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!

"I am great in my role and have valuable information to share, so why does no one want to work with me?" If you have ever asked yourself this question, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Karine Leblanc, bestselling author and international speaker with an engineering background, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and communication skills for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Karine explains how self awareness, active listening, and authentic leadership help technical professionals strengthen trust building and improve employee engagement. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, feedback delivery, and growth mindset that support workforce retention and create manufacturing cultures where collaboration and productivity thrive.

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

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!

There is a four letter word manufacturing leaders should avoid: hope. Hope is not a strategy when it comes to safety, productivity, or workforce performance.

In this episode, Shawn Rhodes, speaker, author, and change leadership expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Drawing from his background as a war correspondent, Shawn explains how growth mindset, communication skills, and authentic leadership help leaders move from reaction to action. You will learn practical strategies for root cause analysis, difficult conversations, and workforce retention that replace hope with clear plans, stronger execution, and measurable results on the shop floor.

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

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!

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 [email protected]

Connect on LinkedIn

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!

What are the three Ps of success? Passion, purpose, and perseverance can shape how manufacturing leaders show up, engage their teams, and drive results.

In this episode, Tonia Jahshan, founder of Sipology and successful entrepreneur, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Tonia explains how authentic leadership, strategic thinking, and resilience support productivity and workforce retention. You will learn practical strategies for building confidence, strengthening communication skills, and creating manufacturing cultures where people stay motivated, push through challenges, and perform at their best.

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

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!

What does manufacturing leadership have in common with endurance sports like marathons and mountain climbing? Both require resilience, mindset, and consistent effort.

In this episode, Steven Pivnik, entrepreneur, author, and endurance athlete, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, resilience, and productivity for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Drawing from his experience leading Binary Tree and competing in extreme endurance events, Steven explains how growth mindset, authentic leadership, and strategic thinking help leaders improve employee engagement and accountability. You will learn practical strategies for workforce retention, difficult conversations, and building stamina for long term success on the shop floor and beyond.

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

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!

From retaining top talent to improving performance, manufacturing leaders use influence every day on the shop floor.

In this episode, Alyson Van Hooser, keynote speaker, leadership expert, and author of Infinite Influence, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Alyson explains how curiosity, intentionality, and authentic leadership strengthen trust building and accountability. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, feedback delivery, and growth mindset that support workforce retention, improve productivity, and create manufacturing cultures where people feel motivated, valued, and connected.

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

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!

In the fast paced world of manufacturing, staying focused can feel impossible. Resetting your mindset is key to improving productivity, engagement, and performance.

In this episode, Penny Zenker, international speaker, business strategy coach, and productivity expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, strategic thinking, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Penny explains how growth mindset, communication skills, and authentic leadership help leaders reduce distractions and strengthen accountability. You will learn practical strategies to improve focus, support workforce retention, and build manufacturing cultures where teams stay aligned, energized, and productive.

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

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!

Is humor the secret weapon for improving connection on the manufacturing floor?

In this episode, Tim Gard, Hall of Fame speaker and business coach, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Tim explains how humor supports trust building, growth mindset, and authentic leadership while helping teams navigate difficult conversations. You will learn practical strategies to boost morale, improve productivity, strengthen workforce retention, and create manufacturing cultures where people feel connected, energized, and ready to perform.

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

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!

Just think positive. We have all heard that phrase, but in manufacturing environments filled with pressure and challenges, positivity can feel out of reach.

In this episode, Dr. Paul Jenkins, psychologist, author, and positivity expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Dr. Paul explains how emotional intelligence, communication skills, and authentic leadership help leaders shift perspective, strengthen trust building, and improve accountability. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, resilience, and feedback delivery that support workforce retention, increase productivity, and create manufacturing cultures where people feel empowered, focused, and motivated to perform.

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

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!

If you missed part one with Jon Giganti, be sure to listen to Episode 103 before diving into this conversation.

In this episode, Jon Giganti, speaker, tech executive, and USA Today bestselling author, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, intentionality, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.

Jon explains how agency, awareness, and authentic leadership strengthen communication skills, trust building, and accountability. You will learn practical strategies to support growth mindset, improve workforce retention, and create manufacturing cultures where leaders build stronger connections, drive productivity, and deliver meaningful results.

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