or communicate a safety issue to their team. Carol Cambridge is here to help bring more safety to your organization! Carol is an authority on workplace violence, active shooter, and workplace conflict. She’s also the founder of the Stay Safe Project, where she teaches others how to...
info_outline
139 Embracing Discomfort to Manufacture Resilience with Paul Taylor
Mindfulness Manufacturing
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 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...
info_outline
138 Cost-Savings for Manufacturing: Deliberate Creativity with Dr. Amy Climer
Mindfulness Manufacturing
To find improved cost-savings and better team dynamics, there’s a solution—more creativity! In the technical world of manufacturing, creativity isn’t always a priority, but in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, guest Dr. Amy Climer is here to show why deliberate creativity is the key to driving improvement and cost savings. With a Ph.D in Leadership and Change, Dr. Climer is a speaker, trainer, and coach who teaches teams how to innovate on demand. She is the author of Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results written to help leaders understand how to...
info_outline
137 Good People, Bad Decisions: A Fresh Look at Root Cause Analysis in Manufacturing with Bob Latino
Mindfulness Manufacturing
Are you really doing root cause analysis (RCA) or only scratching at the surface of your organization’s problems? When a problem occurs in a fast-paced industry like manufacturing, you want to find the root problem—and you want to find 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 be missing deeper, more sustainable solutions. Learn more about the world of RCA in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with seasoned RCA expert Bob Latino! Influenced by his father, who...
info_outline
136 The Hidden Productivity Cost: Mental Health with Adam Nemer
Mindfulness Manufacturing
In manufacturing, mental health is not always at the forefront. But when you don’t pay attention to your team’s mental wellbeing, it can negatively affect your entire organization, leading to big issues from disconnected teams to high employee turnover. In this episode, find the insights you need to transform your organization’s approach to mental health with guest Adam Nemer. Adam is a former CFO and senior operations leader, whose own mental health struggles inspired him to start Simple Mental Health, an organization that partners with leaders to bring stigma-free mental health culture...
info_outline
135 Shifting from Blame to Solution in Manufacturing Teams with Darcy Luoma
Mindfulness Manufacturing
In manufacturing, it seems like it’s always go, go go! But what if we could take a moment to pause, think, and act a little more thoughtfully and intentionally? Learn what can happen in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with guest Darcy Luoma! Darcy is an author, consultant, and the creator of the Thoughtfully Fit approach, a dynamic and practical model for enhancing leadership capabilities, improving team dynamics, and navigating the complexities of leadership and teamwork. In this episode, she shares a deep dive into her Thoughtfully Fit method, plus shares other tips and lessons...
info_outline
134 Rethinking Shop Floor Time - Technical People are People Too with Emily Nichols
Mindfulness Manufacturing
In manufacturing, we often emphasize complex processes and new technologies, like artificial intelligence. But to bring true change and productivity to your organization, don’t forget about your people! In this episode, learn all about the balance of technical skills and human connection with guest Emily Nichols! As a professional engineer with decades of experiences in manufacturing and innovation, Emily has worked with organizations like PepsiCo, Janssen, and Henkel. She now works with organizations who want to strengthen the human skills they need to thrive in an increasingly technical...
info_outline
133 Using Your Big Sexy Idea to Differentiate Yourself with Mark Levy
Mindfulness Manufacturing
In the busy field of manufacturing, how do you make yourself stand out? Find out in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with Mark Levy. Mark is a “differentiation expert,” who helps his clients find bold, innovative ways to showcase their big ideas and differentiate themselves from the competition. Mark has worked with dozens of corporations, brands, and thought leaders, including Simon Sinek, Amazon, Harvard Business School, and Major League Baseball, as well as leaders from government bodies like the United Nations. In this episode, Mark talks more about the importance of...
info_outlineTo make better decisions and increase the overall engagement in your organization or workplace, you need diversity of thought! This is why I’m always so excited to talk to women in manufacturing roles, like Kathy Miller! Kathy has held multiple executive roles in manufacturing, including roles at General Motors, Delphi Automotive Systems, and Rolls-Royce. She was also inducted into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2021, and has written about her unique journey as a woman in manufacturing in her book Steel Toes and Stilettos.
In this episode, Kathy shares more about her experiences and successes as a woman in manufacturing, and shares how both male and female leaders can build stronger connections, find more diverse results, and show up as their most authentic, empowered selves.
3:29 – Steel Toes and Stilettos is inspired by the different roles women play to be both their authentic, feminine selves and hold their own on a shop floor
4:21 – A successful journey in manufacturing requires soft skills, which can be harder to develop than people realize
5:19 – To make a significant cultural transformation stick in your organization, you need to make it feel like it belongs to the employees, and make them feel it with their hands and the hearts
8:23 – To get more women and their perspectives into manufacturing roles, it’s important to get women into manufacturing roles at a young age
9:12 – Inclusive environments get better business results
9:35 – Every person in your organization has a heart, a brain, and a set of hands, and you have to tap into all three
11:00 – By giving others an opportunity to contribute, you can find new and better results
13:50 – Kathy’s equation for successfully improving plants involves relationships, realities, results, and authenticity
14:45 – Every single relationship matters
16:37 – Face your realities and work on what’s in your control
17:27 – Focus on where you are and you’ll find results
18:09 – If you’re a man in manufacturing, work to amplify female voices
19:05 – Women in manufacturing can also advocate for their authentic selves
Connect with Kathy Miller
Connect with Kathy on Linkedin
Learn more from Kathy and her coauthor Shannon Karels on their website