Dec 27, 2023
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 www.manufacturinggreatness.com and click here to subscribe to Trevor’s monthly newsletter.
Now, let’s jump in!
In the fast paced world of manufacturing, staying focused can feel impossible. Resetting your mindset is key to improving productivity, engagement, and performance.
In this episode, Penny Zenker, international speaker, business strategy coach, and productivity expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.
Penny explains how growth mindset, communication skills, and authentic leadership help leaders reduce distractions and strengthen accountability. You will learn practical strategies to improve focus, support workforce retention, and build manufacturing cultures where teams stay aligned, energized, and productive.
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 Take Back Time podcast