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Manufacturing Greatness | Productivity | Retention | Profits | Continuous Improvement | Safety | Workforce Development | Labor Challenges | Skills Gaps | Industry 4.0
Manufacturing Greatness | Productivity | Retention | Profits | Continuous Improvement | Safety | Workforce Development | Labor Challenges | Skills Gaps | Industry 4.0 episodes
- Culture + Trust for Plant Managers: Creating a Family Mindset That Strengthens Loyalty and Team Commitment with Paul Younes #65
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!
During a recent visit to Kearney, Nebraska, I noticed something different — every staff member, from housekeeping to the front desk, showed up with energy, pride, and genuine care.
That experience led to a conversation with owner Paul Younes about what it really takes to build strong employee relationships and create a workplace where people feel valued.
In this episode, we explore what manufacturing leaders can learn from hospitality — including how treating employees like family drives engagement, trust, and performance. Paul shares practical insights on creating a supportive culture, and why when your team is happy, customers and clients feel it too.
3:18 – To cut down on retention issue, create a great environment for your employees
4:20 – You're only as good as your employees
5:25 – Without great team members, a leader can't thrive and succeed
7:00 – It's important to use empathy and understand that all employees have different needs
10:29 – It's simple: respect others and they will respect you
11:50 – In both manufacturing and hospitality, a little connection can go a long way
13:30 – Opportunities for career advancement help to draw in new employees, especially young employees
15:25 – Take care of "your people" in the best way you can
Connect with Younes Hospitality:
Website
Careers
17 min - Resilience + Productivity for Operations Managers: Building "Rubber Band" Strength to Stay Focused and Perform Under Pressure with Kathy Parry #64
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!
Manufacturing leadership often feels like being stretched to the limit. But pressure does not have to lead to burnout. It can build resilience.
In this episode, Kathy Parry, corporate energy expert, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, resilience, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Team Leaders, and Shift Supervisors.
Kathy explains how emotional intelligence, communication skills, and growth mindset help leaders manage stress and strengthen trust building. You will learn practical strategies for difficult conversations, accountability, and workforce retention that support productivity and create manufacturing cultures where teams bounce back, adapt, and perform under pressure.
2:32 – Knowing how people are going to react in different situations can make for great team building
3:04 – Differences in reactions can be handled through honest and efficient communications
6:32 – If emotions are trivialized or not respected, it can lead to retention and motivation issues
7:16 – Lack of emotional support in the workplace often leads to mental health issues or problems outside of work
11:02 – To create productive conversations, you may have to reframe things
12:47 – When needed, it's okay to take a step back. Pauses have power!
13:07 – If there's an issue, taken time to process and reframe instead of steamrolling ahead
17:17 – When people are overly emotional or don't take a pause, it leads to low productivity and safety issues
19:46 – In times of "stretch" and challenges, there are opportunities for growth and energy
23:10 – Sometimes, tension can create energy
Connect with Kathy Parry:
Website
25 min - Engagement for Manufacturing Managers: Using Connection, Collaboration, and Healthy Competition to Drive Team Performance with Thom Singer #63
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!
You probably know the golden rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. But what does that have to do with manufacturing? A lot.
In this episode, public speaker Thom Singer joins the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, empathy, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
We explore how communication skills, curiosity in leadership, and trust building help leaders strengthen relationships, foster collaboration, and turn employees into true ambassadors for their organization. Thom also shares practical insights on consistency, growth mindset, and why staying curious about what your team is experiencing improves engagement, culture, and long term performance.
7:03 – Your employees are your company's great ambassadors
7:24 – When people feel connected at work, they are more likely to stay with your company and will be more productive
10:57 – High competition can make you a better leader
11:45 – If your employees are on platforms like LinkedIn, it's a chance for them to highlight the strengths of your company
12:45 – Oftentimes, employees leave jobs or being job searching on platforms liked LinkedIn because they don't see opportunities for growth or because they don't feel fulfilled or challenged
14:00 – Friendships and connections are a key part of making employees feel fulfilled at work
15:33 – Some companies worry that if they offer personal or career development, their employees will gain skills they can use to leave the company, but you can combat this by finding them growth and opportunities within your own company
16:06 – The best leaders want their employees to grow into their best selves
17:43 – Sometimes, it may be best for an employee to seek work elsewhere and it's important to make sure they still stay good things about your company once they're gone
18:58 – If you help an employee find a better opportunity, it reflects well on you and your values
25:15 – Don't be afraid of your employees making connections outside of the company
26:17 – Through sharing and collaborating, you have many chances to learn and grow through the feedback of others
28:01 – You want diversity of thought, not an echo chamber
Connect with Thom Singer:
Website
Email
31 min - Manufacturing Leadership + Engagement for Plant Managers: Using Vision and Wisdom to Align Teams and Drive Measurable Results with W. Kevin Ward #62
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!
Sometimes a chance meeting leads to powerful conversations.
After a random breakfast with W. Kevin Ward of WKW Consulting Services, I invited him onto the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, growth mindset, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
Kevin shares practical steps for getting off autopilot, seeking wisdom, and reconnecting to vision and core values. We also discuss how intentional leadership, clear communication skills, and strategic thinking help improve morale, strengthen culture, and drive better results on the shop floor.
2:40 – Growing wise is the attention process
4:35 – We all tend to operate on "autopilot"
6:36 – Any role where you're teaching and influencing others is a leadership role
10:09 – It's all about finding a healthy level for yourself and taking intentional steps to manage yourself
10:49 – A big part of being a leader is leading by example
11:55 – The biggest challenge of being a leader can be listening to your own lessons and applying them
13:22 – If something goes wrong with your team, the first step is looking at yourself
16:00 – One big reason people feel like they're on autopilot is that they haven't given good consideration to their own vision
17:50 – Your vision should be a driving force in your life
18:39 – Once you find your vision, communicate it and surround yourself with people with a similar vision
19:34 – If it's something you can do yourself, it's not a vision!
20:04 – What's the difference between a vision and a goal?
20:53 – The pursuit of vision is rarely a straight line
24:56 – If you express your vision well, others will want to be involved
27:28 – A core value is something that you cannot be talked out of
27:56 – There's a need for more love and care in high-stress industries like manufacturing
29:03 – The beauty of wisdom is that when you see it, you gain many other things as a result
Connect with Kevin:
Website
LinkedIn
32 min - Accountability for Operations Managers: Applying the Four Characteristics That Build Stronger Teams and Better Results with John Raymer #61
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!
Welcome to part two with John Raymer, a longtime manufacturing leader who now helps others revitalize their leadership and careers.
In this episode, John dives into integrity, empathy, and challenge, and how Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors can strengthen these traits to improve manufacturing leadership, communication skills, and team morale.
We talk about why integrity builds trust, how empathy shapes authentic leadership, and why leaders must invite honest feedback. John also shares practical insights on growth mindset, accountability, and how showing genuine care directly impacts engagement, efficiency, and performance on the shop floor.
12:18 – To be effective, invest in your relationships with people
18:17 – You never know what trials other people are going through
19:40 – Even if you do care, your empathy might not always show up through your behavior
23:00 – The final characteristic of great leaders is "challenge"
24:00 – Leaders who act tired, defeated, or like they're not fully on board aren't inspiring
24:39 – If employees don't feel engaged or challenged, they will not step up in their role
32 min - Accountability for Operations Managers: Applying the Four Characteristics That Build Stronger Teams and Better Results with John Raymer #60
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!
People see who you are, even when you don't.
In this episode, John Raymer, longtime manufacturing leader and former Toyota Motor Manufacturing professional, joins the podcast to talk about manufacturing leadership, humility, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
In part one of this two-part conversation, John shares how teams learn everything from their leaders, both good and bad, and why practicing humility helps improve communication skills, build trust, and make employees feel valued. We explore how emotional intelligence, accountability, and growth mindset directly impact culture, engagement, and performance on the shop floor.
0:43 – "Serve the person you once were."
1:00 – How your land with other people don't always match your intentions
2:18 – There has never been a time where manufacturing leadership is more important than it is today
3:41 – Without people skilled in manufacturing and others trades, we're at risk of our whole economic engine fall apart
5:03 – True efficiency requires great leadership
5:59 – To find out why you organization is the way it is, look closely at yourself
6:17 – People learn everything, both good and bad, for leaders in their organization
8:40 – If someone is performing poorly, their leadership and who trained them is a big factor
9:00 – The people you're in charge of will only perform as well as they see you performing
10:45 – People perceive who you really are, even when you don't see it yourself
10:53: What's the different between mistakes and lessons?
12:08 – Change to the whole organization comes from the top
14:43 – When people feel like their contributions aren't valued, they're more likely to leave the organization
15:17 – Humility is an important foundational skill for leaders
16:06 – "Problem employees" can often be the ones with the most valuable insights
17:35 - The biggest mistake that a leader can make is to run over, talk over, or dismiss the opinions of those that work for you.
20:34 – Apologies and humility go a long way
22:44 – Most people remember the best leaders in their lives and the very poor ones, but not the ones in-between
24:59 – When you own your mistakes, people respect it
27 min - Engagement for HR Leaders: Breaking Down Barriers to Advance Women and Strengthen Team Performance with Nicole Provonchee #59
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!
Even with ongoing labor shortages, women in manufacturing remain a largely untapped workforce.
In this episode, executive coach Nicole Provonchee from Bright Blue Consulting joins the podcast to discuss manufacturing leadership, workforce development, and authentic leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
Nicole breaks down common barriers women and other minorities face on the shop floor and shares practical strategies leaders can use to shift mindset, improve communication skills, and strengthen inclusion. You will learn how curiosity, trust building, and intentional leadership can help cultivate female leadership while supporting engagement, retention, and long term team performance.
2:54 – A lack of flexibility is a big challenge facing female manufacturing employees
3:58 – We need to address how we can help people live the lives they have while still flourishing in the workplace
6:19 – Workplace environments need to be accommodating for women and other primary caregivers
7:25 – By starting dialogues with their female employees about issues like flexibility, workplaces can reach the most productive outcomes
9:11 – Employees also need to have a level of accountability in order to create an open dialogue
12:58 – How can we lead differently to get more women into leadership positions in manufacturing?
13:81 – Even in female-dominated fields like healthcare, women and other minorities struggle to move up to leadership roles
14:54 – The best way to get women into leadership roles is to recruit them early
15:11 – Women can become better self-advocates and articulate what they need from their workplace
16:44- Generally, women only apply for jobs when they're between 60% to 80% confident they will get the position
17:55 – People in leadership positions can encourage women to apply for higher-up jobs
19:25 – Women often hold themselves back out of the misguided belief that they must be experts before they can move forward to a higher role
20:49 – To invest in female leaders, companies should look at their recruitment tactics
22:22 – Cultural systemic change must also take place over time
Contact Nicole:
Bright Blue Consulting
Email
LinkedIn
30 min - Manufacturing Retention + Accountability for Plant Managers: Using Giving Back to Build Loyalty and Stronger Team Commitment with Jon Finch #58
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's the secret to retaining talent and building a healthy manufacturing culture? According to Jon Finch, Senior Vice President at Milwaukee Tool, it starts with giving back.
In this episode, Jon joins the podcast to share insights on manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
We talk about building strong company values, delivering on mission, and creating opportunities for employees to contribute beyond the shop floor. Jon also shares how workforce shortages, changing talent expectations, and compensation pressure are forcing leaders to rethink retention strategies, communication skills, and culture to sustain productivity and long term performance.
7:09 – Get people rallied around a purpose, value, and mission
8:57 – Every business has a "why" statement and something that really matters to them
9:37 – Test and try your ideas and know that it won't be perfect the first time
10:15 – Values are particularly important to Gen Z Employees
13:32 – Find a way to give people who are connected and interested a way to help give back
14:36 – People like to be associated with organizations with positive values
17:41 – Give your employees and leadership a chance to connect to something that really matters
18:59 – Employees who feel like they've had a chance to give back will provide additionally efforts and have greater engagement
19:24 – By treating employees holistically, we see great thing happen and that's why flexibility and perspective are so important
20:29 – When you give to others, it grows your own mindset
22:45 – It's all about delivering stories that everyone wants to be a part of
26:04 – The team that you have at the beginning of the process is a good indicator of how the entire organization will look
27:04 – You can't figure out a company's culture just from an interview
29:12 – It's important for employees to search for accountability
32:37 – Through engagement, you'll see value
Contact Jon:
Linkedin
Milwaukee Tool
Careers at Milwaukee Tool
33 min - Accountability for Frontline Supervisors: Understanding Emotions to Improve Behavior and Team Performance with Sara Westbrook #57
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 it really okay to lose it sometimes, or are we just making excuses?
In this episode, Sara Westrook joins the podcast to talk manufacturing leadership, emotional intelligence, and accountability for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
We go deep on owning your behavior, building communication skills, and treating emotions as a leadership skill. Sara shares practical strategies to shift mindset, strengthen self awareness, and show up with authenticity so you can improve trust, engagement, and performance on the shop floor.
1:45 – Leave your emotions at the door like a backpack, NO they are still coming in with you, so how do you move with and through them in a healthy way
3:02 – Do not want to make an emotionally based decision, can lead to regret
4:15 – Allowed to sit with that emotion, not going from emotion to choice, allow it to have room, move with and through, and have your own character based choice, bounce back and move forward
6:13 - emotional awareness, emotional management, and ultimately emotional resilience
8:00 – teams want to be emotionally intelligent, yet they do not know how, like going to the gym, how do you build those muscles? Not by watching videos, by putting things into action, habits
10:57 – first exercise has the end in mind, what's the circumstance, or what are circumstances that you feel hold you back or really trigger you, and what emotion comes out of you
13:08-learn to think and act beyond emotion to honour that the emotions there, but to start to use the emotion as information and even motivation
16:08-how we engage other people matters, the art of communication and that takes being very emotionally aware
19:15-why are emotions sometimes hard to talk about, you could have one group of people say well they're hard to talk about because I feel like i'll be seen as weak and another because of being seen as dramatic
20:13-self care starts to take a big plummet it also can decrease company morale you know just keep shoving emotions down pretending they're not their
20:30-breaking down the boxes, shifting a greater role for women in manufacturing
24:12-when you can start to see emotions is information your brain now knows that oh it's something that I can do something with it doesn't completely have to overwhelm me
26:40-sometimes you have to lean into that discomfort
27:05-doesn't mean you're an anxious person, it means you're a person that's experiencing the emotion of anxious and that's uncomfortable and awkward but it's part of the journey
28:48-emotions are a reason for a behaviour, not an excuse
30:00-Sara's company 3E Emotional Development is about really honing in skills on emotional awareness, emotional management and emotional resilience
Connect with her here;
Instagram: @iamsarawestbrook
Twitter: twitter.com/SaraWestbrook
LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/sarawestbrook
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Asvqps
33 min - Leadership + Trust for Operations Leaders: Building Bridges and Leading from Behind to Strengthen Team Performance with LaVerne Roberts #56
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 happens when you put others first, work hard, and become a true bridge builder? You build a legacy.
In this episode, LaVerne Roberts shares her journey to becoming a Director of Operations in a traditionally male dominated manufacturing environment. We explore manufacturing leadership, authentic leadership, growth mindset, and resilience for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors.
LaVerne reflects on decades of research and development success, the leadership mindset that fueled her progression, and how trust building, communication skills, and accountability shaped her impact. You will walk away with practical insights on leading with confidence, strengthening culture, and paving the way for the next generation in manufacturing.
3:20 – building a network, not even realizing I was doing it, relationships
5:05 – any doubts came from within, Vice President support and getting surrounded by great people
7:00 – you must work hard, learning the fundamentals not so much the leadership skill, like going to school
8:05 – not asking for help, self imposter syndrome(for more science on this, check out Adam Grant's book Think Again)
10:00 – self-doubt more common, men verses woman may be different
12:00 – one on one coaching, identified my leadership style flexes from leading from behind and leading at the front
13:00 –leading from behind suggesting to the team, supporting them
13:55 – in the beginning, you may need to lead from the front, create the vision, help the team see what we wanted to look like
15:30 – Jim Collins, Good to Great, I or we, how LaVerne allows the team to take direction
16:30 – do more with the kernel, how it is received, will determine the next steps
17:54 – husband Scott says LaVerne is a bridge builder, not for LaVerne, for the excitement of what is going to happen when the connection is made
19:10 – when people can see you are not in it for yourself, people ask more questions about you
20:20 – finding the sweet spot-on building trust, finding the common ground, something we connect with
21:55 – you also must be a good listener, you can with enough ambition and desire achieve great things, and chart your journey, we are a lot stronger and smarter than we think
25 min
About Manufacturing Greatness | Productivity | Retention | Profits | Continuous Improvement | Safety | Workforce Development | Labor Challenges | Skills Gaps | Industry 4.0
From the publisher's feed
Whether you're a plant manager, operations manager, or frontline supervisor, you'll discover practical strategies for lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. We cover critical topics like workforce development, employee retention, safety culture, and change management—helping you navigate challenges like labor shortages, skills gaps, and the evolving manufacturing landscape including Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing.
Trevor Blondeel invites guests from the manufacturing industry (and beyond!) to have candid discussions about leadership and share stories from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. You'll find new ways to manufacture greatness by leveraging resources you already have acheiving greater retention, productivity, and profits.