You can collect data all day—but if you're not using it to coach your team, you're missing the point. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner and Dave Vuyk wrap up their "Mindset Shifts for Lights Out Legends" series with one final transformation: moving from a monitored shop to a coached one.

Drawing on lessons from Nick's recent talk at the Automated Shop Conference, the hosts unpack how to turn dashboards into decisions and metrics into motivation. They explain why dashboards don't make chips, how to turn OEE from a vanity metric into a coaching tool, and how to align both machines and people toward a shared goal of improvement.

Nick also introduces the idea of the "other OEE"—Overall Employee Engagement—and explores how the best shops connect coaching, culture, and continuous improvement into measurable performance. From building the right tech stack (ERP, MES, and machine monitoring) to running better daily standups, this conversation breaks down what it really takes to lead a high-performance, data-driven manufacturing team.

Whether you're running one shift or lights out, this episode will challenge how you think about data, leadership, and what it means to truly coach your people toward operational excellence.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• (0:24) Why Verdant Commercial Capital is a partner in your business
• (2:50) Highlights from Nick's trip to EMO (and global trends about machine monitoring)
• (7:30) Recap of previous Lights Out mindset shifts
• (8:25) "Dashboards don't make chips" — why data without action is waste
• (9:14) The difference between a head coach and a head monitor in manufacturing
• (13:11) How cadenced meetings and daily standups drive accountability
• (14:30) Why starting manual helps validate processes before investing in tech
• (15:45) Breaking down ERP, MES, and machine monitoring (and how they work together)
• (20:33) Check out the SMW Autoblok catalog
• (21:13) Defining OEE: availability × performance × quality as the shop's north star metric
• (23:05) Adaptive vs. accelerated performance—why slowing down can speed you up
• (27:09) What world-class OEE looks like and why most shops start around 20%
• (29:13) Coaching strategies to improve machine availability and uptime
• (32:00) How capturing downtime reasons reveals the real improvement opportunities
• (33:46) Dissecting the other OEE: Overall Employee Engagement
• (38:09) Turning OEE into a coaching tool rather than a vanity metric
• (40:12) Football and manufacturing: how coaching and data awareness drive success
• (42:21) Use Hire MFG Leaders for your next hire

Resources & People Mentioned

• Why Verdant Commercial Capital is a partner in your business
• Check out the SMW Autoblok catalog
• Use Hire MFG Leaders for your next hire

Connect With Lights Out

• LinkedIn
• MakingChips.com

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Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK