Performance Measurement in Manufacturing for Continuous Improvement Leaders: Fixing Broken Processes to Elevate Team Results with Martin Low #122

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! Results matter. Whether you are focused on safety, quality, or productivity, manufacturing leaders want clear performance metrics. But measuring the return on investment of your people can feel more complex. In this episode, Martin Low, Founder and CEO of On Plane Consulting, shares insights on manufacturing leadership, workforce development, and performance measurement for Operations Managers, Production Managers, Manufacturing Managers, and Shift Supervisors. Drawing from his experience in human resources at companies like Amazon and Blue Apron, Martin explains how strategic thinking, accountability, and communication skills help leaders measure team performance more effectively. You will learn practical strategies to strengthen processes, improve employee engagement, and build manufacturing cultures where people drive measurable results. 3:23 – You can't measure people in the same way you measure inventory, cash flow or other main areas of your organization 6:31 – If you don't invest in your people, it leads to issues like high turnover and halted productivity 7:36 – If you don't have a baseline, you can't measure 8:45 – If someone on your team is underperforming, use curiosity to find the cause 8:52 – Establish a baseline for what good looks like within your team or organization 9:45 – If someone on your team has higher rates than others, study their process and see how you can implement their methods for your whole team 11:50 – When results don't meet expectations, approach the issue with curiosity instead of judgement 14:08 – With clearer processes, your team can improve and your organization can reduce turnover 14:24 – As a leader, you should make your expectations clear and hold others accountable 15:33 – With clarity, your team members find more agency and can improve the way they show up 17:31 – Create a process where you and your team can use your energy in a productive way, instead of just trying to survive the day 19:37 – Surveying your team is a strategy for assuring everyone is aligned and understands your processes, values, mission, and goals 22:52 – With a survey, leadership can find solutions directly from their team on the floor 24:18 – Most people show up wanting to do a good job, and clear processes can help them improve how they show up Connect with Martin Low Learn more about On Plane Consulting Contact On Plane Consulting at [email protected] Contact Martin at [email protected]