The Integrity Way with Dave: You Can't Coach from a Distance

By Dave Bondy, Plant Manager

I've always believed you can learn a lot about leadership from coaching.

A coach doesn't show up on game day, look at the scoreboard and suddenly understand everything about the team. They've been at practice, seeing where people struggle and learning who's gaining confidence, who's ready for more and who might need some help.

I think leadership in manufacturing works the same way.

You Have to Be Around the Work

I'm in this with our team every day. I'm on the floor, talking to people and seeing the work happen firsthand. That's important to me because I don't think you can effectively lead an operation from a distance.

You have to understand what's actually happening, not only with the work but with the people doing it. When you're around enough and paying attention, you learn to read the room. You recognize when someone who normally has confidence suddenly doesn't, when a conversation isn't being received the way you intended or when someone needs to be pulled aside and reminded of what matters.

Those are things you don't always see if you're only looking at the final result.

People Need to Know They Matter

One thing I've learned over the years is that people want to be heard. They want to know they count and that they matter.

Sometimes that means taking a few minutes to listen and other times, it means sharing your own experience.

I've been through plenty of difficult stretches in my career, and I've learned that most things that seem overwhelming in the moment eventually pass. Calm seas don't make good sailors.

Sometimes people need someone who's already been through a few storms to remind them of that. Other times they need encouragement or a push forward. That's all part of coaching.

Leadership Isn't a One-Man Job

There's another part of the coaching analogy that's just as important: You can't have a one-man coaching staff and expect to build a great organization.

Leadership has to happen throughout the team. You need people paying attention, bringing different perspectives and looking after each other. You need leaders willing to coach and employees who want to be coached, grow and take on more.

The best thing that can happen is when that starts feeding itself. One person grows into a new responsibility and somebody else sees what's possible. That person steps up and helps the next employee, raising the expectations of the people around them.

That's how you start building a flywheel. Growth creates more growth, and over time, the culture becomes stronger and more self-sustaining.

Be There for Practice

We talk a lot about operational excellence. Technology, processes, data and quality all matter, but none of those things operate themselves. People do.

If we're going to keep raising the bar, we have to keep developing the people behind the work. That starts with being present enough to know them and understand where they are to help them get where they want to go.

I'm not perfect at it; none of us are. There are days when I miss something or don't communicate something the way I intended. That's why the conversation has to stay open and why leadership has to be something we practice every day.

If you want to understand your team, you can't just show up for the game. You have to be there for practice.

That's The Integrity Way.