In this episode of the Manufacturing Culture Podcast, host Jim Mayer interviews Lonnie Wilson, a lean manufacturing expert and founder of Quality Consultants. Lonnie shares his journey from working at Chevron to starting his consulting firm specializing in cultural change. He emphasizes the importance of respect for people and creating a learning culture in the manufacturing industry. Lonnie also discusses the learning model maturity cycle and the danger zone of pseudo-competence. Overall, the conversation highlights the need for continuous improvement and the role of leadership in driving cultural transformation. Lonnie explains the learning model and the importance of understanding the theory before applying it. He discusses the danger zone where managers often get stuck and the need for them to go through the journey of learning. Lonnie emphasizes the importance of applying the theory and creating standards to gain understanding. He also highlights the role of management in creating a learning culture and the power of unconscious competence. Lonnie concludes by discussing the awareness spectrum and the simplicity on the other side of complexity.Takeaways

• Cultural change in the manufacturing industry requires leadership commitment and modeling of desired behaviors.
• Creating a learning culture is essential for continuous improvement and staying ahead of the competition.
• The learning model maturity cycle consists of unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence.
• The danger zone of pseudo-competence is a critical area where individuals may believe they are competent but lack the necessary knowledge and skills.
• Awareness is key in learning and decision-making, allowing individuals to make informed choices and consider potential outcomes. Understanding the theory is crucial before applying it in practice.
• Managers often get stuck in the danger zone and need to go through the journey of learning.
• Applying the theory and creating standards are essential for gaining understanding.
• Management is critical in creating a learning culture and driving cultural transformation.
• Unconscious competence is the ultimate level of mastery.
• The awareness spectrum and the simplicity on the other side of complexity are essential concepts to consider in cultural transformation.

Chapters00:00Introduction and Background03:08Lonnie's Journey from Chevron to Quality Consultants11:10Approach to Cultural Change in the Manufacturing Industry18:39Learning Model Maturity Cycle27:31Creating a Learning Culture36:16The Danger Zone: Pseudo Competence41:28The Importance of Awareness in Learning42:57Understanding the Theory43:27The Danger Zone44:36The Incipient Awareness45:33The Make or Break Point46:32Applying the Theory47:31Creating Standards48:08The Initiative Mantra48:59The Problem-Solving Mantra49:41Sustaining the Standard50:11Opportunities in the Boardroom51:11Understanding in Different Environments52:09Unconscious Competence53:43The Willie Mays Syndrome55:37The Awareness Spectrum57:04The Awareness Paradox57:35The Simplicity on the Other Side of Complexity59:04Cultivating a Culture of Learning01:00:40The Operational Definition of Culture01:04:07The Managers as the Solution01:05:31Distinguishing Intellectual Knowledge from Applicable Understanding01:06:16The Awareness Paradox01:07:32The Journey of Cultural TransformationConnect with Lonnie on LinkedIn or on his website.Special mention to Speroni for their innovative solutions in precision manufacturing, which align perfectly with the themes of continuous improvement and excellence discussed in this episode.