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 Linkedin Visit his website

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 Check out his website and download a free copy of his Moments Matter Magazine Connect on LinkedIn to see new blog content

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 Visit his website Listen to his Flow Over Fear podcast

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, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy. 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 website Learn More about The Energy Bus and his other books Read my previous book report on The Energy Bus Connect on LinkedIn and social media Hear Jon's podcast with Alan Mullally

“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 Visit her website Connect on LinkedIn

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 LinkedIn Learn more about Shawn’s book Pivot Point

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 Visit her website Email zovig@boldnessablaze.com Connect on LinkedIn

What are the 3 P’s of success? Grab a cup of your favorite tea and find out in this episode with Tonia Jahshan! Tonia is the founder of Canadian loose leaf tea company Sipology, which skyrocketed to great levels of success after Tonia pitched her business on Dragons’ Den, the Canadian version of Shark Tank. Today, Sipology is one of the fastest growing companies in North America, and Tonia is one of the top entrepreneurs in Canada. In this episode, Tonia gives a behind-the-scenes look at her experience on Dragons’ Den and shares why passion, purpose, and perseverance are the three ingredients you need to find your own great success. 2:18 – Tonia shares stories from her experience on Dragons’ Den 8:49 – When pitching a new idea, do your homework and know your audience 9:18 – Be transparent and show you truly care about your product or process 10:18 – Strong and long-lasting partnerships often start with a personal connection 12:04 – To drive change, you have to show up with passion 12:27 – The three P’s of success are passion, purpose, and perseverance 13:26 – If you’re not showing up with passion, others in your organization will feel it as well 16:24 – By setting boundaries and taking care of your own mental health, you can improve your mindset and how you positively show up for your team 18:52 – On the journey to success, you’re not alone and it’s okay to rely on your team and others in your life and organization 19:28 – If you’re not passionate about w hat you’re doing or feel like you’re lost your purpose, reconsider and rework Connect with Tonia Jahshan Learn more about Sipology Connect with Tonia on Instagram or LinkedIn Visit Tonia’s website

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 Visit his website Connect on LinkedIn Pre-order Built to Finish

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 Visit her website Connect on LinkedIn Learn More About Infinite Influence

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 Visit her website Check out her Take Back Time podcast

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 Visit his website Learn more about Sticky Safety

Just think positive! We’re all heard this phrase before, but thinking positively can be easier said than done, especially if you’re dealing with a painful situation or difficult challenge. In this episode, guest Dr. Paul Jenkins is here to help you find a new approach for positive thinking. Dr. Paul is a professional psychologist who specializes in science and practice of positivity. He is also a coach, author, speaker, and “black belt in positivity” who creates models to help others find empowering new ways to view positivity. 2:39 – Positive thinking is more than a trite motivational phase 4:35 – The equipment of your mind is amazing at what it’s intended to do 5:55 – Your brain’s job is to keep things really efficient 6:44 – Metacognition is thinking on a higher level, or thinking about thinking 7:06 – Metacognition creates a space where choice exists 9:19 – You are constantly judging and evaluating, so you brain can work to keep you safe and to prove you right 13:59 – You can’t always get rid of a negative situation, but you can find a sense of relief and gratitude by comparing it to something worse 17:59 – If you assume something is bad or has no upsides, your brain will work to prove you right 18:40 – You can’t tell others to just be more positive, and others can’t do the same for you 20:03 – Toxic positivity is when you ignore the difficulty and act like everything is okay 22:37 – Creation mode is all about what is to be and what doesn’t exist yet 23:34 – When you imagine that worse things are coming, it leads to anxiety 25:15 – What we imagine is our brain’s blueprint for moving forward, even if what actually happens doesn’t perfectly match what you envisioned 27:25 – The two stages of thinking are evaluation and creation 28:48 – As a leader, you can help others create their own positive visions 30:01 – Come to peace with how things are, then work to upgrade your situation Connect with Dr. Paul Jenkins Visit his website Get your free positivity model here

If you missed part one with guest Jon Giganti, be sure to listen to Episode 103 here. Jon Giganti is speaker, tech executive, and USA Today bestselling author. He is the author of With Intention, where he delves into how leaderships can use skills like agency, awareness, and ambition to find new success, take ownership of their past, and bring impactful change to their organizations. In this episode, Jon shares more lessons and insights about how leaders can use intentionality to form strong connections, find productive results, and serve their team in the authentic, impactful ways. 1:29 – Schedule white space or margins into your day to avoid overbooking yourself 3:29 – Quiet moments in your schedule give you a chance to rest your brain, body, and soul 8:06 – Setting aside time in your schedule is a way to invest in yourself and your future\ 10:00 – Scheduling margins also gives you time to form more productive connections within your organization 13:27 – When you have a lack of connection, you have a lack of engagement 13:40 – Let others see your authenticity 14:22 – By building trust and serving as your authentic self, you can work toward stronger results with your team 15:57 – You need self-awareness to find the best ways to improve and serve 17:27 – Get below the surface to know yourself, including your identities, beliefs, and values 20:20 – If you don’t deal with what’s in your head, it will impact your heart 22:26 – By building relationships, you can impact others and drive change 25:45 – Vulnerability is a superpower Connect with Jon Giganti Visit his website, where you can learn about his speaking, podcasts, and With Intention course Check out my book report of With Intention, then get your own copy

Do you find yourself starting the day with positive intentions, then leaving your manufacturing plant at the end of the day feeling like you didn’t actually accomplish any of your intentions? You might be struggling with “intention deficit disorder!” This is definitely something I’ve struggled with, but I felt much better after reading With Intention by speaker, tech executive, and USA Today bestselling author Jon Giganti. Jon is also a friend and professional speaking colleague, and after reading his fantastic book, I wanted to hear more of his thoughts on how we can all bring more intentionality to our leadership and organizations. That’s why I’m excited to have him as my guest for this special two-part episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing! In part one of my podcast with Jon, he shares some stories that lead to the lessons on intentionality he writes about in With Intention, and discusses why self-awareness, agency, and connections play a key role in practicing intentionality and improving results. 6:33 – To accomplish something, you need to show up, serve, and add value 7:08 – Intention is finding out what your priorities are, then living into it as much as possible 7:58 – Every day is a new day with opportunities to be intentional and make an impact 9:28 – In order to serve others, you have to serve yourself first by establishing a routine and setting yourself up for success 10:48 – To find sustainable results, you need to have self-awareness and self-intention 13:13 – You need to put yourself in the right position for success 14:08 – Your energy levels are not the same throughout the day, so being intentional about your time is important 15:44 – Journaling or writing down affirmations is one way to practice intentionality 16:34 – You should also set a core foundation yourself by working on your own standards and beliefs 18:30 – To accomplish what you want to accomplish, show up, and form habits 21:07 – If you want to be more intentional about how you lead or connect with others, start with curiosity, connection, and bridging disconnects 23:29 – To serve others on your team, act as a safe place to connect 24:00 – To get stronger results or find out what is driving a performance issue, stay curious and find ways to connect with your teams 24:39 – Trust also plays a large role in building connections and finding results 25:23 – Along with self-awareness, you also need agency and the ability to take ownership of your past, present, and future Tune in next episode to learn more about intentionality with Jon Giganti! Connect with Jon Giganti Visit his website, where you can learn about his speaking, podcasts, and With Intention course Check out my book report of With Intention, then get your own copy

Relationships play a key role in fostering curiosity, building connection, and combating disconnection. But how do we create strong, authentic relationships? To answer that question, I’m joined by guest Corban David Jenai. Corban is an entrepreneur, artist, world traveler, and father. He also currently serves as the Chief Hope Officer at HopeGuide, where he draws from his own PTSD diagnosis and healing journey to help others find the freedom and connection they need to recover from their trauma. In this episode, Corban shares why vulnerbility and intentionality are important for building strong relationships, discusses why "being a witness" to others is the key to building relationships, and shares some authentic stories from his own journey. 3:14 – Talking about ourselves and real aspects of our lives is a way to kick off strong connections 4:00 – Vulnerability is a path to connection 4:23 – By listening and getting to know others on your team, you build a sense of trust, which in turn leads to greater results on performance, quality, safety, and more 5:03 – To show others that you care, you have to actually care 6:36 – To build connections, think about what is important to you, and work with the assumption that others might have feelings similar to yours 8:23 – While modern society gives us the chance to connect with many people, we don’t always have the time or capacity to form meaningful connections with every person we encounter   10:15 – By connecting with smaller groups, we have the chance to be a witness to others, and they can be a witness to hear, see, and feel us as we are 11:06 – By investing in others at a deeper level, you can improve productivity and results 12:56 – Being vulnerable and open with your team allows them to see your humanity as a leader 14:38 – By looking at someone and actually seeing them, you can make a major difference, even if you don’t have a solution to their problems 16:51 – When people feel seen and heard, they are more likely to show up for you and your organization 20:06 – Even small moments of connection, like making eye contact, go a long way when forming connections 25:54 – Being a witness can help you show up better in all your relationships Connect with Corban David Janai Find Corban online at his website Learn More About HopeGuide here

To make better decisions and increase the overall engagement in your organization or workplace, you need diversity of thought! This is why I’m always so excited to talk to women in manufacturing roles, like Kathy Miller! Kathy has held multiple executive roles in manufacturing, including roles at General Motors, Delphi Automotive Systems, and Rolls-Royce. She was also inducted into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2021, and has written about her unique journey as a woman in manufacturing in her book Steel Toes and Stilettos. In this episode, Kathy shares more about her experiences and successes as a woman in manufacturing, and shares how both male and female leaders can build stronger connections, find more diverse results, and show up as their most authentic, empowered selves. 3:29 – Steel Toes and Stilettos is inspired by the different roles women play to be both their authentic, feminine selves and hold their own on a shop floor 4:21 – A successful journey in manufacturing requires soft skills, which can be harder to develop than people realize 5:19 – To make a significant cultural transformation stick in your organization, you need to make it feel like it belongs to the employees, and make them feel it with their hands and the hearts 8:23 – To get more women and their perspectives into manufacturing roles, it’s important to get women into manufacturing roles at a young age 9:12 – Inclusive environments get better business results 9:35 – Every person in your organization has a heart, a brain, and a set of hands, and you have to tap into all three 11:00 – By giving others an opportunity to contribute, you can find new and better results 13:50 – Kathy’s equation for successfully improving plants involves relationships, realities, results, and authenticity 14:45 – Every single relationship matters 16:37 – Face your realities and work on what’s in your control 17:27 – Focus on where you are and you’ll find results 18:09 – If you’re a man in manufacturing, work to amplify female voices 19:05 – Women in manufacturing can also advocate for their authentic selves Connect with Kathy Miller Connect with Kathy on Linkedin Learn more from Kathy and her coauthor Shannon Karels on their website Buy Steel Toes and Stilettos

“Are you winning?” This is one of my favorite questions to ask when I enter a manufacturing plant, and it’s always interesting to see the variety of responses. To learn more about how leaders and their teams can do more to “win the day,” I’m excited to welcome my friend and former neighbor Eric Berdan to the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast. After years of experience in manufacturing and running factories, Eric now works at the business optimization leader for Nestle North America. In this episode, he shares some great stories about what it takes to win in the manufacturing industry, plus shares tips on how to motivate your team and find productive results. 3:28 – Every person in your organization has a different definition of what it means to win 3:55 – By engaging your team in their daily activities and their goals, you’ll find stronger overall success 6:11 – You don’t have to be perfect, but you still need to win and set up a winning streak for yourself 7:19 – To achieve results, you need to break your paradigms, be willing to push through challenges, and find ways to motivate others 8:56 – Momentum always plays a key role 10:28 – Let you team work within their own frameworks and set goals that are attainable for them 14:10 – You can’t expect everyone to share your goals or reach the same expectations you personally set for yourself 17:54 – By being intentional about how you start your day, you can set yourself up for wins 22:23 – Sometimes, a strong winning streak can actually hurt productivity 24:59 – Understanding how you’re doing at work requires many different senses 27:38 – Discretionary effort adds to win and productivity 28:19 – The key to success is tapping into emotion and getting your team emotionally connected to a goal

“What else can I do to help?” For Susan Baier, the founder and president of Audience Audit, this question changed the trajectory of her career when she received generous assistance as a recent college graduate. She now gives back through her work with Audience Audit, where she helps businesses grow their ROI through transformational thought leadership reputations and stronger marketing. In this episode, Susan joins me to share her story and insights about how leadership can shift their mindset and find ways to be “relentlessly helpful” in their organizations and lives. 2:08 – To be relentlessly helpful, ask other what else you can do to help them and think about what you can do to help the others around you or in your organization 3:44 – Shift your mindset to think about the ways you can have an impact on others 3:54 – We all know things that someone else doesn’t know 8:15 – The people with the greatest experiences and the most unique perspectives are often not sharing their information 8:40 – Being generous reaps huge rewards and builds goodwill 10:37 – Being relentlessly helpful can also be a way to break out of your own routine and make yourself feel better about your own role 12:36 – Some days may have more opportunities to be helpful than others, but there are always small gestures you can make or questions you can ask to support others 14:34 – Both overconfidence and a lack of confidence can impact the ability to be relentlessly helpful 14:54 – Organizations, not just individuals, can embrace a culture of relentless helpfulness 18:39 – Learning on the job is a critical component of advancement 19:45 – To understand what is helpful for others, you need to listen and communicate 20:33 – As you shift your mindset, you’ll grow your listening skills and find more way to be helpful 22:18 – We often dismiss our own knowledge and forget to think about how our knowledge can be important to someone else, even in a small way 23:34 – Just being open and available for conversation can help others Connect with Susan Baier Audience Audit website Contact Susan

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Do you want to grow your writing skills or find new ways to use words to inspire your team and grow your organization? If you’re ready to take the first steps toward writing a book, AJ Harper is here to help! AJ is an editor, publishing strategist, and former ghostwriter who now uses her skills to help others write transformational books, grow their leadership, and make a unique impact on the world. She shares her methods through workshops like her Top Three Books Workshop, and she is also the author of  Write a Must Read: Crafting a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own. In this podcast episode, AJ shares more about Write a Must Read and her experiences as a ghostwriter. She also shares some practical methods manufacturing leaders can use to grow their storytelling skills, whether they’re getting ready to write a book or simply looking for new ways to engage their teams. 1:03 – In a previous episode with Michael Port, we talked about speaking and growing your speaking skills to improve your impact in your organization. 2:39 – As a ghostwriter for bestselling books, AJ gained the experiences and insights she now uses to help others craft must-read books 5:01 – Like manufacturing, crafting a good book means developing strong systems and processes 5:30 – By having a strong and repeatable system, you can overcome challenges like self-doubt or your inner critic 6:28 – A key point of strong storytelling is remembering details 6:48 – To remember details you want to write down or share with your team, write them down in your phone or even record them for later 8:33 – Even if you have a very busy schedule, you can still find times in your day to write 9:17 – Writing doesn’t have to be daily and you don’t have to write a ton of words every day, as long as you find time to write on a regular basis that works for you and your schedule 10:42 – Other people may have already written ideas similar to yours, but the world still hasn’t heard it in your unique voice 11:43 – To connect with your audience, you need to put your reader first 13:35 – By using the reader first concept, you can also find better ways to connect and communicate with your team 14:50 – Even by just acknowledging an existing problem or condition, you can still motivate and support your team or audience 16:37 – Think about the hearts and minds of your audience and demographic 19:12 – Having a script is a way to prepare yourself before speaking, even if it’s just a few key points 20:42 – Instead of only focusing on your own objective, think about how you want to make others feel 21:35 – Don’t expect to be great at first Connect with AJ Harper Visit her website, where you can sign up for her newsletter with more writing tips Learn more in my review of Write a Must-Read