How Manufacturers Improve

Welcome to How Manufacturers Improve, a Manufacturers Alliance podcast, where we help everyone who works in manufacturing become a better leader and problem solver so all manufacturers can remain competitive.

Why Good Employees Stop Caring 08/04/2026

Why Good Employees Stop Caring In this episode, Betsy Roisen, Senior HR Manager at The Bernard Group, shares how manufacturing leaders can spot the early signs of disengagement, connect daily work to the bigger mission, and give employees the influence they need to stay invested. Listeners will walk away with practical ways to build trust, close the feedback loop, and prevent burnout before it starts. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Attend a Community Group: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/42220785

Why Your Improvements Slowly Die 07/21/2026

Why Your Improvements Slowly Die In this episode, Jeremiah Johnson, Global Lean Leader at Boston Scientific, joins Kirby to break down exactly why hard-won gains slowly disappear and what it takes to stop the backslide for good. Jeremiah brings a hard-earned perspective that goes far beyond the factory floor! ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Attend a Community Group: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/41954835

Why the Same Problems Keep Coming Back 07/07/2026

Why the Same Problems Keep Coming Back In this episode, Nathan Hole, Continuous Improvement Leader, reveals why manufacturers keep solving the wrong problems, and the mindset shifts that lead to root causes that actually stick. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Attend a Community Group: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/41599585

Why Managers Wait Too Long to Address Bad Behavior 06/23/2026

Why Managers Wait Too Long to Address Bad Behavior In this episode, Kirby Sneen & Monica Smith break down why managers avoid addressing bad behavior and the practical steps to act faster, stay consistent, and protect team culture. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Guest at a Community Group: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/41515950

Habits That Manufacturing Leaders Must Master 06/09/2026

Habits That Manufacturing Leaders Must Master In this episode, Pete Wolf, President of Robinson Rubber Products, breaks down the leadership habits manufacturing leaders must master to stay focused, build culture, and drive consistent results. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/41429920

Claims That Cost Manufacturers the Most (And How to Prevent Them) 05/26/2026

Claims That Cost Manufacturers the Most (And How to Prevent Them) In this episode, Steve Chismar and Zach Upgren of North Risk Partners break down the insurance claims that cost manufacturers the most, and the practical steps to prevent them before they strike. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/41194195

Project Management for Manufacturers 05/12/2026

Project Management for Manufacturers In this episode, manufacturing executive Rodd Joos breaks down how to prioritize the right projects, manage scope, build stronger teams, and use Scrum and Fibonacci sequencing to deliver faster. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40889930

Capturing Tribal Knowledge 04/28/2026

Capturing Tribal Knowledge In this episode, Curt Gosser, Director of Operations at Farmers Union Industries, shares how manufacturers can stop losing tribal knowledge and build systems that keep critical process knowledge in the plant. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40791070

AI Do's & Don'ts 04/14/2026

AI Do's & Don'ts In this episode, Angie Wittke, CEO of BlueNet, shares AI security essentials for manufacturers, reveals why automating chaos fails, and explains the foundation-first approach to implementation. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40527540

Recognition That Retains Talent 03/31/2026

Recognition That Retains Talent In this episode, Kirby Sneen and Gabii Stehli break down how manufacturing leaders can use recognition, not just compensation, to retain top talent and build a high-performing team culture. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40317720

Breaking Down Silos - Part 2 03/17/2026

Breaking Down Silos - Part 2 In this episode, General Manager Josh Erickson breaks down how metrics, language, and incentives silently create silos and the practical moves manufacturing leaders can make to fix them. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40317125

Breaking Down Silos - Part 1 03/03/2026

Breaking Down Silos - Part 1 In this episode, Heather Stewart, President and CEO of APG Solutions, shares how manufacturers can break down silos by replacing protectionism with curiosity and tying metrics to organizational North Star goals. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/40199435

How Kaizen Events Work 02/17/2026

How Kaizen Events Work In this episode, Scott Connor, Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Emerson, breaks down how to run successful Kaizen events, from the weeks of prep work required to maintaining momentum and securing leadership buy-in that drives results. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39982965

How to do a Waste Walk 02/03/2026

How to do a Waste Walk In this episode, Eugene Arrington, Senior Lean Leader at Starkey Hearing, breaks down how to conduct waste walks that deliver real results, from team selection to systematic observation to action planning with accountability. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter:https://www.mfrall.com/hmi/ Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39887490

How to Have a Great One-on-One 01/20/2026

How to Have a Great One-on-One In this episode, operations executive Bart Hoemann reveals his proven strategies for conducting one-on-ones that build trust, drive performance, and develop manufacturing leaders at every level. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Learn more: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39731115

AI, Stress, and Retention Executive Panel 01/06/2026

AI, Stress, and Retention Executive Panel In this episode, Chase McCown, Managing Director of Heartland Partners, and Monica Hamling, VP of HR at Nortek Systems, discuss how manufacturers can strategically manage stress, cultivate a strong culture, and leverage AI. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Learn more: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39518205

More in Store for Members in 2026 12/23/2025

More in Store for Members in 2026 In this episode, Kirby Sneen talks with Monica Smith, Member Services Manager at Manufacturers Alliance, about making training a habit and what manufacturing leaders can expect in 2026. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Learn more: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39430365

Safety Success for Supervisors 12/09/2025

Safety Success for Supervisors In this episode, Katherine Syverson, former EHS Director, reveals how supervisors can lead safety success through proactive metrics, cross-department observations, and tools that make safety sustainable. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what’s working on the factory floor. Links: Learn more: Become a Member: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple: Watch on YouTube: /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39080375

Demonstrating Responsibility Daily 11/25/2025

Demonstrating Responsibility Daily In this episode, Jeff Weber, Director of Continuous Improvement and Quality at Graco, reveals how to build accountability without micromanaging, from better meetings to coaching through missed deadlines. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/39080175

Dealing with Difficult Behaviors 11/11/2025

Dealing with Difficult Behaviors In this episode, Ashlie Weller, HR Manager at InsurTech, shares how to address difficult behaviors immediately, document incidents effectively, and avoid taking toxic behavior personally on the manufacturing floor. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/38908635

Improving Plant and Line Layouts 10/28/2025

Improving Plant and Line Layouts Learn how to improve plant layouts without disrupting production. Discover proven methods for flow optimization, bottleneck identification, and team-driven layout planning that keep customers happy. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/38579455

2025 Manufacturer of the Year Winners 10/14/2025

2025 Manufacturer of the Year Winners In this episode, Mike Sosnoski from Wilson Tool and Andrew Craig from Prima Power share how they built crisis-resilient manufacturing operations and scaled efficiently through strategic continuous improvement. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/38460880

Mistakes People Make When Using 6 Sigma 09/30/2025

Mistakes People Make When Using 6 Sigma In this episode, Shuang Shi, Senior Manager of Supplier Quality Engineering, reveals the biggest Six Sigma mistakes that cause project failures and shares proven strategies for success. Turn your best problem solvers into data-driven improvement leaders. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/38325525

Teaching People to See Waste 09/16/2025

Teaching People to See Waste Learn how to teach manufacturing teams to identify the 8 forms of waste. Discover why culture beats training and practical tools for waste walks that drive real, continuous improvement results. Manufacturing leaders don’t have to figure it out alone. and tap into workshops, tools, and a network of peers who are ready to share what works. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/38169065

Anything is Possible, Everything is Not 09/02/2025

Anything is Possible, Everything is Not Learn how manufacturing leaders balance ambitious goals with limited resources without burning out their teams. Discover prioritization strategies and resource management techniques. Transform your top performers into confident, capable supervisors. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/37894545

Launching Lean in Spanish Digital Courses 08/19/2025

Launching Lean in Spanish Digital Courses Discover how manufacturers are solving the lean training gap for Spanish-speaking teams. Learn why authentic, practitioner-led courses outperform scripted content in developing real problem solvers. Turn your best problem solvers into confident improvement leaders. /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/37800860

A Roadmap to Operational Excellence 08/05/2025

A Roadmap to Operational Excellence Learn the 8-step roadmap that helped cut costs in half and achieve operational excellence. Discover how to create purpose-driven teams, implement tier meetings, and engage frontline problem solvers. Do you have team members ready to lead improvement projects with data-driven precision? /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/37580905

Top Quality Tools 07/22/2025

Top Quality Tools Learn the essential quality tools every manufacturer needs, including control charts, Pareto analysis, and root cause methods. Discover how to distinguish between normal and special cause variation. Do you have team members who need problem-solving and continuous improvement skills? /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/37421910

Adapting Your Leadership Style 07/08/2025

Adapting Your Leadership Style Manufacturing leaders who adapt their leadership style see greater team engagement and results. In this episode, Richele Butler, the VP of HR at Japs-Olson Company, shares proven strategies for understanding individual team member preferences, reading non-verbal cues, and creating effective communication approaches. Learn how to focus on what you can control, group similar styles together, and build trust through style adaptation. Do you have team members who need leadership training? /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/37256900

Delegate and Elevate Performance 06/24/2025

Delegate and Elevate Performance Manufacturing leaders often struggle with delegation, but mastering this skill is critical for leadership growth and organizational success. In this episode, Jennifer Schwan, Vice President of Operations at CDI Curbs, shares proven strategies for effective delegation. Learn how to identify your "why" for delegating, build trust through alignment rather than process control, and shift your perspective from personal achievement to team development. Podcast Resources: Digital Course: Podcast: Listen to Certification: Not a Manufacturers Alliance member? /episode/index/show/mapodcast/id/36918165

How Manufacturers Improve

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