Ysni Semsedini didn't wait for opportunities; he planned his ascent. The CEO of London Hydro joins Greg Schinkel to share his powerful journey from an electrical engineering student to a top executive, outlining the deliberate steps he took to chart his career path and the essential shift every technical expert must make to become a true leader.

Ysni breaks down how he transformed London Hydro's culture from a "low-cost operator" to a "value creator," why a leader's job is to relentlessly remove ambiguity, and how to conquer organizational silos using his "Leads and Ladders" framework.

Whether you're looking to make the leap into management or lead a company through a period of rapid change, Ysni's insights on intentional growth, trusting your gut, and putting people first are invaluable.

0:00 | Introduction

3:50 | First Taste of Accountability

11:58 | The Shift from Expert to Leader

18:10 | Navigating Organizational Change & the Value Creator Mindset

21:05 | Combating Silos with the "Leads & Ladders" Framework

23:45 | Relentless Communication

27:00 | Trusting Your Gut and Finding Your "Unique Ability"

30:15 | Your Career is a Tapestry of Experience

Guest: Ysni Semsedini

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ysni-semsedini-4628b076/

Host: Greg Schinkel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregschinkel/

Connect with us:

Website: https://uniquedevelopment.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unique-training-&-development-inc-/

Email: [email protected]

This special edition of the Accelerating Operational Performance (AOP) podcast, hosted by Greg Schinkel, explores how to improve the relationship between corporate support functions and manufacturing operations. Learn how to transform this dynamic by combating organizational distractions and establishing a collaborative partnership. Discover practical strategies to make your business more efficient and effective.

Transform uncertainty into growth. Executive coach James Coolidge offers insights for leaders to reframe challenges as opportunities for reinvention, enhance psychological safety, and leverage mindful thinking for thriving teams and accelerated performance.

Discover how effective leadership development can accelerate operational performance with Dean Crawford, VP of HR at Aspire MRO. Learn strategies for growth and building high-performing teams.

Discover how a human-centered approach to optimizing manufacturing processes can drive innovation, improve team engagement, and lead to significant cost savings.

Join us for a special Accelerating Operational Performance Rewind episode! As we hit the halfway mark of 2025, it's the perfect time to pause, reflect, and make those small, impactful adjustments to your leadership approach that drive big results. We're revisiting some of our most memorable guests and powerful insights from the last six months, offering practical wisdom you can implement today.

If you'd like to listen to the full episodes of the clips Greg and Kirk spoke about, they are listed below:

1. Megan Barder: Leadership Development and Operational Performance Strategies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVoW77yClBk&t=1s

2. Dr. Gwen Acton: Essential Leadership Skills for Scientists - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx7blF0F7Eg&t=2s

3. Kirby Griffin: Linking Leadership Directly to Operational Performance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htZmytIwIGo&t=1s

4. Lorne Girard on Servant Leadership: How Putting Your People First Drives Success - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXlQLnS6P9o

Explore Jon Heffelfinger's journey to Plant Manager at Hendrickson. Learn how strong culture, mentorship, and empowering teams drive operational excellence in manufacturing. Discover key insights on leadership, overcoming challenges, and motivating diverse workforces.

Harness operational excellence with insights from Mathew Showalter. Learn how people-focused leadership, continuous improvement, and empowered decision-making drive productivity and profitability.

Learn how to build a high-performing manufacturing culture with Megan Barder. Learn how she champions human-centric development, leverages technology, and fosters resilience to drive operational excellence.

Join us and Lorne Kelton, founder of ThinkShift Performance Solutions Inc., as we dive into impactful leadership behavioral change. Lorne reveals his unique "deep dive" approach, moving beyond traditional training to uncover organizational truth through "invasive" on-site observation and quantified behavioral data. Discover how this rigorous method, combined with the power of active listening, drives genuine transformation. Tune in for insights to accelerate your leadership, engage teams, and achieve operational excellence.