Up-Front Podcasts

In this episode, Julio Martinez, COO at Roncadin, shares a story about the importance of real-time communications in preventing costly downtime, the criticality of capturing data, and how breaking down departmental silos creates transparency and trust. Discover practical ways to listen better, respond faster, and empower frontline teams to do their best work.

In this episode, Barrett Hopper, Director of Operations for Americas at MKS Instruments reveals how real-time communication can be the single most powerful way to transform frontline teams. Learn how intentional gemba walks, true round-table conversations and digital tools can build trust, empower employees to speak up and improve team performance and wellbeing.

From lumber yards to manufacturing plants, Will Smylie, VP of Operations & Continuous Improvement at Marmon Holdings (a Berkshire Hathaway company), unpacks the mindset shift needed to truly empower hourly employees — and why the fastest path to trust, engagement, and performance is shortening the timeline for meaningful change that employees can see and feel.