Cultivating More Effective Manufacturing Leaders w/ Bill Remy

What this episode covers

Bill Remy, CEO of TBM Consulting Group, argues that manufacturing leadership gaps are as critical as front-line labor shortages, driven by the outdated practice of promoting technical experts without providing leadership training. He emphasizes that effective leaders must focus on process improvement, safety, and quality rather than acting as 'cheap firefighters,' and must actively engage with the shop floor to build trust and retain talent. Rey also advises midsize manufacturers to adopt a 'crawl, walk, run' approach to technology adoption, focusing on specific problem statements and change management rather than chasing trends like AI without clear business cases.