Description

What if resistance to change in manufacturing isn’t the problem we think it is?

In this episode, we sit down with Ron Crabtree, a manufacturing transformation expert whose career spans shop floor roles, major improvement programmes and large scale organisational change. Together they explore what really drives successful manufacturing change management and why most improvement efforts stall long before any tools or training are introduced.

Ron brings decades of experience supporting manufacturers across sectors and sizes. He shares why pushback is often a signal rather than a barrier, how leaders can build a clear burning platform for change, and the practical steps organisations can take to make improvements stick on the shop floor.

This conversation covers:

• Why resistance is a sign of missing clarity, not stubbornness
• How strong change charters improve alignment before work begins
• The simple formula Ron uses to predict whether change will succeed
• Why “just training people” rarely shifts behaviours
• What shop floor teams need to understand before adopting new processes
• How defining what good looks like unlocks more effective improvement
• Where leadership behaviour must shift to support sustainable change

Whether you work on the shop floor, in operations or in a leadership role, this episode offers a practical and people‑centred view of how manufacturing change management really works in today’s factories.

If you enjoy the episode, follow the show for more conversations from across the manufacturing world.

Connect with Ron:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roncrabtree
MetaOps: https://www.metaops.com