What a ride Ashleigh Walters takes us on as she details the amazing journey she's been able to lead as President of Onex in Erie, PA.  When she took the reigns the company had lost its family centric values and she recognized that to succeed in the future change was needed. It was her approach to leading change that makes her a phenomenal leader.  The core of the change was establishing a culture that embraced the freedom to fail.  By empowering the team to think outside the box the tide started to make a shift in the right direction.

Ashleigh unpacks servant leadership and what that means to her. Her PB&J sandwich analogy is a great way to explain the concept and meeting people wherever they are is the key.  She embraces a coaching methodology and how that shift from traditional manufacturing management style is key to growth.  The days of command and control is over and by utilizing a coaching strategy she was able to make a significant shift in company culture which has led to amazing results.

This idea episode is chocked full of wisdom and insight that has a real world example backing it the entire way.  Onex is now employee owned and their culture is something manufacturers dream about.  As Ashleigh so eloquently likes to say, it's all about grit, determination, resilience and persistence but then remember to lead with grace which embraces empathy and compassion.  This is an extremely powerful and inspiring conversation that you do not want to miss. 

Guest: Ashleigh Walters - President of Onex

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

Leading with Grit and Grace: A Journey in Organizational Culture Change