Manufacturing Greatness | Productivity | Retention | Profits | Continuous Improvement | Safety | Workforce Development | Labor Challenges | Skills Gaps | Industry 4.0

🎁 Free: 10 great questions to ask your leadership and drive engagement → manufacturinggreatness.com/subscribe Connect with Trevor: LinkedIn 👉 linkedin.com/in/trevorblondeel Website 👉 manufacturinggreatness.com It's Wednesday afternoon and the report due tomorrow isn't going to be in on time. Do you push harder, or fix what actually broke? Trevor takes a real plant scenario, a report feeding a hiring decision, and walks it back through three gaps: how you showed up, whether "done" was ever clear, and what happens when no one follows up. You'll hear why chasing harder is manufacturing midness, and the one move that keeps next Thursday from looking like this one: question yourself first. Applies the Manufacturing Greatness model from Episode 170 👉 https://mindfulnessmanufacturing.libsyn.com/manufacturing-leadership-development-the-3-conversations-that-fix-accountability-alignment-and-results-170

🎁 Free: 10 great questions to ask your leadership and drive engagement → manufacturinggreatness.com/subscribe Connect with Trevor: LinkedIn 👉 linkedin.com/in/trevorblondeel Website 👉 manufacturinggreatness.com Have you ever walked past your visual management boards and still not been able to tell if your team is winning? Trevor takes you inside a global food company where executives kept saying "we told them the standards" and supervisors kept saying "we need more clarity." Both were right. Neither was fixing the board. Inspired by Shane Zutz's High Impact Leadership newsletter, Trevor unpacks why accountability is usually a clarity problem in disguise, and walks through the three questions that close the gap between the top and the shop.

🎁 Free: 10 great questions to ask your leadership and drive engagement → manufacturinggreatness.com/subscribe Connect with Trevor: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevorblondeel Website: manufacturinggreatness.com Have you ever written up an employee and felt sick the second they walked out of the office? Trevor unpacks the third gap in the Manufacturing Greatness framework: the Accountability Gap. He walks through what happens when leaders skip the conversation and go straight to progressive disclipine, and the three questions that turn pressure into partnership.

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 manufacturing, most leaders don't struggle because they lack technical knowledge. They struggle because they're not connecting with their teams. When skill gaps widen, labor shortages grow, and hiring challenges persist, it's rarely an operations problem. It's a leadership and communication problem. That's exactly why I wrote Manufacturing Greatness, releasing May 11, 2027 with Page Two. This book is for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors who want high performing teams that stick around and consistently deliver results. Leaders who are ready to move beyond telling people what to do and start leading through curiosity, communication skills, and deeper conversations. Inside, you'll find practical tools to strengthen safety culture, improve employee engagement, support workforce retention, and build a workplace where teams work together, get results, and stay. Now I need your help. We've narrowed the subtitle down to five options, and I want the manufacturing community to weigh in. 1) How to Be More Productive with the People You Already Have 2) How Curious Leaders Strengthen Relationships to Improve Safety, Quality, and Productivity 3) How to Show Up, Clarify Expectations, and Instill Accountability to Streamline Your Operation 4) Three Conversations to Build High-Performing Teams that Work Together, Get Results, and Stick Around 5) Three Conversations to Build High-Performing Teams that Connect, Deliver, and Stick Around Email me at trevor@manufacturinggreatness.com and let you know about favorite subtitle option!

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 this episode, Brian Herriot shares insights on manufacturing leadership, productivity, and employee engagement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Brian brings a practical, human-centered approach to help manufacturing leaders rethink work, leadership, and scheduling so they can build stronger teams without burning people out or lowering standards. You'll hear why traditional shift models are breaking down, how "time freedom" shows up on the shop floor, and what leaders can do right now to improve engagement, retention, and ownership amid labor shortages and skills gaps. This conversation connects soft skills with operational results, showing how curiosity, authentic leadership, and better communication skills directly impact manufacturing culture, workforce retention, and daily productivity. 02:10 – Frontline leadership must acknowledge that traditional manufacturing management models no longer align with modern workplace culture or employee engagement in manufacturing. 03:30 – Gen Z expects leadership in manufacturing plants to adapt to their lives, not the other way around 06:55 – Great manufacturing culture comes from seeing teams as humans first, not just labor inputs on the production line 09:10 –Employee ownership models and open-book management strengthen trust in leadership, manufacturing relationships, and accountability in manufacturing 11:25 – Manufacturing retention improves when leaders focus on team engagement in manufacturing rather than just output and efficiency 12:45 –Frontline leaders must recognize that many employees juggle multiple jobs and need coaching in manufacturing that supports life beyond the plant 14:10 – Flexible schedules, job sharing, and project-based roles can close the showing up gap while improving manufacturing innovation and retention 15:35 – Time Freedom as a Leadership Strategy Leadership transformation happens when manufacturing leaders design roles that allow experienced workers to scale back without fully exiting 18:55 –Helping employees understand their financial future reduces anxiety and strengthens employee engagement in manufacturing 22:35 –Deeper conversations about money, time, and work build emotional intelligence, vulnerability in leadership, and a stronger coaching culture Connect with Brian Herriot Learn more about Time Freedom Pre-order Time Freedom and use the code Trevor to get free access to the audiobook

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 manufacturing plants, the same leadership action can motivate one employee and overwhelm another. Why? It comes down to brain science, communication skills, and how leaders show up under pressure. In this episode, guest Falisha Karpati shares insights on manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, and inclusive leadership for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Falisha is a Brain-Based Inclusion Consultant based in Montreal, Canada. She holds a PhD in neuroscience and brings more than a decade of experience studying how the brain works. Through her UNITING BRAINS framework, she helps organizations build human-centered cultures using practical, brain-based strategies. In this conversation, Falisha explains how differences in brain wiring directly impact frontline leadership, communication skills, trust building, and team engagement on the shop floor. She breaks down the neuroscience behind introversion and extroversion, why uncertainty increases stress in manufacturing environments, and how leaders can improve manufacturing culture by asking better questions, minimizing ambiguity, and running more inclusive meetings 01:05 –Recognition can backfire when manufacturing communication ignores individual brain differences 02:12 – Neuroscience explains how self-awareness in leadership shapes perception, behavior, and relationships in manufacturing plants 04:54 –Manufacturing teamwork and employee engagement manufacturing improve when leaders understand natural brain diversity 9:53 – Brain science brings data—not opinions—into manufacturing management and leadership in industrial operations 11:20 – A powerful reminder that perceptions matter more than intentions in building trust in leadership and strong manufacturing relationships 13:39 – Curiosity-driven leadership starts by asking instead of assuming to close the showing up gap 15:32 – High-stimulus environments explain why leaders take shortcuts that undermine manufacturing culture and clarity on the shop floor 17:11 – Autonomy looks different for everyone, redefining supervisor development, coaching in manufacturing, and performance conversations. 19:55 – Minimizing uncertainty strengthens manufacturing safety culture, emotional intelligence, and consistent leadership behaviors 20:21 – Transparent expectations help close the expectation gap and improve accountability in manufacturing plants 22:40 – Inclusive meetings unlock manufacturing innovation by improving manufacturing communication and psychological safety 24:30 – Simple meeting practices support continuous improvement culture and better team engagement in manufacturing 28:53 – Inclusive discussions fuel operational excellence and authentic leadership across manufacturing organizations Connect with Falisha Karpati Visit her website Connect on LinkedIn and Instagram Read her newsletter Full Transcript [00:00:00] We have some changes today. We've changed the name of the podcast since 2019. It's been mindfulness manufacturing our company name changed a few years ago to manufacturing greatness. So we're just aligning that 'cause we're gonna be here manufacturing greatness today, and we're gonna be talking about building some bridges and, and you know, how we continue to manufacture and, how we deal with changes people's moods and what's going on. And it remind me of a time when we were, had a great manufacturing line at the kickoff meeting in the morning, we recognized one of the team members showed appreciation, [00:00:30] put this person's name and picture up and gave them a little gift. they were upset with us and we're kind of like, well, hold on a minute. we did all this and this person's not very appreciative and getting to learn them a little bit more is that they didn't. They don't like that type of attention. people's brains are different. And in manufacturing it just complicates it for us 'cause we don't understand it. So fortunately I have a great guest on and friend today, Falisha Caridi. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much. [00:01:00] It's a pleasure to be here. Thanks for having me. you are an inclusive consultant. You harness brain science to build inclusive human-centered workplaces. You create space where all brains thrive. And you studied the neuroscience, having a PhD in neuroscience, which for those who don't know what it takes to get a PhD, it's a mountain. So congratulations on that. Thank you. excited to get your knowledge and expertise to talk about this on the show what did we miss Falisha when we upset that team member? how are [00:01:30] people's brains working here? a key point is that everybody's brain works a little bit differently, Humans in general share a core brain structure. we generally have the same parts that do the same functions, but our brains also have differences. like how big certain parts are, how different parts connect to each other, and when different parts get activated. this connects with differences in behavior. so when we [00:02:00] think, behave, communicate, everything we do. Is filtered and processed through our brain. there's a, well-known quote that I love, that says You don't see the world as it is. You see the world as you are. Mm-hmm. And what that means, it's really rooted in brain science. And it means that everything you perceive, take in, think, and express. Goes through your brain. what happened [00:02:30] that day was there was a disconnect between what some team members who created that recognition process, thought this person would want and what they actually wanted, So if we take that recognition experience, maybe it's, getting an award in front of a group And having your name called out and going on stage. if you put two people in that exact same [00:03:00] situation, their brains might react completely differently. we don't necessarily know how people are going to react, what they like, what they don't like. Unless we have those conversations and ask them. just diving into a bit more about why those differences exist, why can you put two people in the same situation and they can react completely differently? our brains are shaped by two main factors. the first is natural [00:03:30] variation in how we're born. there's a wealth of research that shows genetics are connected with many aspects of how our brain works. natural variation is great. It's what keeps us interested. Yeah. We don't wanna, you know, be communicating with people who are exactly the same as us. the natural variation is there for a reason. It's super productive and positive. the second factor is our environment. each of us is shaped from our observations and experiences over time. this includes a whole range of [00:04:00] experiences like our early childhood, our family and community environments. our experiences at school, at work, even our hobbies and interests can change our brain. there's a huge body of neuroscience research that shows brain differences related to living in different cultures. practicing different skills, traumatic experiences and much more. Basically everything you're exposed to, everything that you experience over time, especially if they're repeated or intense, experiences, can change your [00:04:30] brain. what really resonated with me is that Trevor's way is not always the best way. the way you explain like my biases, right? Like. My bias was show appreciation in front of the team. Right? And, and why would I need to check in with that person? in my early manufacturing leadership days, I missed the mark. Often, I just didn't know better. Right? Like, I just thought, you start to learn that. that's why we're hoping that if you're driving into work today, through my mistakes and Falisha's knowledge, we can save you that pain. we're gonna leave you with [00:05:00] some ideas of, what you can do today, to get in front of that. 'cause it makes sense. What you're saying is that, we just have how we grew up and, and our different, you know, the. I think of Lisa Feelman Barrett and, and the theory of constructed emotions. your personality and emotions are based on your experiences and we have different experiences Right. they're just different. And that's what makes us unique and I like that. I was going through some of your material and I'm trying, 'cause I'm trying to, you know, like our listeners. To understand and better [00:05:30] equip ourselves so that we can, respond differently. But you had some neat research on introverts and extroverts, and I was reviewing it with Ryan, a client today, and he's kinda like, Hey, I think you skimmed over, that whole concept on introverts and extroverts. So can you unpack that for us and help us understand? Definitely. so I also wanna clarify, my background and what I'm doing now compared to what I did before. I have a background in neuroscience research, that was focused on brain plasticity and how our brains, are impacted by training. so what I [00:06:00] do now is, work with the wealth of research that's there. I don't do, neuroimaging research anymore. I used to, so I know exactly how these things work and I bring that experience now into. Applying neuroscience research in organizational context. Mm-hmm. so I summarize research, I communicate it. but the research, for example, an introversion extroversion is not something that I did myself. there's amazing researchers all around the world that have done this, so I'm more of a curator and a communicator Of the [00:06:30] research now. That's why you're on the show, right? Because we need to apply. So you're kind of like the translator for us, right? Because we're not gonna go through all this research, but we need someone like you that can say, Hey, here's the simpler version of it and here's what you can do today. So thank you for doing what you do. Yeah, my pleasure. I love it. so introverts, extroverts is one example of how. Our brain structure and how our brain works is really aligned with the behaviors that we see in the workplace and beyond. there's a spectrum of traits, of [00:07:00] introversion, extroversion. many people will fall somewhere in the middle and people can also express themselves differently. depending on different situations, different contexts might bring out, different types of behavior. so I'm just gonna generalize a little bit here, for time. And so there's research that compares people who tend to, behave more introverted ways and people that tend to be more extroverted. introverted meaning, getting energy by recharging alone, extroverted meaning, getting energy from, spending time with [00:07:30] others. And there's a really cool study that, people were in the brain scanner and while they were in the brain scanner, they were showed a series of pictures. Some of the pictures were flowers and some of the pictures were faces. So flowers is a non-social stimulus. and so, you know, we don't associate that with people, whereas the face is very social. the study found that introverts and extroverts showed different patterns of electrical activity in the brain in response to these images. So [00:08:00] in the introvert, if there was a bunch of flowers shown in a row and then a face, their brain sort of went, eh, well, it didn't really process a difference, but an extroverts, when there was flower, flower, flower face, when the brain saw the face, It got super excited. So the brain really processed a difference between the non-social and the social images. so that just shows that personality [00:08:30] traits and behaviors. And those differences we see in people are actually rooted in how the brain is processing information. we can also see structural differences. in how the brain is built, there's other research that has looked on that. And they found that, introverts tend to have bigger brains in areas responsible for behavior inhibition. Meaning stopping yourself from behaving impulsively. that is a trait commonly associated with introversion is introverts [00:09:00] tend to think before speaking, before acting. and extroverts, brain extrovert brains were bigger in areas responsible for regulating emotions. And smaller in areas related to social information processing. And the way that was interpreted is that extrovert brains can be more efficient at processing social information, maybe selecting what's important and what's not. I could feel that I've had to work on pulling out my introvert. [00:09:30] I think we all have some of both, right. But I've had to practice not everything that I say people want to hear and just that filter and pause. I'm fascinated with the technology. here we are working, manufacturing, all kinds of technology, but when I hear brain scans it's not people's opinions, It's the signals as a neuroscientist, with a PhD you can see that, right? that's just, wow. Like you talk about, one of the sayings we have is that, you bring data. not opinions to a meeting and, well, here you're bringing the data. There are scans that says, Hey, this is what people do. [00:10:00] What I just did was, for that individual, I just had, a reaction which was negative to that person. And if we don't, see that and recognize that, then we may miss that. I wanna bring back the, initial story with the recognition as well. now that we have some foundation about why our brains are different and how, our behaviors actually connected with brain differences, if we reflect back on that person getting recognized when that wasn't what they're inclined for, we can imagine what was happening in their brains. [00:10:30] It wasn't. The reward circuits and the social connection circuits. It was the pressure, stress. Everybody's watching me. So that same circumstance of being recognized in one person can activate reward and in somebody else can activate stress and anxiety. we like to say that. perceptions matter more than good intentions. Yes. Right. And I think that's what we're [00:11:00] focused on learning here. so I've got my manuscript I'm working on this week and I got, I got a hand in at the end of this week for my book, I've written a new chapter on this relationship audit. it's like an internal 360, but instead of. Fixing what's wrong? We're just moving more towards what's right, right? We wanna do more of the behavior. So I've, you know, we've got some questions we ask individuals, direct reports, managers, peers, and we just ask 'em, when do you tune into me? you know, what expectations do we have of each other? Those types of conversations. [00:11:30] And I think that this work that you are doing really helps us with ideas of. How can we be more mindful? Because what we did after that event is that before we ever gave someone an appreciation, we stopped surprising people and we just started asking them, are you okay if we mention you at the meeting this morning? getting their permission seemed to work. and what I liked was when I went over, some of your material, you had three kind of takeaways That you can do now, maybe when you're [00:12:00] having one-on-ones with people or you're just interacting with them. Absolutely. it's great to hear that you took action after, that experience and learned from it Asking people for permission to, to recognize 'em, to ask them something in public is a really great practice and not connect. With the first practice, area that I, like to share, which is asking people what they want, need or prefer. [00:12:30] especially if people are really busy and don't have time and are overwhelmed, it can be really easy to make assumptions our brain naturally does that. there's a known brain bias. called the false consensus effect. Where we tend to think that people agree with us and have the same beliefs, behaviors, knowledge as we do, that's definitely me. Everyone does it. It is a human brain bias. We all share that. especially in times [00:13:00] of busyness and stress, our brains do tend to fall back on those natural shortcuts to save time and energy. but they can end up causing some strains, some conflict, reduced productivity because we're making assumptions instead of asking. So, hold on. You gotta say that again. We're taking shortcuts and what'd you say after that? we're taking shortcuts basically to save [00:13:30] time, to save time and energy. Our brains naturally do that in many different contexts. like there's so much information coming into our brains constantly Choosing what to filter, choosing what's important. That's a natural state. we're in that all the time. Can you imagine if your brain right now was processing. Absolutely every single thing that was present in your environment. It's impossible. We can't do that. Oh no. Hang on a minute. For the listeners. Falisha has not ran manufacturing [00:14:00] plants. I. She hasn't even spent a lot of time with them, but she just described our life that is our life. this is why it's important. This is why we need to listen to you and say, okay, so what can we do? 'cause you just described manufacturing, there's so much stimulus. it's how many parts we make the last hour. Is the machine running right now? is the quality inspection done? and then we take shortcuts. That's what we do. Thank you for describing us. [00:14:30] Brain science applies everywhere. I'm happy to hear that resonates and we can make the connection with the manufacturing processes as well. so what can we do about it? So we know, you know, from the manufacturing experiences, from the brain science that. When we're busy, we take shortcuts and tend to assume instead of asking. making that intentional space to invite sharing is really important, and that can happen in some different formats. It can happen in one-on-ones. It doesn't even [00:15:00] need to be a new one-on-one, just to ask what your work preferences are. if you're already having these kinds of conversations. We can integrate questions into that. So even asking someone a general question of, you know, what can I do? What can we as an organization do to make work more productive, fulfilling, enjoyable, whatever your objective is, to make the workplace better for you? the reason you really got me thinking about [00:15:30] this was in our relationship audit was really looking as when we have a team of say, 10 people, one of the practices to sustain relationships is having regular, one-on-ones or certain touchpoints, certain meetings. but when I hear you say about, you know, ask people what they want. Right. So just because. I say, you know what? We should have a one-on-one every two weeks. I'm the leader, but that may not be the right [00:16:00] approach. that's a great example. when we're asking people what they want, need or prefer, that encompasses so many things. It can be, how they work best, schedules, certain times of day they work best. It can be a physical space, it can be communication preferences, what motivates them. There's so many different aspects here that we can touch on, and that's a great example with, how they would like to have communication with a leader How they would like to have check-ins. some people love space, [00:16:30] love autonomy, and autonomy is great for the brain. in general, autonomy is awesome. some people love to have lots of autonomy and that can look like having a conversation once every two weeks and giving space. We'll have the chat, some general objectives, some goals for the next couple weeks, and then I will go and do my work on my own with my team. I don't need to be checked in on unless I have a question. Okay. There are other people who, that [00:17:00] feels overwhelming and the way that, that their autonomy can be expressed is by choosing to have more check-ins. Someone might want to have a quick two minute check-in every morning. What's your objective for today? have those more smaller pieces that can feel a lot less overwhelming. It can feel like there's a clear map. It can feel like you know somebody's there and supporting them more frequently. Both approaches can be fantastic if they're [00:17:30] paired with the right people. But if there's a mismatch, that's when we start to get, more concerns. Because if you imagine somebody that likes to have more space If they're being checked on daily, that can feel like micromanaging. They can feel like they're not being trusted. but then if we have somebody who likes those daily check-ins and those shorter goals, if they're not receiving that. And they're left on their own when they didn't want to be. that [00:18:00] can add stress. Oh, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing today. am I on the right track? I'm not sure. so it's really just about adjusting everything from check-ins to how goals are set to really match with what's going to work for each individual. For the listeners, I'm sorry, but it is, it is, you know, more flexibility in our part. Right. But this is, Hey, this is 2026. This is just where we're going right now. I don't see this changing of situational leadership. we gotta [00:18:30] ask more of those questions because North America. Manufacturing got great when we did lower, more lean, had more standards, more structure. And that's great for, greasing a cylinder that we know is gonna fail after so many cycles. And we wanna do the same with humans, right? So we're gonna have a meeting every two weeks and then check on you, every three days. the reality is that with the neuroscience that you have, we're not machines. And we're different. especially with the rise of technology now [00:19:00] and AI again, that's a whole conversation. something that I really work towards is creating human-centered workplaces. We work with machines, which is great, and it really helps, advance many aspects of our society. But human-centered workplaces is really important to, Just to, to create spaces where humans can thrive, be healthy, be included, and do our best work to advance our society people who are treated like machines [00:19:30] are more likely to feel. Stressed to not be motivated to not be expressing their creativity. And that just doesn't it, it doesn't do anything for the output either. when we focus on treating everyone like humans, and you know, we have. Feelings. We have brains, we have the word, you know, we have bodies that need to be taken care of. when we really prioritize that, that's where we [00:20:00] spark the ideas, the creativity, the connection, all of the things that are great for us and also for our products. It's like going to the gym, right? you can't go to the gym for 24 hours, you gotta do a little bit of this every day, and then you build up that muscle I don't wake up in the morning and go to the gym and say, yes, I get to work out. But I do leave there thinking, this feels good. I've invested into this. I know this is gonna pay off. I feel better about it. like you said earlier we're taking shortcuts. We're trying to take that, that quick fix where really we need to have discipline. Like when we're trying to save [00:20:30] money, you gotta put that investment now into those conversations and just how you described it. We need to keep evolving with technology and the only way we're gonna do that is if we're not spending time on lack of clarity, that was your second one Minimize. uncertainty. So yeah, minimize uncertainty. we spend a lot of time doing that. what are some ideas that we can spend less time on uncertainty. our brains in general don't like uncertainty and [00:21:00] we can feel that when it happens. as an example, let's say you get an unexpected meeting invitation that says all company meeting tomorrow at noon. That's it. Your brain, most people's brains we're getting laid off. You're like, why? Why is this happening? Did I do something wrong? Did my team do something wrong? Is the company shutting down? your brain tries to fill in the gaps by guessing what it could be, and [00:21:30] that comes from the fact that our brain is protective. Our brain is trying to figure out what those missing pieces of information could be. So that we can feel prepared and better able to handle the situation when it comes. it's coming from a good evolutionary place, but it's really unproductive because we waste so much time and energy on trying to fill in those gaps. And half the [00:22:00] time we get it wrong and it's something we didn't even think of. the other point here is that when there's something that's vague, it can also be interpreted in different ways by different brains. like we were talking about before, even the same thing can create a different response in different brains. Somebody might, maybe be like, okay, I don't know. It's fine, no problem. And somebody else might, lose sleep that night and have a really tough time managing [00:22:30] that. and by providing that clarity, that certainty, the information when we're able to. that reduces the waste of time and energy and makes sure that everybody's on the same page about what's happening and prevents those different interpretations. This is resonating because in the manufacturing greatness model, there's three gaps, the second gap's the expectation gap, and that's really that space between what we believe others expect and what we believe is expected, and that [00:23:00] can go in any direction. So that's our model and it takes more conversations to close that gap. what were your tips around that? in general, if you're having communication, whether it's an email a discussion, a meeting or something else, provide as much information as is relevant. So, for example, with that meeting invitation, provide information in the invitation about. What is the topic? [00:23:30] Why is this being, why is the meeting being called? What's the agenda, for example? What are the discussion questions that people might be asked to share on, just to make sure that people know, okay, why is this happening and what am I going to be expected to do or share when I show up? And it's not just about meetings. transparency and clarity is also really important in the broader organizational structure. For example, sharing policies and procedures openly with the team. [00:24:00] Maybe that's like an internal shared drive, a binder with paper copies. There's lots of ways that can be done. also being transparent about things like criteria for promotions and raises. So we don't need people to wonder, what do I need to do to get a raise? It's there. And that's also really great for fairness. and if you're having, for example, a social event. Sharing some information about what to expect. So where are we going? Is [00:24:30] there games or activities? What's the plan for the day? that can make people feel a lot more comfortable knowing what they're getting into. It can help make it easier to choose whether somebody would like to participate or not. it can help people prepare as they feel they need to. some people like to prepare themselves in advance in different ways, so it just gives the opportunity for them to do so. That's something that I believe. I've gotten better at, I know I've worked at it, but [00:25:00] you know, even just like for a podcast guest like yourself, right before I was like, yeah, just jump in. We'll have a conversation. I got some feedback saying, It'd be better if I knew what to expect coming into your podcast. And I'd be like, that's fair. I was thinking about what I like, not about what you like, so I'm working on that That's an example of differences in communication styles some people would be very happy to jump in and have an informal conversation. other people share their best ideas when they've had some time to prepare. Both are great. They are different, and they [00:25:30] require having that conversation, in advance to make sure that discussion fits with both people. So the last one here is, about manufacturing and our standards, we want Consistency, especially around safety, keep people safe. And then we get struggling around this fine line of also innovation, right? Where we can be more creative and have meetings and conversations that are more inclusive and, step outside the boundaries a bit. that's around your third tip there. And just [00:26:00] making these group sessions more productive. So group meetings is, is one aspect of workplaces where I find that there's a lot of exclusion, a lot of unfairness, and people aren't having their perspectives considered. And a big root of that is meeting practices that aren't inclusive. So I'll share some tips for how we can do better here. how can we [00:26:30] hold. Inclusive meetings and discussions that really facilitate equal opportunity for everyone to contribute. this connects back to the brains because each of our brains drives us to communicate and express ourselves in different ways. that means people can share their best ideas in different environments and in different ways. for example, some people share their best ideas when they've had some time to prepare. Others like to think on the spot. some people [00:27:00] communicate best through speaking and others communicate best through writings or drawings. And some people really thrive off the energy of big groups and lots of people jumping over each other. that's something I would say, especially in, North American culture, work meetings tend to be like 10 people diving in. but that also excludes a lot of people, because many people, and I'm one of them, feel really strongly about this it can be really challenging to know when to jump [00:27:30] in. I have an idea, I have something to share, but three people are trying to talk at the same time and I have no idea when I'm supposed to start talking. and what can happen there is people just won't, Hmm, they're scared of interrupting. I don't wanna cut somebody off and they just n never find the spot, and then the topic moves on. those ideas get missed. some specific practices we can implement to make our meetings more inclusive. include, providing agendas and discussion questions in [00:28:00] advance. This overlaps with clarity and transparency as well. so team members can prepare their thoughts in advance if they like to do so. We can give a minute to think after asking a question or presenting a topic, this can feel uncomfortable at first. We are not used to that at all. But it can make a huge difference to allowing team members to really process, yeah, what do I think about that? What do I want to share here? and [00:28:30] then inviting responses, and I said try that out and see if, if team members are, have more contributions after they've had a moment to process. That's my challenge to you listener today, driving into work because you're gonna be courageous, like if you're facilitating a meeting or it doesn't really matter if you're facilitating it. You can be a participant. it's interesting because we don't take that minute. When we do, it's even more powerful in our fields of manufacturing, logistics, transportation. [00:29:00] It's all so urgent that we don't allow. The best ideas to come forward. even when I'm talking to a plant manager about getting their executive team to get together and just talk about the different, you know, how are we working together, right? Like, how are we sharing ideas? What's working and what's not? it's like, oh, I don't know if we can have time to have that discussion. Well. you're losing the money, you're tripping over the dollars and picking up the penny sometimes because we're so busy. which to me means not productive. But hey, I appreciate you [00:29:30] sharing that today. I think we all need to hear that Falisha it can feel like we're taking a bit more time, but in the end, it can be more productive because we are getting the team's best ideas and we're inviting everybody to participate, which in the end can support a better product. and a couple of last tips to help generate ideas from everyone. one of them is offering a shared document or a form where team members can share their thoughts in a written format. this can be during the meeting and also after. [00:30:00] sometimes. It can take a bit more time for a great idea to brew in somebody's brain. it's, half an hour after the meeting and they're like, oh, I wish I could have shared that. So having that form or shared doc really helps, create a space for people to add their ideas when they come. lastly, starting a discussion with a turn-taking structure, where each team member is invited to contribute without interruption. And if you are on a time crunch, there can be a time limit per person. what's [00:30:30] really important here is that everybody. Has a turn if they would like to share. They don't have to. They can pass, but everyone has a turn to share without interruption. you can ask a question, raise a topic, go around the team members. this helps ensure that everyone who would like to share has equal opportunity to do so without having to navigate jumping into an overlapping conversation. And what I find when I implement this People [00:31:00] who weren't contributing as much in other meeting formats, share fantastic ideas and feel more connected with the team. we get a broader range of ideas because everybody can share before we open it up. you can still open it up to discussion afterwards to build on the ideas and connect with each other, but That initial practice of giving everybody some space has benefits for the meeting, for team connection, for creativity, and, generating more ideas.[00:31:30] Listening to you, it's like, oh, yeah, that makes sense. you go around every person and ask them, but. We don't do it, it's just Okay, good. We got a solution. I think we just hit the whack-a-mole. We can, we can all get outta this meeting now. And, and three people never got to contribute and probably had a better idea. I could go on for about another five hours with you, but how do our listeners get more of you, Falisha, and follow you, connect with you? what's the best basis for that? I've got a few [00:32:00] ways that we can connect, LinkedIn, Instagram, or my newsletter, brain Science for better workplaces. maybe we can put those links, in the description and I'd be very happy to connect with any of you. please feel free to reach out if you'd like to chat more about brains. thank you. Shout out to Nina Na Doley, our mutual friend and previous, guest here that, that suggested you. so glad we got to meet I've already learned so much from you, Falisha, it's just these reminders of like, it's okay. We're, we're, we're just hardwired [00:32:30] like this. We've been conditioned this way and We can make changes. We can build workplaces that align with how our brain functions. Thank you, Falisha. I appreciate you coming on the show. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

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 back to Kathy Miller, Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame member and former leader at General Motors, Delphi, and Rolls-Royce. She is the author of MORE Is Better, which provides practical frameworks for frontline plant leaders. In this episode, Kathy shares insights on manufacturing leadership, employee engagement, and operational excellence for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Drawing on her background in applied positive psychology and real-world plant leadership, she explains how leaders can strengthen manufacturing culture, improve trust, and boost productivity without adding complexity. You'll walk away with practical tools to improve accountability, reduce burnout, and build stronger teams on the shop floor. 1:22 – Representation and diversity strengthens manufacturing culture 3:02 – Positive psychology research is a valuable tool for frontline supervisors, plant managers, and shop floor leadership teams 5:03 – Strengthen manufacturing relationships through creative safety leadership and by supporting accountability without blame 7:22 – Authenticity improves team engagement and manufacturing retention, especially in high-stress environments 08:20 - Transitioning teams from command-and-control to inclusive lean leadership is essential for creating a continuous improvement culture 12:36 - Helping employees find meaning boosts employee engagement and manufacturing retention. 15:56 – Putting curiosity over compliances helps leaders avoid punitive approaches and improves performance conversations on the floor 21:15 – Creating psychological safety encourages employees to speak up early, which fuels continuous improvement culture and operational excellence 22:56 - Finding a balance between realistic optimism and toxic positivity is essential for credible manufacturing communication and decision-making 24:41 – Relationships are the core foundation of manufacturing teamwork 26:22 – Your mindset shapes manufacturing relationships and every interaction on the plant floor 28:37 – Active listening is one of the most effective tools for better coaching in manufacturing. Connect with Kathy Miller Visit her website and check out the MORE Mentor resources Connect on LinkedIn Buy MORE Is Better Listen to her previous podcast episode