# 120: People & Mindset at a Hardware Startup

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-03-30
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Karin Lindner, author of 'Make Manufacturing Sexy' and former Magna International employee, discusses the critical role of people and mindset in hardware startups. She explains how to bridge the communication gap between leadership and workers by hiring for resilience and passion, such as marathon runners, and building an 'upside-down' org chart that emphasizes servant leadership. Lindner also advocates for a positive, solution-oriented mindset, reframing failure as feedback and using 'dumb goals' (Dream-driven, Uplifting, Method-friendly, Behavior-driven) to maintain focus and attract talent.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=0) Introduction: Karin Lindner and Make Manufacturing Sexy
- [1:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=108) Bridging the Communication Gap at Magna International
- [6:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=410) Hiring for Resilience and Personal Passion
- [12:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=740) Building an Upside-Down Org Chart and Servant Leadership
- [18:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=1085) Mindset: Reframing Failure as Feedback
- [22:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup#t=1351) Dumb Goals and the Importance of Coaching

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Make Manufacturing Sexy (other)
- Magna International (company)
- Sheridan College (other)
- Rob Colgan (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [DeepDive 1-on-1 Series: THE METAPHOR - Guest Rob Carl, Founder & CEO of Global NPI Solvers (14m32s)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/npi-sherpa/2026-02-03-deepdive-1-on-1-series-the-metaphor-guest-rob-carl-founder-ceo-of-global-npi-sol) (NPI Sherpa)
- [Leading by Empowering Your People](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-02-14-leading-by-empowering-your-people) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Servant Leadership in the Manufacturing Sector w/ Dan Erschen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-11-10-servant-leadership-in-the-manufacturing-sector-w-dan-erschen) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [The Hero’s Journey Toward High-Level Hardware Execution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-12-21-the-heros-journey-toward-high-level-hardware-execution) (Over the Air)
- [Steel Toes and Stilettos (and everything in between) with Kathy Miller and Shannon Karels](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-06-28-steel-toes-and-stilettos-and-everything-in-between-with-kathy-miller-and-shannon) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-30-120-people-mindset-at-a-hardware-startup. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.