There’s a four-letter word you should avoid on the manufacturing floor . . . and it’s not the one you think! In this episode, hear from guest Shawn Rhodes on why hope is the four-letter word you should remove from your processes. With a background as a war correspondent, Shawn knows firsthand how environments can quickly change, and now serves as a speaker, author, and international expert helping others learn how to pivot when change enters their plans. In this episode, Shawn discusses why hope shouldn’t be part of your strategy on the manufacturing floor, and pulls from his unique background to share actionable ways to replace hope in your organization and operations.

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