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𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠? 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨. Dan Heath’s latest book 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙩: 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 is a masterclass in smart change—without needing more time, budget, or headcount. Also, a fitting read when dealing with the topic of burnout and some great parallels if you are a lean zealot. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟯-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 👇 Most change feels like pushing a boulder uphill. Especially true when trying to change cultures and behaviors. We hustle harder, pour in more effort... but can often get diminishing returns. Heath flips the script and its common sense if you have been involved with cultural change: 𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧. 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙧. Instead of brute force, Reset helps you identify leverage points—those small, strategic moves that generate big results. Then it shows you how to realign your existing resources to make change stick. The book breaks down into two big plays: __________________________________ 𝟭͟.͟ ͟𝗗͟𝗶͟𝗮͟𝗴͟𝗻͟𝗼͟𝘀͟𝗲͟ ͟𝘁͟𝗵͟𝗲͟ ͟𝗦͟𝘆͟𝘀͟𝘁͟𝗲͟𝗺͟ You can’t change what you don’t understand. Heath says: “𝗚𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.” → Not from behind a desk or some far away office. See the chaos in real time. (Lean guys know this – Genchi Genbutsu) He also borrows the “𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻” from therapy: “If your problem vanished overnight, what would be different?” → Forces clarity on what actually matters. And he layers in the “𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹”: zoom out to align with your real mission. Change isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about making sure what you fix actually matters. __________________________________ 𝟮͟.͟ ͟𝗔͟𝗰͟𝘁͟ ͟𝗪͟𝗶͟𝘁͟𝗵͟𝗼͟𝘂͟𝘁͟ ͟𝗢͟𝘃͟𝗲͟𝗿͟𝘄͟𝗵͟𝗲͟𝗹͟𝗺͟ Change doesn’t need to be massive. It needs to be targeted. Heath recommends starting with a (kaizen) “𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘁”—a focused sprint to spark momentum. Think: 1 team → 1 week → 1 bottleneck → done. He also advocates for 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽 (kill the muda!): 🔻Kill pointless meetings. 🔻Stop duplicating effort. 🔻Reclaim wasted hours. And finally: 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. Progress and results are better motivators than any speech. _________________________________ TL;DR — Key Moves: ✅ Find Leverage ✅ See the Work ✅ Ask Better Questions ✅ Launch Fast, Trim Waste ✅ Motivate with Progress _________________________________ Bottom line: Reset is a practical playbook for anyone facing inertia—in business or life. You already have the tools. This book can show you where to aim. 🧠 Smart change. 💥 Big impact. Zero burnout and limited inertia.

💡 Prioritize YOUR Self-Care. Let’s get real: You’re not doing anyone a favor by running on empty. • Not your team. • Not your family. • Not yourself. But in leadership, especially in manufacturing—𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨: “𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦.” “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸.” “𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦.” Actually, it is. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮—𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮—𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙 (𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠) 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. You can’t pour into others from an empty cup. You can’t lead from burnout. You can’t love well when you’re barely holding it together. I’ve lived this one. Derailed with it at home and work. Working late. Letting things slip mentally or physically. Not being present. Short with my family. Faith pushed to the side. Health on autopilot. 𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝗼 – 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱: I stopped treating self-care like a luxury and started seeing it as personal leadership. • Early morning workouts = clarity & strength. • Quiet time in Scripture = grounding & wisdom. • Protecting family and relational time = relationships that last. Respecting a sabbath disconnect time. Fueling with fellowship. • Sleep, nutrition, and boundaries = fuel to lead well. “𝙋𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙭𝙮𝙜𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩.” Played out cliché? No. That line isn’t selfish, it’s survival. Self-care isn’t soft. It’s strategic. When you’re fueled, centered, and strong—you don’t just survive the chaos, you thrive and lead through it. 👊 So let me ask: What’s one thing you’ve been neglecting that needs to come back into your rhythm? 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘁. Carry this: You and your loved ones matter more than the metrics. ________________________________________ Next up: Build Your Foundation. Find Your Anchor. #FaithFocusedLeadership #BurnoutRecovery #Leadership #Manufacturing

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨—𝘽𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙃𝙞𝙩𝙨 Years back, we hit a wall. Competitors blindsided us, revenue plunged, and the team looked up asking, "What's next?" Sure, we had a polished vision—clear, strong—but it couldn't flex when the ground moved. Trust cracked. Lessons burned in. Fast forward to now: Uncertainty is the standard—tech pivots, markets shake, nothing stays still. Leaders, how do you build a vision your team will rally behind, even when everything shifts? Here’s a simple, proven playbook: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 Rigid plans break. Vision rooted in a clear "why" bends. For us, that's empowering creators to thrive. A flexible vision anchored deep holds up even when the world flips. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 Run "what-if" drills proactively—“Our biggest customer leaves tomorrow. Now what?” Upskill in creative problem-solving, not short-lived hacks. This prepares the team to pivot fast, not panic. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵—𝗡𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻 Say, “Here’s what we know, and here’s what we don’t.” Honest clarity builds trust fast. Tie uncertainty back to the core purpose—when I did this openly with my team, buy-in was immediate. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: A flexible vision plus a prepared team equals resilience. Proverbs 29:18 reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”—but vision alone isn't enough; it must bend, flex, and move forward in faith. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚: Clarify your vision’s “why” today. Share it openly tomorrow. Watch your team align. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲: https://lnkd.in/eCRbCkjV What’s your biggest uncertainty right now? Drop it below—let’s talk practically about navigating it.

Massive production project vanished mid-run. PPAPs approved. Massive project. Machines humming, then—poof—flat line. Radio silence. ***Manufacturing leadership isn’t a smooth conveyor; it’s a pressure cooker. But today? Today, we’re loaded with ammo to help us be more effective—real-time data, profiles, posts, uploads, web scans—all firing as of March 18, 2025. This doesn’t hand you wins though. Just arms you for the fight. Here are 5 beasts you’ve got to tame as a leader: 1. Endless Flux Everything’s shifting constantly —markets, moods, rules. Last quarter’s gold? Junk now. Action>> Schedule a weekly reset. Scan what’s new, ditch what’s dead, learn to pivot hard. 2. Stats vs. Spark Data’s relentless—KPIs, trends, breakdowns. But it won’t tell you who’s burning out or dreaming big. Action>> Pair the numbers with 1:1s and the huddles. Ask, listen, feel—then decide. 3. Control’s a Trap – and an Illusion Power’s intoxicating—every post, file, insight at your grip. One misstep, and trust craters. Action>> Set a north star (ideally faith driven)—impact, not dominance. Check every move against it. 4. Clutter to Crush Info’s a tidal wave—reports, signals, noise. Analysis paralysis is the real killer and will bury you if you let it. Action>> Boil it to three priorities daily. Learn what to say “no” to. Slash the rest. Execute fast. 5. Raw Decisions Cuts, promotions, risks—no one else takes the heat. Delay, and the bleeding can start. Action>> Build a 24-hour rule. Gather input, sleep on it, then own the call—full heart, full spine. I’ve been wounded and flattened by these. Lost time, money, momentum, sleep. Each hit tattooed a truth: beasts don’t back off—you have to wrestle them down. What’s your fiercest fight right now? Throw it in the comments. Let’s gut it together.

170,000 People Didn’t Wake Up Today. Leaders. Own Your Time, Don’t Let It Own You. 170,000 souls didn’t see today. As a leader, your time’s not just yours—it’s your family’s, it’s your team’s, your vision’s, your legacy’s. Stop drifting. Start dominating. I’ve learned to systemize my days to lead harder and try to live bigger with a faith centric focus. Here’s how you can too—before the clock runs out. Time’s Ruthless. 170,000 gone daily. 62M yearly. Leaders, how much of your day bleeds to chaos—emails, meetings, X noise? Ed Mylett nails it: “Time’s your ultimate currency.” Spend it like a king, not like a pawn. Lead Your Time. Great leaders don’t react—they dictate. Play offense, not defense. Steal this: • Audit: Where’s your focus leaking? Cut it. • Mini-Days: Mylett’s hack—split your day into 3 “mini-days” (morning, afternoon, evening). Crush one goal per block. • Say No: Every “yes” to fluff robs your mission. • Own It: Presence drives results. Tech as Your Weapon. Leaders compress time. Tech’s your edge if you drive it or it can control your time: • Automate: Zapier, Calendly—delegate the small stuff and find ways to USE tech. • Learn Fast: USE tech to learn faster—sharpen your edge in hours, not months. • Connect: Slack, Loom—align your team instantly and leverage for communication. • Dodge Distractions: Cap social at 30 mins. Lead, don’t scroll. Social can be a time vampire. Use tech to create systems and tools to help you compress time. Don’t let it compress you. Live Like a Legend. 170,000 didn’t get today. Leaders don’t wait: • Proact: Mylett says treat every mini-day like a full day—stack the wins. • Invest: Pour time into vision, people, growth. Make sure your cup is filled. Then fill others. • Legacy: Your clock’s ticking. Build something eternal. I used to lose time. Now I try to lead like every mini-day’s my last. It’s arill a process. Best step: • Block a mini-day tomorrow. • Automate one bottleneck. • Say no to a time vampires. Tech’s your tool. Systems are your power. 170,000 didn’t wake up. You did. Leaders, what’s your move this week?

Some powerful thoughts here on culture.

Life shouldn’t be a white-knuckle ride. It also shouldn’t be wide open, newly paved freeway. Figuring that dichotomy out is needed for a purposeful life.

Commitment requires sacrifice—put your wants and desires aside and focus on a long-term vision of meaning and purpose. No shortcuts, just results. Luke 9:23 #Commitment #Purpose #Leadership

At some point, you realize you need less people around you telling you how many problems there are or how they big they are. #FridayFocus

Let’s get one thing straight: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁. It doesn’t care how tough you are or how important or elite you think you are. 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥. Long hours. Extra shifts. More caffeine. Less sleep. I thought if I just pushed a little harder, I’d always break through a burnout cycle. 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴. Burnout doesn’t get fixed by going faster or going harder... 𝘐𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦. 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙙— 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙠. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀: • Snapping at people over small things. At work or at home. • Overreacting to issues that used to roll off your back. • Feeling numb where you used to feel driven. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘁, 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴: • “I just need to push through this week.” • “Once this project’s done, I’ll come up for air.” • “Grinding is what leaders or A players do, right?” Let’s be clear: You’re not lazy. You’re exhausted. And exhaustion is a signal, not a status symbol. What actually works? • Pause. • Get clear on what actually matters this week. Clarity. • Eliminate what doesn’t move the needle. • Ask for help (yes, even you!). 𝘉𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. You don’t need to hustle harder. You need to lead smarter—and that starts with letting go of the grind-for-grind’s-sake mindset. ________________________________________ I’ve been there. I still fight this urge and these battles. But here’s the truth: Slowing down saved me more than speeding up ever did. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. 👊 How are you trying to muscle through right now? What needs to shift? Let’s talk about it. ________________________________________ Next up: Slow Down to Move Forward #Leadership #BurnoutRecovery #FaithFocusedLeadership #Manufacturing

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 “𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩” 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩—𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙?

Burnout hits differently when you're the one holding the line. Heavy travel. 60+-hour weeks. Late shifts. Constant problems. People calling in. The weight doesn’t just stack—it can crush you. In manufacturing leadership, burnout isn’t just about being tired or “getting by.” It’s a reality. A dangerous one. It’s about losing harmony—between work and home, your team and your values, your ambition and your peace. If you let it, it will derail you. Here’s a 5-step, battle-tested plan I’ve seen rescue leaders (including me) from the edge: ___________________________________ 𝟭. 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝘁 Denial is easy. “I’m just in a busy season,” right? Wrong. Burnout thrives in silence. Name it. Face it. Lean into it. ___________________________________ 𝟮. 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 You can’t out-muscle burnout. There’s no “grind harder” prescription. Pushing harder is like quicksand—the more you fight, the faster you sink. 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. ___________________________________ 𝟯. 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 Clarity doesn’t come in chaos. Slow, intentional steps beat frantic motion every time. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. ___________________________________ 𝟰. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 You can’t pour into your team or your family from an empty cup. Mental, physical, emotional, spiritual—fill yours first. You’ve heard it before: “Put on your oxygen mask first.” There’s a reason. ___________________________________ 𝟱. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿. You can’t build your house on sand (Matthew 7:24–27 tells us why). False anchors like money, ego, and grind will fail—𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. Your foundation matters. For me now, it’s faith. And it holds. Find yours. ___________________________________ Working late. Missing dinners. Disappointing your family. Then snapping at your team the next day. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱. This week, I’ll be breaking down each step. If you’re feeling the strain—short fuse, no family time, brain fried—drop a 👊 or share below. No judgment. Let’s fight this battle together. Empty the tank. #Leadership #Manufacturing #BurnoutRecovery #FaithFocusedLeadership

𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙣. 𝘼𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙩. It creeps in quietly: • You start skipping lunch. You stay later. You are doing more traveling. • You bring work home more nights than not. You are working on weekends. • You shrug off exhaustion as “just a busy season.” 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮. Especially in leadership. You feel the pressure to be “on” all the time. You are an A player, and this is what A players do. To absorb the stress so your team doesn’t have to. Get the promotion. Get that bonus. I’ve told myself all the lies. But here’s the truth: 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. The longer you ignore it, the deeper it roots. I used to tell myself: • “Once this project is done, or this job is out the door, it’ll ease up.” • “After this quarter, I’ll take a break.” • “I just need to push through this week.” Weeks became months. Months become years. And the pressure never stops. And you end up sacrificing time which none of us get back. 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁—𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁. What changed? I finally named it. And learned to lean into it. 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 “𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩” 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨! But, I have learned to admit: ✔️ I am tired. ✔️ I can be short with people I care about. ✔️ I may not be leading at my best. That’s when healing can begin. When you lean into it and don’t hide. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲. You don’t solve burnout by hiding it under more effort (brute force tactic – another post). 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: • Take inventory of your energy and emotions. • Ask someone close to you, “Have I seemed off lately?” • Write down the weight you’re carrying—work and personal. You’re not weak for feeling it. You’re wise for addressing it. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a signal. Listen to it before it screams. 👊 What’s one area where you’ve felt the strain lately—home, work, mindset? Drop it below or DM me if you want to talk through it. No shame. Just real talk. ________________________________________ Next up: Step 2 — Why Brute Force Fails Empty the tank. #Leadership #BurnoutRecovery #FaithFocusedLeadership #Manufacturing

Pace matters.

I just re-read Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss—a former FBI hostage negotiator—and can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a goldmine for any leader but manufacturing or project managers especially. Forget dry logic or splitting the difference. Voss’s approach is about emotional leverage, turning tense situations into wins. Here’s my 60-second breakdown with five actionable tactics to level up your leadership game—whether you’re rallying teams, haggling with suppliers, or aligning stakeholders. 1. Calibrated Questions = Learn to Control Without Force Stop dictating. Ask “How can we hit this deadline without burning out?” or “What’s stopping us from locking in that material discount?” These open-ended questions push your counterpart—union rep, vendor, whoever—to solve your problem. You stay in the driver’s seat, not the back seat. 2. Label Emotions and Kill Conflict This one works. Next time a supervisor or team lead is steaming, try this: “It sounds like these new targets are stressing you out.” Naming feelings diffuses tension. Result? Trust goes up, downtime goes down. 3. “No” – It Can Unlock A lot Don’t fear “no”—leverage it. Ask a supplier, “Is this the best rate you can’t budge on?” When they say “no,” they’ve just opened the door to negotiate. You’ll shave costs while they feel safe, not cornered. 4. Hunt for the Black Swans Listen hard. That offhand comment about a supplier’s bottleneck or another challenge? That’s a “black swan”—a hidden edge. Dig deeper, and you’ll uncover leverage to keep your game humming. 5. “That’s Right” – Use to Build Buy-In Summarize their stance until they nod, “That’s right.” Example: “You’re worried downtime will tank our output.” “That’s right!” Boom—rapport spikes. Now they’re primed to align with your goals. >>The Bottom Line<< In manufacturing and many business situations, splitting-the-difference compromises can kill margins and morale. Voss’s playbook flips that—use emotional smarts to win. Next time you’re negotiating a contract, calming a team, or pushing a deadline, test one of these. Watch how fast you turn friction into flow. What’s your go-to negotiation move?

5 Emotional Intelligence Tips For Leaders   If you have been in the game long enough, you know leadership isn’t about barking orders or pretending you have all the answers. It’s about connecting with people, learning how to adapt, and generating real growth, both yours and your team. After years of observing some great leaders, some poor ones, and stumbling through my own lessons, I’ve reflected on five emotional intelligence habits that can help you elevate.   1. Listen Like You Mean It   Get straight to it: active listening is hard. We’ve all zoned out in a conversation or plotting our response while someone else is talking —don’t let it happen when it counts. Tune into what’s being said, from a teammate’s quiet frustration to a bold pitch online. Action: Next time someone speaks, jot down or mentally log one feeling behind their words (e.g., “They’re stressed”). Reflect it back: “Sounds like you’re stretched thin—am I right?” That small step, a combo of mirroring and labeling, helps to build trust fast.   2. Lead With Curiosity, But Try to Avoid Judgment   Making snap judgments can blow up trust, hindering growth; whereas curiosity fuels it. When a curveball lands—say, a heated debate or unfamiliar idea—dig deeper in a curious manner instead of shutting it down. Being curious also shows your team you are human. Action: Ask one open-ended question, like “What’s driving your position on this?” Then listen. You’ll unlock insights and show your team it’s safe to think bigger.   3. Check Before You Leap   Moving fast and with urgency is usually good but rushing to fix things can backfire if you misread the need. Learn to pause and confirm you’re on the right track—it can be a game-changer. Learn to relax, understand the situation and then make a call. Action: Before your next decision or on the heat of a hectic situation, clarify with someone, “Is this what you’re looking for?” Five seconds of clarity can save hours of rework and prove you’re in sync.   4. Own What You Don’t Know   You’re not a courtroom judge—so try not to act like one. When big questions loom (like who’s to blame), lean into humility and stay solutions oriented. Action: Next time you’re stumped, say, “I’m not here to point fingers; let’s figure out the best path forward together.” It’s honest, human, and earns you far more respect than faking it or assigning blame which really solves nothing.     5. Stay Present, Always   It’s March 17, 2025, and tomorrow’s already shifting. The reality is we are going to be on shifting and often unstable ground. Great leaders don’t cling to old scripts—they evolve with the moment. Don’t get too hung up in the past and while forward looking is important, we can’t sit there either. Action: At day’s end, ask, “What changed today?” Adjust one thing tomorrow based on it. Staying present keeps you relevant, sharp, and resilient.   Emotional intelligence isn’t “nice to have”—it’s the backbone of leadership that sticks. What's your take?

🧱 You can do all the right things—slow down, take care of yourself, set better boundaries... But if your foundation is cracked, burnout will always find a way back in to cause havoc. It’s not that burnout will be eliminated, I’ve learned it will be there. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙮 – 𝙨𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙤𝙨. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤. In leadership, it’s easy to anchor yourself to: • Productivity • Profit • Reputation • Ego • Money or personal gain • The “grind” You can even get even more out of bounds with other vices like alcohol or drugs. Again, ask me how I know about false anchors. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭. And when they do, everything feels like it’s falling apart. I’ve been there—chasing outcomes, building identity around performance. It worked… until it doesn't. And when the storms come and it all shook? I had no peace, no direction, no stability. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 (Matthew 7:24–27): “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…” That one always hit me. Different as you get older and wiser. I needed something deeper. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿. 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. For me, that anchor became faith. And with that, then family, then my work as a steward. Relationship. Foundation. Purpose. Peace. You have to get that paradigm dialed in. It’s what keeps me centered when: • Business is chaos • Family needs more from me • I feel like I’m not enough 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁? When your identity is anchored (for me in Christ) in what can’t be taken away, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢—𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building on rock, not sand. So ask yourself: • What are you building on right now? • What happens if it’s shaken? What is your anchor? 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶—𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 👊 Want to talk about what that foundation could look like for you? DM’s open.

Most of your problems aren’t out there. They’re in here. In your mind. Not in your job. Not in your business. Not in your team. They’re in the stories you keep telling yourself. I came across a page from a book today that hit like a freight train. It quoted Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Most unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.” Boom. A reversed example of a situation where we may be LISTENING too much and not TALKING enough. Look, you’re not losing the battle because life is too hard or unfair. You’re losing because the voice in your head is too loud—and too negative. Here’s what we can do do: 1. Control your inputs - think of it like food. You binge junk content, you get junk results. Garbage in, garbage out was never more true. > Feed your mind the good stuff: motivational books, positive podcasts or posts, encouraging conversations. 2. Attack and achieve daily milestones. Not yearly goals. Not even monthly. Daily. Treat each day like its own mission. > Stack small wins. Build confidence. Momentum can be an ultimate cheat code but you need to control it. 3. What’s on your mirror or wall? Literally. When I was inside in my youth, one of the most impactful things was visioning a life beyond my current state then. Letters and positivity in my face daily helped A LOT. > Put the vision where you can see it. Remind yourself who you are and what you’re building. —- If you’re in a negative loop, break it. Talk to yourself like someone you care about. Be your own coach, not your worst critic. This is what separates top performers from everyone else. They manage the voice inside. They master the mind and thinking. They win the day early and stack momentum. Start today. Feed. Win. Repeat. Empty the tank.

Just listened to a killer Ed Mylett podcast that lit a fire: Are you willing to play hurt? Success Demands Sacrifice. Success doesn’t care if you’re sick, fried, or just not feeling it—it demands you show up anyway. This has been rattling around my brain lately thinking about burnout, and it’s a game-changer. Picture this: You wake up, energy’s at zero, and the couch is calling your name. But then you think of Jordan dropping 38 in the infamous ‘Flu Game,’ sweating through chills, or Kobe nailing free throws with a torn Achilles, examples noted in the podcast. Those types of moments scream one thing: the elite don’t wait for perfect conditions. They dig deep. It’s not just sports—business, military, even parenting—it’s all the same. Ever led a team or closed a deal while not feeling it or running on fumes? That’s playing hurt, that’s pushing through the down days and it’s where winners are forged. I’ll be real: some days, I’ve debated a sick day or taking it easy and would probably feel like a chump next to those types of stories. (Half-kidding - sometimes health dictates!) But here’s the truth: we won’t always feel like rockstars. Tough stretches hit everyone. It’s not always going to be sunshine and easy days. Playing hurt isn’t just grit—it sharpens your focus. The noise fades, and you zero in on what moves the needle. For my leaders and business owners out there, let’s talk: How do you push through when the tank’s empty? What’s your go-to move to rally your team—or yourself—when the odds suck? Ever had a ‘Flu Game’ moment where you defied the slump and won big? Point is, if you’re chasing the top, you’ll play hurt sometimes. It’s not comfy, but it’s clutch. So, today, ask yourself: Are you in? Are you willing to play hurt? Let’s stack those wins—no excuses.

Stress and Adversity Can Break You—or Build You. Been laser focused on burn out lately and stress plays a big factor. But here’s a twist - stress isn’t your enemy. Unfocused stress is. Adversity, when channeled, can sharpen your edge. It can strengthen your will. It can force clarity around your goals and dreams. Pressure exposes what’s weak—and reveals what’s strong. Most people fold. Leaders focus. Elite performers learn to channel pressure and still execute. The paradigm? Control the stress. Don’t let it control you. Let’s face it - we aren’t going to live in a stress free world. God never promised us comfort, but He did promise purpose. James 1 says trials develop perseverance. Romans 5 says suffering builds character. That’s not poetic—it’s practical life advice. When you lean into pressure with focus and faith (anchor), it pushes you beyond what anyone thought you could do—including you. You rise higher. You lead better. You grow stronger. The adversity you’re facing? It’s not a wall—view it as a forge. Stay focused. Stay faithful. Let it shape you. Empty the tank.