Train Your Leaders to Talk: Why Lean Manufacturing Leadership Starts with Language

Words Shape Culture

I’ve said it before: relationships are the work. But relationships are built—and broken—by how we talk to each other.

That’s why I always say: develop leaders who speak with purpose and lead with clarity. Great leaders inspire confidence by giving people the tools, direction, and support they need to succeed. Lean in, listen deeply, and focus on what your team is truly communicating. Act with a mindset of continuous improvement, and close the loop with confident follow-up so everyone knows their efforts matter—and that progress will continue every time you show up.

Not just to be present. Not to command, but to connect. To listen. To build trust. Because if you want Lean to stick, the way your leaders speak matters just as much as the tools they use.

A Better Way to Welcome New Employees

Here’s the difference a sentence makes.

Option A: “Josh, welcome to the team. Your job is to make the widgets.”

Option B: “Josh, welcome to the team. Your job is to make the widget-making process better.”

Same person. Same job. Totally different mindset.

The first version says: Stay in your lane. The second says: You’re empowered to make a difference.

Words shape expectations. Expectations shape culture. And culture is where Lean leadership either succeeds or fails.

Why Lean Leadership Fails Without the Right Language

Most operations are great at saying what is changing. But not why it’s changing—or how people can shape that change.

That creates resistance. Disengagement. Eye rolls. And it turns Lean into a flavor of the month.

If you want people to buy in, they need:

• Clear expectations
  
• Visible leadership support
  
• A voice in how change happens
  
• Ongoing communication—not just announcements

• To be a part of the change!
  

Teach your leaders to explain the “why.” Help them coach instead of dictate. And give them phrases that open doors instead of shutting them. This is where communication training becomes the foundation of successful change management and long-term continuous improvement.

What Good Lean Leadership Sounds Like

Here are a few phrases I encourage every leader to use:

• “What does help look like?”
  
• “What used to work that we’ve lost?”
  
• “What’s working well here?”

• How would you change things for the better?
  

And one of my favorites: “Come in with a mindset to make tomorrow better than today.” If this occurred every day from everyone, imagine where the company would be in a month, 6 months, a year!

These kinds of statements shift the tone. They show respect. They open space for feedback and improvement. And they build the kind of trust that makes Lean sustainable. The show that your in it with them and will be for whatever it takes!

Real Talk from the Floor

I was in a training session recently—a big mix of roles, backgrounds, and personalities. Instead of jumping straight into the material, I opened with something simple: “Tell us who you are, what you do, what you hope to gain, and share something fun about yourself.”

What happened next was powerful.

One person lit up talking about heavy metal. Another shared a love for gardening. Someone else talked about restoring vintage trucks. Suddenly, the room wasn’t filled with titles or job descriptions—it was filled with people. Real people with stories, passions, and lives outside the walls of work.

And the shift was immediate.
Walls dropped. Conversations started. People who had worked side by side for years began discovering shared interests, shared experiences, and shared humanity. By lunchtime, the group was laughing, trading stories, and opening up in ways that made the real training—the real connection—possible.

That’s the impact of engaging people in a safe, peer-like space.
When you approach others not as a boss, but as a fellow human being, they feel respected. They feel heard. And they feel free to share the things that actually matter. That’s how trust is built—not through authority, but through authenticity.

Most of us spend more time with our work family than our own families.
So treat your people like family. Protect them like family. Lead with humility and respect. When you do, connection becomes natural—and engagement becomes unstoppable.

Final Thought

You can have the best tools in the world. But if your leaders don’t know how to talk to people, none of it will stick.

Leadership is a learned behavior. And communication is one of the most important skills to teach.

Want to build a culture where people lean in instead of checking out? Train your leaders to talk like leaders!