Mindfulness Manufacturing

Our show is about providing listeners with real stories that come from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. Most importantly it’s about what we learn from these stories and applying Mindfulness in our everyday work and personal lives. Our intention is to create an environment where people can learn through open honest discussions on how we apply Mindfulness. Although our experiences and stories come from time in a manufacturing environment hence the title “Mindfulness Manufacturing”, we still see our discussions and topics relatable to any organization or profession.

135 Shifting from Blame to Solution in Manufacturing Teams with Darcy Luoma 01/22/2025

134 Rethinking Shop Floor Time - Technical People are People Too with Emily Nichols 01/08/2025

133 Using Your Big Sexy Idea to Differentiate Yourself with Mark Levy 12/25/2024

132 The Power of Leadership in Addressing Bullying and Cultivating Civility with Dr. Renee Thompson 12/11/2024

132 The Power of Leadership in Addressing Bullying and Cultivating Civility with Dr. Renee Thompson In manufacturing, it’s easy to get stuck in the four walls of our organization. But when you look beyond your organization—and even beyond your industry—you can find the insights and lessons you need to transform your leadership, improve your culture, and show up for your team! In this episode, hear from outside the manufacturing industry with Dr. Renee Thompson! Renee is the CEO & Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute and works with healthcare organizations to cultivate a professional workforce by addressing bullying and incivility. Renee has authored several books and is one of only 30 nurses worldwide who have achieved the prestigious certified speaking professional designation. Through her work, Renee is on a mission to create a world where bullying and incivility are immediately rejected, and kindness, respect, and professionalism become the new norm. In this episode, she shares her strategic insights for cultivating a more inclusive and positive workplace. 4:14 – In the workplace, bullying and negative relationships can occur between coworkers, as well as between bosses and employees 5:34 – As a leader, it’s important to equip yourself with the skills needed to address bullying and incivility 7:57 – There are many psychological barriers that can lead to challenges or inaction when faced with problematic workplace behavior 9:30 – Scripting is a way to effectively handle difficult conversations 12:27 – Learn the difference between overt bullying and subtle, more convert bullying, and find the strategies for dealing with both types of behavior 16:40 – Even though all industries are different, strategies for addressing bullying and incivility can still be applied across different industries Connect with Dr. Renee Thompson Learn more about Find her on Connect on and /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/33848222

131 How to Take Your Team From Disconnected to Alignment with Mark Kenny 11/27/2024

130 Empowering Frontlines Leaders with Lessons from the Drive-Thru with Monica Rothgery 11/13/2024

129 Harnessing Productivity with More Mindfulness with Sarah Ohanesian 10/30/2024

128 Using People Power to Transform Organizations with Hugh Hornsby 10/16/2024

127 Stories for Leading with Curiosity and Empathy with Shane Zutz 10/02/2024

126 Transforming Your Approach to Retention with Cara Silletto 09/18/2024

126 Transforming Your Approach to Retention with Cara Silletto 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 organizations reduce turnover and create cultures where teams succeed and thrive. 2:49 – Some team members are trees, who stay with your company for a long time, while others are houseplants who needs more attention and support 3:23 – To retain your team members, understand the differences between your tree and houseplant employees 5:46 – With a diverse team, you need to approach different team members based on their different needs 8:10 – When you treat employees well, they are more likely to stay with your company 10:14 – Retaining your team members and providing support means adapting as a leader 12:47 – To retain employees, put a stronger emphasis on training, mentoring, and supporting your new hires from their first day 16:39 – Younger team members are more likely to bring their whole selves to work 24:02 – Leaders and managers should use continuous learning to improve their skills and gain a stronger understanding of their roles 25:47 – With a diverse team, you can’t use the same rewards and recognitions for all employees 26:53 – To understand your team better, practice curiosity and active listening Connect with Cara Silletto Learn more about Find special resources from Thanks for Listening! Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/32691712

125 Lessons for Saying Less and Learning More with Michael Bungay Stanier 09/04/2024

125 Lessons for Saying Less and Learning More with Michael Bungay Stanier 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 habits for building curiosity. 2:17 – With more curiosity, you can engage your people, boost morale and retention, and create a thriving organization 3:31 – Slow down in your rush to provide immediate advice 4:16 – As a leader, shift away from making advice your default response 5:13 – With curiosity, you can become a more strategic leader 6:11 – Defaulting to giving advice is often an ingrained habit 6:48 – When you start being more curious, you let others shine 7:17 – Curiosity can also strengthen your relationship with your family and others outside of work 8:40 – Forming new curiosity habits can take time and practice 9:47 - If you always give answers and advice, your team can become over-dependent, more disconnected, and less productive 10:48 – Through more curiosity, you and your team can find the purpose of your work 12:22 – While practicing curiosity and other new skills, approach it with patience and grace for yourself 13:28 – Be specific and deliberate in building your coaching habit 14:13 – Your team are your allies 15:19 – Instead of answering right away, stay in a place of curiosity a little bit longer 16:53 – Ask curious questions to find the root cause of issues within your team 18:48 – Asking questions can be more effective than giving advice 20: 11 – Your job isn’t to come up with the best answer, but to help your team come up with the right answer 21:42 – To practice curiosity, pay attention to your body language Connect with Michael Bungay Stanier Visit his and download chapter one of The Coaching Habit Learn more about Read my book reports of /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/32543532

124 Bringing Great Leadership to a New Plant: Stories from a Greenfield Site with Daniel Knecht 08/21/2024

124 Bringing Great Leadership to a New Plant: Stories from a Greenfield Site with Daniel Knecht 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 experiences of launching a new plant for NSG, and shares insight other manufacturing leaders can use to build and support their teams, improve their behavior, and bring transformative change to their organization. 4:04 – While manufacturing requires many technical skills, it’s still all about people and connection 4:55 – If you’re a technically minded person, you might need to shift your behavior to form stronger connections and learn to lead through others 5:22 – At a new plant, choosing and building a new team is an important part of the process 6:13 – As a leader, you want to hire a team who can respectfully challenge you, not just people who think exactly like you 7:27 – Changing how you show up for your team starts with authenticity and vulnerability 9:45 – Show up for your team with action, not just words 10:23 – Even with a large team, you can form great connections through intention and curiosity 12:54 – At a new plant, it’s imperative to set the right tone 14:38 – Manage your emotions and use patience to navigate challenges and connect with your team 19:09 – How you show up in a moment of adversity says a lot about you as a leader 20:05 – You lead how you’re led, so be aware of behaviors you might have picked up from others 20:40 – Take responsibility for your role as a leader in your organization 21:53 – Hire the right people and invest in them 23:20 – You can’t successfully address every issue your team brings to you, but you can approach the issue with an open mind 24:14 – To get a better understanding of the pulse of your floor, create a safe space for your team Connect with Daniel Knecht Find him on /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/32291532

123 The Tools You Need for Bridging the Uncertainty Gap with Jay Baer 08/07/2024

123 The Tools You Need for Bridging the Uncertainty Gap with Jay Baer 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 author of seven bestselling books, the creator of six multi-million dollar companies, and a popular tequila influencer and educator. 3:50 – There is a correlation between responsiveness and revenue 5:34 – People care about their time more than ever, which is why it’s important to respect the time of others 6:11 – Creating an efficient recruitment process is one way to be respectful of other’s time 7:43 – With a faster recruitment process, you won’t miss out on great talent 10:32 – Having an efficient system for replying and following-up cuts down on team anxiety and improves your culture 11:52 – You don’t always have to have the answer right away, but you can improve your relationships by giving a response 14:31 – As a leader, being responsive builds trust and helps you form better relationships within your organization 15:08 – Through responsiveness and strong communications, you can bridge the Uncertainty Gap 17:27 – People are trained to want more details and information 20:07 – Responsiveness should be a company policy, not an individual choice 21:40 – Find ways to continuously improve 23:57 – Customers will often go with the person who responds first, regardless of price Connect with Jay Baer Thanks for Listening! Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31865697

122 Good People, Bad Process: How to Measure and Improve Your Team with Martin Low 07/24/2024

122 Good People, Bad Process: How to Measure and Improve Your Team with Martin Low 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 experiences at companies like Amazon and Blue Apron, and brings great insights on how to measure your team, clarify your processes, and create a culture where everyone shows up at their best. 3:23 – You can’t measure people in the same way you measure inventory, cash flow or other main areas of your organization 6:31 – If you don’t invest in your people, it leads to issues like high turnover and halted productivity 7:36 – If you don’t have a baseline, you can’t measure 8:45 – If someone on your team is underperforming, use curiosity to find the cause 8:52 – Establish a baseline for what good looks like within your team or organization 9:45 – If someone on your team has higher rates than others, study their process and see how you can implement their methods for your whole team 11:50 – When results don’t meet expectations, approach the issue with curiosity instead of judgement 14:08 – With clearer processes, your team can improve and your organization can reduce turnover 14:24 – As a leader, you should make your expectations clear and hold others accountable 15:33 – With clarity, your team members find more agency and can improve the way they show up 17:31 – Create a process where you and your team can use your energy in a productive way, instead of just trying to survive the day 19:37 – Surveying your team is a strategy for assuring everyone is aligned and understands your processes, values, mission, and goals 22:52 – With a survey, leadership can find solutions directly from their team on the floor 24:18 – Most people show up wanting to do a good job, and clear processes can help them improve how they show up Connect with Martin Low Learn more about Contact On Plane Consulting at Contact Martin at /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/32162047

121 Why We Need Storytelling on the Manufacturing Floor 07/10/2024

121 Why We Need Storytelling on the Manufacturing Floor 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 learn and practice storytelling skills. 4:04 – When someone owns, lives, and feels a story, that makes for powerful storytelling 5:31 – Some people might be bad storytellers with great stories to tell, or great storytellers with bad stories 6:24 – Storytelling is a way to connect and help others relate to what you’re trying to share 7:12 – Good storytelling is transparent and draws on your own experiences 8:42 – If you’re telling someone else’s story, you still need to find a way to personally connect and own the story you’re telling 11:18 – Storytelling is an inherent part of human nature, which is why stories resonate so well 12:47 – Every story needs a purpose, especially if you’re in a leader or mentor role 15:15 – If you’re trying to adopt someone else’s story as your own, it won’t feel authentic 16:19 – A culture of storytelling can bring more connection to your organization 17:44 – How you tell a story is always going to be different depending on your audience or situation 20:28 – Practicing improv is a unique way to hone your storytelling skills 20:30 - Learn more about improv and storytelling in 22:55 – You can also learn about storytelling about listening to others 23:57 – As a human, you are a storyteller Connect with Trevor Perry Thanks for Listening! Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31681042

120 How to Unlock Your High-Performance Potential with Mike Mooney 06/26/2024

120 How to Unlock Your High-Performance Potential with Mike Mooney 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 improve their organization’s culture. 3:46 – Like racecars, humans are high-performance vehicles that needs building, fixing, innovation, and restoration 5:04 – Being high-performance involves being present, intentional, and curious 8:13 – You can still get work done well and efficiently without sacrificing your relationships or workplace presence 9:22 – To improve your presence and how you show up, commit to shifting your micro-behaviors 12:00 – Sometimes, you need to slow down to go fast 13:33 – In the space between stimulus and response, you have a choice to jump to conclusions or react with curiosity 16:22 – Curiosity opens up conversations and leads to more productive outcomes 19:10 – Great ideas can come from anywhere, not just the executive team 23:20 – With curiosity, any idea can be interesting 25:05 – We were all designed to be high-performance vehicles and with time and authenticity, you can become the leader your organization needs Connect with Mike Mooney Find him on Connect on X and Instagram @mike_mooney Connect on Facebook @mikemooney_speaks Thanks for Listening! Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31790867

119 Your Blueprint for Building Trust with Justin Patton 06/12/2024

119 Your Blueprint for Building Trust with Justin Patton 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 your leadership, empowering your team, and showing up as your best self, and shares why transparency, tact, and togetherness are the three key foundations you need to improve how you show up and built trust in your relationships. 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 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 or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31577802

118 Why Compassion and Connection are the Keys to Transforming Manufacturing with Karin J. Lund 05/29/2024

118 Why Compassion and Connection are the Keys to Transforming Manufacturing with Karin J. Lund 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, service, and profits. In this episode, Karin talks more about transformations facing the steel industry and manufacturing as a whole, and shares why compassion, connection, and conversations are the key to unlocking creative solutions, overcoming challenges, and bringing new energy to the manufacturing floor. 3:03 – In manufacturing, you can’t do everything by yourself, which makes it very important to seek out and build strong connections 5:33 – It can be a challenge to form relationship on the floor, especially for younger professionals 6:48 – When people have connections on the floor, it makes it easier to voice feedback and navigate challenges 9:01 – By creating a culture that fosters connections and conversation, you’ll find more productivity and more creative solutions 11:37 – Compassion is the competitive edge 15:55 – There is a difference between training and learning 16:39 – Employee resource groups are a strong tool for building connections and community in the workplace 19:20 – If you want to redefine your industry and image, start by having conversations about your values and how you present to the media and others 22:25 – In manufacturing, it’s important to have conversations about how your role impacts the work of others, and vice versa 23:29 – Everyone learns in different ways and some people may need different accommodations 25:02 – When someone makes a commitment to their industry, it can have a positive impact for entire teams and organizations Connect with Karin J. Lund Thanks for Listening! Thanks for tuning it to another episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! To learn more about Trevor Blondeel and Manufacturing Greatness, please or contact Trevor . /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31403282

117 You Can’t Proceduralize Everything! With Jake Mazulewicz 05/15/2024

117 You Can’t Proceduralize Everything! With Jake Mazulewicz When a mistake occurs on the plant floor, your mind might jump to one question: who caused this issue, and should I write them up for their mistake? But there’s a more productive approach you could be taking—and in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, guest Dr. Jake Mazulewicz breaks it all down! With a background as a firefighter, EMT, and military paratrooper, Jake knows the challenges of high-hazard industries, and works with organizations to reduce errors and create safer, more reliable workplace environments. In this episode, Jake shares why you can’t procedularize everything, including the way you handle errors and accidents, and offers great insights and stories about how to use connection and curiosity to improve safety, address errors, and strengthen your organization. 3:35 – Procedures and policies are the work that is imagined, and on the floor is how the work actually gets done 4:19 – The work as-done is almost always radically different than the work as-imagined 5:20 – Even when you have standards and people show up wanting to do a good job, you can still see issues that need to be addressed 6:44 – There will always be areas that absolutely need to have procedures in place 8:02 – There are also adaptive jobs, which leans less into procedures and more intro troubleshooting and tacit human knowledge 10:56 - In an ideal environment, both mechanistic and adaptive models are used and respected and needed 12:11 – There are four levels, ranging from strict procedurals to looser guidelines that show what to do, but not how to do it 15:36 – Tacit knowledge gets shared through conversations 16:22 – A way to share important information is to have frontline experts record videos sharing their insights to problems, especially those that are not covered in procedures 19:44 – Through conversation and connection, more knowledge is shared 21:58 – Debriefing also plays a central role 23:45 – If you have strong discipline, you’ll find more freedom 25:31 – In most situations, errors are signals, not defects 27:07 – When an error occurs, be curious and find the deeper cause of the problem Connect with Jake Mazulewicz Find him on Visit his /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/31050588

116 Lessons for Navigating a Crisis with Confidence with Dave Sanderson 05/01/2024

116 Lessons for Navigating a Crisis with Confidence with Dave Sanderson In 2009, total engine loss forced US Airways Flight 1549 to make an emergency crash landing in New York City’s Hudson River—and thanks to the quick actions of the pilot, flight crew, and passengers, all 155 people on board made it safely off the plane. Now known as “the miracle on the Hudson,” this harrowing incident offers up important lessons on staying calm under pressure, coping with traumatic challenges, and making every moment count. To learn more, let’s hear from a Flight 1549 survivor! Dave Sanderson is a nationally recognized leadership speaker and bestselling author, who draws from his inspirational story of survival to encourage others to do the right thing and find healthy ways to cope with their own struggles and adversity. In this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, Dave shares his own Miracle on the Hudson story, and offers powerful insights he learned from being the last passenger off Flight 1549! 2:18 – Dave shares his Flight 1549 story 8:11 – In times of conflict, whether it’s a plane crash or issue on the manufacturing floor, calmness and confidence play key roles 9:05 – To get through challenging situations, you need to manage your own mindset 10:05 – You don’t need to know everything to handle a crisis, but you have to be able to lead yourself first 11:09 – Every moment in your life happens for a reason 13:38 – How to react to and cope with a challenging situation depends on the meaning you attach to it 14:22 – By reframing the meaning you attach to a situation, you can find healthy and productive ways to react and grow 15:33 – Everyone assigns different meanings to different challenges, so it’s important to approach others with curiosity instead of judgement 17:56 – To truly understand others, you need be curious and have authentic interactions 21:52 – To feel included in an organization’s mission, people need and want certainty, variety, connection, significance, growth, and the ability to contribute 24:48 – As a leader, it’s up to you to find creative solutions and create opportunity from challenges 28:57 – If you get casual, it can lead to safety issues, accidents, and other serious problems for your organization Connect with Dave Sanderson and of his Moments Matter Magazine to see new blog content /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/30884093

115 Put Your Core Values Into Action with Adam Hill 04/17/2024

115 Put Your Core Values Into Action with Adam Hill In many manufacturing organizations, company values can be seen in plaques on the walls, but don’t show up in the behavior and language used on the shop floor. How can we get core values off the walls and into action? Find out in this episode with guest Adam Hill! Adam is the nine-figure CEO of a 4th generation family business, as well as a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the top-rated podcast Flow Over Fear. Throughout his work, he helps leaders and other high achievers rise above fear and realize their ultimate potential in leadership and life. In this episode, Adam shares why core values are so important to organizations—and why holding tight to outdated ideals can cause restriction instead of growth, plus offers insights and lessons leaders can use to make sure their core values are showing up in their culture and behavior. 4:13 – Core values should serve as a driving force, but can sometimes become restrictive 6:26 – In some cases, holding onto an old or legacy core value can actually hold back your organization 8:15 – If your organization is struggling or plateaued, look toward your core values and address what ideals need to stay and which ones can be changed or removed 9:24 – Culture and strategy are very similar, but can’t be treated as the same 10:51 – As culture shifts, you might have to shift your behavior while still staying true to your core values 13:06 – If you want change, you need to create a culture where people feel empowered to speak up 14:19 – If people in your organization don’t feel comfortable speaking up, it can lead to unsafe environments 16:29 – Healthy conflict is often necessary when discussing which core values to keep or get rid of, especially in family or legacy companies 21:50 – The strongest core values are the ones that can grow and evolve with your organization 24:00 – Great results can arise from challenging conversations Connect with Adam Hill Listen to his /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/30679583

114 How to Use Positivity to Improve Connection with Jon Gordon 04/03/2024

114 How to Use Positivity to Improve Connection with Jon Gordon If you want to improve safety, quality, productivity, and results, the first step is looking toward improving connection. With more mindfulness and connection, your entire organization can thrive—and in this episode, guest Jon Gordon is here to show you exactly how you can improve connection and fight disconnect in your organization! Jon is one of the top three leadership speakers in the world, and his talks on mindset and leadership have inspired hundreds of individuals and organizations. He is also the bestselling author of 28 books, including one of my favorites, . In this episode, Jon delves deeper into some of the insights in The Energy Bus to share how leaders can use positivity and connection to improve results and combat difficult situations. 3:31 – You are always going to have to deal with negative people, or energy vampires, but overcoming them is a key part of your journey to connection 4:40 – Every negative person is a test for you to find your own power and resiliency 6:40 – We are meant to be connected, which is why disconnect and isolation leads to anxiety and other mental health issues 7:55 – The more united and connected you are, the stronger you’ll be as a team 10:10 – If you only focus on the results instead of the process, it can lead to disconnect and other negative outcomes 11:15 – Feed yourself with words of positivity and encouragement instead of listening to negative self-talk 12:30 – Understand the wound behind your negative thoughts, so you can find a way to speak truth to them 13:49 – By embracing opportunities to heal and grow, you become a stronger leader for your team 16:25 – A positive team starts with positive leadership 18:03 – Understanding the dynamics of your team can help you find ways to improve connection 20:23 – You need both love and accountability 22:48 – There will always been the need for difficult conversations, so find a way to deal with them and make them less difficult for you and your team 24:49 – You can’t be thankful and stressed at the same time Connect with Jon Gordon Visit his about The Energy Bus and his other books on The Energy Bus Connect on and social media with Alan Mullally /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/30528748

113 Finding New Perspectives Through Emotional Intelligence with Karine Leblanc 03/20/2024

113 Finding New Perspectives Through Emotional Intelligence with Karine Leblanc “I’m great in my role and have valuable information to share . . . so why doesn’t anyone want to work with me?” If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, this podcast with guest Karine Leblanc is for you! Karine Leblanc is a bestselling author and international public speaker who uses her unique engineering background to help technical professionals bridge the bridge between technical brilliance and human connection. In this episode, Karine shares her personal story of discovering the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence, 4:10 – In any role, there is much more to do that simply learn the technical role of your job 5:00 – By having a mentor or someone else you trust in your organization, you can gain valuable feedback and insights 6:18 – To better yourself through feedback, you need to be ready to hear feedback and make it clear to your team that you’re open to listening to them 8:30 – When you work on yourself and improve your self-awareness, it can have a positive impact on all levels of your information, including your relationships with clients 9:45 – Emotional intelligence is not about being happy all the time, but learning to be self-aware of your own emotions and behaviors 10:42 – Through being intentional conversations with your team, you can still find productive outcomes and dynamics even when you’re not at your emotional best 11:51 – Have the courage to be vulnerable 15:05 – By being self-aware and intentional, you can learn your own behavioral signals and find the best ways to navigate challenging situations 16:18 – Using emotional intelligence, you can also learn other people’s behavioral signals and triggers, and find the best way to communicate with them 18:12 – If you’re stuck, all you need is a fresh perspective 19:09 – To find new perspectives and feedback, take a pause and zoom out 21:23 – Through simple and honest dialogue, you can improve safety and find more productive results 22:37 – When you combine technical skills with human skills, magic happens Connect with Karine Leblanc Connect on /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/30420268

112 Hope is Not a Strategy with Shawn Rhodes 03/06/2024

112 Hope is Not a Strategy with Shawn Rhodes There’s a four-letter word you should avoid on the manufacturing floor . . . and it’s not the one you think! In this episode, hear from guest Shawn Rhodes on why hope is the four-letter word you should remove from your processes. With a background as a war correspondent, Shawn knows firsthand how environments can quickly change, and now serves as a speaker, author, and international expert helping others learn how to pivot when change enters their plans. In this episode, Shawn discusses why hope shouldn’t be part of your strategy on the manufacturing floor, and pulls from his unique background to share actionable ways to replace hope in your organization and operations. 2:58 – If you rely on hope and wait for your environment to change, it can spell failure 3:15 – Identify where you’re using hope in your plans, then replace it with something else 5:08 – As a leader, replacing hope starts with changing your mindset 6:03 – To replace hope, identify areas where issues could occur, then work to address the issues 8:50 – By making small changes, you can eliminate bigger issues and free up more time and resources for yourself and your team 11:18 – By changing your mindset to remove hope, you will also create a positive standard for your team and organization 13:51 – Take time to monitor your environment and assesses what is and isn’t working 15:07 – Set objectives and figure out what you need to do to reach them 18:40 – As a leader, your biggest concern should be living up to your potential and fully showing up in how you serve 21:05 – Replace hope with systems and processes 21:53 – Take ownership and think about what you could do differently as a leader and how you can put those changes into action 25:16 – Have the courage to take a pause or briefly shut down operations, and it will save major time and stress down the line 27:30 – If you put in the work to replace hope and improve your leadership, success will find you Connect with Shawn Rhodes Find him on about Shawn’s book Pivot Point /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/30152023

111 How to Become a Self-Awareness Champion with Zovig Garboushian 02/21/2024

111 How to Become a Self-Awareness Champion with Zovig Garboushian Do you want to improve relationships at your organization and change the way you show up for your team? It all starts with self-awareness . . . and in this episode, guest Zovig Garboushian is here to show you the tips you need to become a self-awareness champion! With years of experience in brand marketing, management consulting, and leadership development, Zovig now puts her passion and experience to use at Boldness Ablaze, a boutique professional firm that helps leaders overcome personal limitations and find authentic success. In this episode, Zovig delves into the important topic of self-awareness and shares her favorite tips on how leaders can use skills like curiosity and compassion to grow their self-awareness, form healthier connections, and find the life they want to have. 2:30 – Self-awareness is the key to having the kind of life you want to have 2:50 – It is also about the ongoing and evolving relationship you have with yourself 7:20 – Through self-awareness, you develop the ability to notice and change when something in your life feels incongruent with what you want for yourself 8:40 – The more we connect to ourselves, the more we behave in our natural ways 9:12 – Our essence is our unique way of showing up and adding value to the world 11:24 – Self-awareness also requires you to attend to yourself and practice self-care 13:25 – One way to practice self-awareness is to take small moments throughout your day to pause and reflect on how you want to show up 16:43 – Another self-awareness tip is to observe yourself, your behavior, and your interactions and reactions 18:40 – By staying self-aware and reflecting on your own behavior, you can improve your relationships with others in your organization 19:48 – Showing up with self-awareness takes courage 20:18 – Everything we do for others begins with ourselves 20:35 – Self-awareness includes curiosity, compassion, and acceptance for ourselves 22:05 – You’re never going to treat someone else better than how you treat yourself 24:26 – You deserve to take time for yourself Connect with Zovig Garboushian Email /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/29985488

110 Passion, Purpose, and Perseverance: An Entrepreneur’s Recipe for Success 02/07/2024

109 An Endurance Athlete's Lessons for the Manufacturing Floor with Steven Pivnik 01/24/2024

109 An Endurance Athlete's Lessons for the Manufacturing Floor with Steven Pivnik What does manufacturing leadership have in common with running marathons or climbing mountains? Learn the answer in this episode with guest Steven Pivnik! Steven is an entrepreneur, author, and international speaker, who took his company Binary Tree to great success during his time as CEO. He is also an endurance athlete who has reached the summit of mountains like Kilimanjaro and competed in the grueling Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. In his soon-to-be-released book Built to Finish: How to Go the Distance in Business and Life, Steven shares his stories about finding success in both entrepreneurship and endurance sports. In this episode, he delves into a few insights from his book, plus shares lessons on endurance, shortcuts, and connections that you can use to find more successful outcomes, whether you’re on the manufacturing floor or getting ready for your next athletic adventure! 2:19 - There are actually many tie-ins between endurance sports and entrepreneurship 6:11 – Avoid taking shortcuts, especially when it comes to tasks like hiring 6:55 – Shortcuts may feel good and lead to easy solutions, but they don’t always lead to long-term, sustainable outcomes 8:20 – Many people have the false notion that there is always time to do sometime twice, but there’s rarely time to do it right the first time 10:57 - If you rely on shortcuts, it can hurt you in the long-run 12:22 – Often, going slowly instead of rushing or using a shortcut leads to more positive outcomes and a greater chance of success 14:23 – When it comes to forming connections and having deeper conversations, it’s especially important to slow down and be intentional about your behavior and mindset 14:50 – In relationships, quantity supersedes quality 16:50 – Stronger connections come from building true relationships through work 18:43 – When people have strong personal connections at work, they are more likely to show up and productively engage with their organization 21:20 – Forming stronger relationships takes work and patient, but the benefits can be very rewarding 22:43 – Everyone has stories and greatness, and you can discover opportunities for new connections by being open and willing to learn Connect with Steven Pivnik /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/29594278

108 Finding Your Infinite Influence with Alyson Van Hooser 01/10/2024

108 Finding Your Infinite Influence with Alyson Van Hooser From convincing a valued team member to stay with your organization to motivating an employee to level up their performance, you use influence everyday on the manufacturing floor. But what exactly is influence, and how can you more productive ways to influence others in your organization? Alyson Van Hooser has the answers! Alyson is a keynote speaker, leadership expert, and the author of Infinite Influence, which offers the keys to unlocking more productive relationships and outcomes. In this episode, Alyson uses personal stories and memorable anecdotes to show the importance of influence within teams and organizations, plus discusses how curiosity and intentionality can make a big difference in how you influence and communicate with others. 2:57 – There are many ways to influence people, from convincing them to stay on your team to influencing someone to level up their performance at work 3:19 – Change the way you think about everyone you know and recognize your ability to influence anyone, anywhere, at any time 4:27 – Influence is very different from manipulation 5:21 – You can’t motivate someone to do something they don’t want to do 14:52 – Instead of making assumptions, stay curious and think about what others need 17:25 – By making assumptions, you might not be meeting your team’s needs, if you are going in with good intentions 18:51 – You need a combination of good intentions and intentional actions 22:48 – Leading with biases and assumptions instead of curiosity and intentionality can lead to further disconnect in your organization 23:46 – You don’t need radical shifts to change your leadership. Instead, you can focus on small moments of building curiosity and intention 26:03 – To find the best way to communicate with someone, you need build a relationship and get to know their story 28:33 – Successful organizations are built through the support and investment of others Connect with Alyson Van Hooser /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/29404683

107 Building Your Reset Mindset with Penny Zenker 12/27/2023

107 Building Your Reset Mindset with Penny Zenker In the busy and high-stress world of manufacturing, it can be hard to find your focus! What can you do to reset your focus and prioritize what matters most? Find out in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing with “Focusologist” Penny Zenker. Penny is as an international speaker, business strategy coach, and bestselling author who has been featured on NBC, Forbes, and more. She is also a leader expert in the psychology of productivity, and works with organizations to maximize results by eliminating perfectionism, distractions, and self-sabotage. In this episode, she shares her three-step process for building a reset mindset aligning yourself with what matters most to you, your team, and the productivity and culture of your organization. 3:46 – Focus always coming back to setting objectives and aligning your actions with those objectives 4:47 – To find your focus, you need to step back, get out of your daily cycle, and reset 5:29 – To engage in reset practice, you have to recognize the trigger for the reset moment and then take a step back to get perspective and realign 7:03 – The more you practice, the easier it is to build a reset mindset 7:53 – If you don’t give yourself permission to step back and reset, you increase the risk of errors that can hinder productivity and cause mistakes 8:53 – Taking small break is a way to relearn how to focus 9:30 – Another part of practicing a reset mindset is learning to recognize when something isn’t working, like getting rid of an unproductive meeting 11:39 – Stepping back can mean giving up control in some areas 12:14 – Being able to step back creates a culture with less bureaucracy and more trust and autonomy 13:59 – Sometimes we focus on the wrong areas, like focusing on micromanagement when it would be more productive to focus on fostering autonomy 16:30 – A reset mindset starts with creating reset moments for yourself 17:44 – Constantly look for ways to bring out the best in yourself and in others 18:22 – A reset mindset also requires curiosity and a willingness to adapt 21:24 – If one person in an organization can demonstrate a reset mindset, others will learn to do the same Connect with Penny Zenker Check out her /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/29168368

106 Using Humor to Bridge the Connection Gap with Tim Gard 12/13/2023

106 Using Humor to Bridge the Connection Gap with Tim Gard Is humor the secret weapon for bridging the connection gap in your organization? Find out more in this episode featuring Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE. Tim is a Hall of Fame speaker and business coach who uses his own humor-infused presentations to help others use humor to improve productivity, create stronger connections, and bring more resilience and resourcefulness to their organizations. In this episode, Tim shares why humor can be a powerful tool for combating disconnect and communicating with your team, all while sharing some humorous stories of his own! 2:49 – When humor comes at the expense of others, it fuels disconnect 4:14 – Self-effacing humor is a strong skill in the workplace, but can be difficult to master 4:49 – There is a difference between understanding humor and being humorous yourself 5:35 – If you can find humor in a stressful situation, it can lead to moments of connection for you and your team 7:04 – By figuring out what is humorous to your team members, you can find ways to bridge the disconnection gap with humor 10:25 – When you can work hard and laugh hard with you team, you can find results 10:58 – If you’re not connecting with someone, you have to adapt to their communication style and figure out what’s important to them 12:01 – You also need to be aware of your behavior and how others might interpret it or react to it 12:47 – If you don’t connect with someone at first, don’t abandon the process 15:32 – By having your own good mood and positive mindset, you can convey that to your team 17:34 – Humor can also be used to convey safety messages in your organization 20:07 – By using humor, you can draw others to you and your team and can get better results 22:35 – Harnessing your own positive thoughts and feelings is a powerful tool for connection 25:08 – We can’t always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we perceive and react Connect with Tim Gard Learn more about /episode/index/show/mindfulnessmanufacturing/id/28938433

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