Apr 6, 2022
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!
Sometimes a chance meeting leads to powerful conversations.
After a random breakfast with W. Kevin Ward of WKW Consulting Services, I invited him onto the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
Kevin shares practical steps for getting off autopilot, seeking wisdom, and reconnecting to vision and core values. We also discuss how intentional leadership, clear communication skills, and strategic thinking help improve morale, strengthen culture, and drive better results on the shop floor.
2:40 – Growing wise is the attention process
4:35 – We all tend to operate on “autopilot”
6:36 – Any role where you’re teaching and influencing others is a leadership role
10:09 – It’s all about finding a healthy level for yourself and taking intentional steps to manage yourself
10:49 – A big part of being a leader is leading by example
11:55 – The biggest challenge of being a leader can be listening to your own lessons and applying them
13:22 – If something goes wrong with your team, the first step is looking at yourself
16:00 – One big reason people feel like they’re on autopilot is that they haven’t given good consideration to their own vision
17:50 – Your vision should be a driving force in your life
18:39 – Once you find your vision, communicate it and surround yourself with people with a similar vision
19:34 – If it’s something you can do yourself, it’s not a vision!
20:04 – What’s the difference between a vision and a goal?
20:53 – The pursuit of vision is rarely a straight line
24:56 – If you express your vision well, others will want to be involved
27:28 – A core value is something that you cannot be talked out of
27:56 – There’s a need for more love and care in high-stress industries like manufacturing
29:03 – The beauty of wisdom is that when you see it, you gain many other things as a result
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