Trust-Building in Manufacturing for Operations Leaders: Creating Stronger Teams Through Authentic Leadership with Justin Patton #119
Release Date: 06/12/2024
Manufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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,...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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...
info_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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_outlineManufacturing Greatness
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! 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 may be acting like a thermometer. With the right mindset, you can become a thermostatic leader who creates stability, clarity, and accountability on...
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!
Trust is the foundation of strong manufacturing leadership. Without it, teams struggle with engagement, accountability, and productivity.
In this episode, Justin Patton, leadership presence expert and author, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, trust building, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.
Justin explains how communication skills, feedback delivery, and authentic leadership help leaders strengthen relationships and improve workforce retention. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, growth mindset, and transparency that support onboarding, reduce turnover, and create manufacturing cultures where people feel valued, connected, and motivated to perform.
3:10 – Trust requires transparency, tact, and togetherness
4:03 – Trust is your biggest competitive advantage
4:41 – When people don’t have all the information, they fill it in with fear or make up stories
5:59 – As a leader, you can create a culture of trust by having the courage to be transparent and vulnerable
8:39 – You have to speak your truth, but also take accountability for how you deliver it
10:41 – When an organization values results over everything else, it leads to issues like a lack of trust, increased disconnect, and poor leadership
12:22 – Think about who you are at your best, then work to show up for others as that best version of yourself
14:37 – To grow as a leader, you don’t have to fundamentally change who you are, but can learn how to lean into your best qualities and align your actions and behavior with who you are at your best
16:21 – Trust is built in small moments
17:46 – Find the balance between oversharing and transparency
20:51 – Trust does not leave people second guessing
21:20 – Choose discomfort over resentment
22:53 – There are also situations where building trust can require staying silent
25:43 – Every choice you make either gets you closer to trust or drives you away from it
Connect with Justin Patton
Check out my book reports of Your Road to Yes and The High-Impact Manager
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please visit our website or contact Trevor here.