# The Innovation Mentality for Manufacturing

## Manufacturing Meet Up

### Overview

Let’s get ready to rumba! With a nod to Hispanic Heritage Month, Ed and Alvaro welcome Cuban-American author/leadership consultant Glenn Llopis to the show. The guys dig into Glenn’s _Innovation Mentality_—six strategies that’ll change how you see your plant floor.

### Key Insights

From Ed’s hard-won insight that “80% of your plant’s solutions are on the shop floor” to Glenn’s powerful revelation that “respect reverberates and multiplies while recognition just explodes,” this conversation gets real about unleashing entrepreneurial spirit in manufacturing.

### Mentioned in this Episode
- [Glenn Llopis](https://www.glennllopis.com/about/)  
- [The Innovation Mentality](https://www.glennllopis.com/books/)

### Podcast Duration
**Duration:** 46:15 minutes  
**Listen**: [Download episode](https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/forcedn/204191ac-a48c-4bff-aa6d-45d8cd26ae11/S2E14_Full_Show.mp3)

## Episode Content
**Ed Ballina:** I’m Ed Ballina.   
**Alvaro Cuba:** Hello guys, Alvaro Cuba here.
  
Ed and Alvaro welcome Glenn Llopis, who discusses the changing landscape in manufacturing. They talk about the importance of recognizing the individual experiences of workers and leveraging diversity to enhance innovation and productivity.

### Glenn Llopis on Hispanic Heritage Month
Glenn shares insights on the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month, emphasizing community respect and leadership influence. He argues that while celebrating heritage is crucial, understanding and respecting contributions is imperative for mutual growth.

### The Innovation Mentality
**Glenn Llopis:** The innovation mentality sounds familiar, but it embodies the immigrant perspective that sees opportunities in everything. He outlines six strategies:
 1. **See opportunities in everything**: Inspiration to recognize what others miss.
 2. **Flexibility to anticipate the unexpected**: Circular vision to stay ahead of change.
 3. **Unleashing your passionate pursuit**: Determination to navigate challenges in search of possibilities.
 4. **Living with an entrepreneurial spirit**: Encourage an entrepreneurial attitude regardless of job title.
 5. **Working with generous purpose**: Sharing knowledge fosters growth.
 6. **Respecting and leaving a legacy**: Surround yourself with a supportive network.

### Engaging the Manufacturing Workforce
- **Embrace Diversity**: Encourage diverse perspectives to drive innovation in operations.
- **Create an Open Environment**: Foster an atmosphere where team members feel safe to express ideas.
- **Empower Employees**: Allow workers to take initiative, such as shutting down a line for quality concerns.

### Conclusion
Ed and Alvaro finalize the discussion by reiterating the importance of creating an inclusive and engaging environment to empower the workforce fully. They invite listeners to reflect on their contributions to fostering innovation within their plants, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month.

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### Call to Action
Listeners are encouraged to subscribe and engage in discussions, highlighting the value of collective growth in manufacturing.