# From Employee-Focused to Employee-Owned w/ Ashleigh Walters

- Show: [The Manufacturing Executive](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive)
- Published: 2023-03-21
- Length: 26m
- Episode: 145
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters
- Listen: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-manufacturing-executive#episode-8cd58822-cb1f-441a-b129-002353fe7834

## Summary

Ashleigh Walters, author of Leading with Grit and Grace, details her transformation of Onyx, a family-owned manufacturing company, from a command-and-conquer culture to an employee-owned enterprise. She explains how shifting from a punitive leadership style to a coaching approach, utilizing tools like value stream mapping and Kata, empowered employees and improved focus. The episode highlights the strategic decision to transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to ensure succession, resulting in a 325% increase in stock value within a year and a half.

## Chapters

- [0:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=37) Introduction: Ashleigh Walters and Onyx's Transformation
- [1:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=116) Taking Over Onyx and Shifting Leadership Styles
- [3:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=219) From Command-and-Control to Coaching and Psychological Safety
- [9:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=569) Implementing Lean Tools: Value Stream Mapping and Kata
- [16:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=1012) Eliminating Performance Reviews for Continuous Coaching
- [19:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=1184) Transitioning to an ESOP and Succession Planning
- [22:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-03-21-from-employee-focused-to-employee-owned-w-ashleigh-walters#t=1369) Post-Presidency: Board Service and Community Engagement

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Onyx (company)
- Leading with Grit and Grace (other)
- Gorilla 76 (company)
- Industrial Marketing Live (other)
- EOS (other)
- Pennsylvania Center of Employee ownership (company)
- University of Tennessee (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How to Lead with Grit and Grace Featuring Ashleigh Walters](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-01-how-to-lead-with-grit-and-grace-featuring-ashleigh-walters) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [177: Strengthening Your Engineering Team through Co-Ops and Employee Ownership with Marcease Warren](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-03-19-177-strengthening-your-engineering-team-through-co-ops-and-employee-ownership-wi) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Greatest Hits: Top 3 Leadership Lessons from Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-05-11-greatest-hits-top-3-leadership-lessons-from-manufacturing-happy-hour) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [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)
- [Live Episode! New Belgium Brewing Company: Kim Jordan](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-09-10-live-episode-new-belgium-brewing-company-kim-jordan) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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