Trust Over Titles: Effective Leadership in Reliability with Shon Isenhour - Part 2

In this episode of the 'Learning to Lead Show,' host Mark Cundiff continues his interview with Shon Isenhour, founder and owner of Eruditio, an education and training company.

Shon shares insights on how influence is more impactful than titles in leadership, underscores the importance of engaging frontline leaders, and emphasizes the necessity of a proactive leadership approach.

Through frameworks and storytelling, he illustrates strategies for ensuring sustainability in organizational reliability and discusses the significant role of effective leadership and communication.

The episode also touches on the integration of AI in the manufacturing sector and its potential to enhance predictive maintenance and data analysis. Tune in to understand why leadership and process management are crucial for successful change initiatives in industrial manufacturing.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections

00:43 Welcome to the Learning to Lead Show

00:57 Interview with Shon Isenhour: Background and Expertise

01:56 Key Learnings from Shon Isenhour

03:18 Leadership and Communication Strategies

11:11 The Role of AI in Reliability and Maintenance

14:14 Challenges in Maintenance and Reliability

16:53 The Importance of Process and Accountability

19:39 Book Recommendations and Final Thoughts

23:36 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Top Quotes from Shon on Today's Episode:

• "If you can't tell a story about why the change matters, no one else will either."
• "Leadership without authority is influence—earned, not assigned.
• "The front line can smell fake from 100 feet away. You don’t manage change—you lead it, shoulder to shoulder."
• "Reliability isn’t a program. It’s a promise. A way of working that people believe in."
• "Trust compounds. And in reliability work, trust is the currency of every decision people make on the floor."
• "If your change initiative dies the moment you leave the room, it wasn’t led—it was announced."
• "The people closest to the work often have the answers. We just need to make space for their voice to matter."

Key Topics Discussed Today:

1. The Challenge of Leading Without Authority

• Why influence > title
• Building trust over time with technicians and teams
• Showing consistency through small, repeated actions

2. The Power of Storytelling in Driving Change

• Using real-life examples to explain reliability concepts
• How leaders can translate abstract models (like ADKAR) into human terms

3. Frameworks for Sustainable Reliability

• Change management tools Shon uses: ADKAR, Kotter’s Model, Situational Leadership
• Avoiding the “initiative of the month” trap
• Measuring success beyond short-term wins

4. Engaging the Front Line

• Why language and listening matter
• Equipping supervisors with coaching, not just compliance tools
• Creating ownership instead of pushback

5. The Long Game of Leadership

• Why reliability is a culture, not a campaign
• How to build momentum without burnout
• The difference between ‘completion’ and ‘adoption’

Ways to Connect with Shon Isnehour

• LinkedIn
• Eruditio
• sisenhour@eruditio.com

Book Recommendations by Shon:

• Cues by Vanessa Van Edwards
• Winning Body Language by Mark Bowden

"Why Storytelling, Selling, and Strategy Matter More Than You Think" with Shon Isenhour

In this episode of the Learning to Lead Show, host Mark Cundiff interviews Shon Isenhour, founder of Eruditio, an education and training company specializing in project-based applied learning in the industrial manufacturing sector.

Shon shares invaluable insights on the perpetual journey of leadership, the importance of emotional intelligence in communication, and the power of storytelling in driving change.

He emphasizes the need for intentional pre-work, effective communication plans, and the role of marketing progress to ensure long-term success in change initiatives.

Shon and Mark also discuss situational leadership, maintaining momentum after training, and the significance of selling and marketing within the organization to sustain change efforts.

00:00 Welcome to the Learning to Lead Show

00:13 Introduction to Shon Isenhour

01:17 The Importance of Storytelling in Leadership

01:28 Preparing for Change Initiatives

01:54 Effective Communication Strategies

02:28 Interview with Shon Isenhour Begins

02:37 Shon's Journey into Reliability

03:50 Leadership Lessons and Challenges

05:11 Leading Change Without Authority

10:34 Developing a Communication Plan

12:06 Success Stories and Pre-Work

14:50 The Role of Sales and Marketing in Change

19:26 The Power of Storytelling

21:42 Skills for Growing Leadership Influence

24:02 Coaching and Continued Education

27:01 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Ways to Connect with Shon Isnehour

• LinkedIn
• Eruditio
• sisenhour@eruditio.com

Learning To Lead Free Resources

• Get your Free Learning to Lead Leadership Reading Guide Here
• The Learning To Lead Newsletter

Introduction to the Learning to Lead Show

In this inaugural episode of the Learning to Lead Show, host Mark Cundiff introduces his new podcast, sharing his journey from a salesman to a plant manager who found a passion for leadership. Mark discusses the lack of training during his transition and how John Maxwell's '21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership' ignited his lifelong commitment to learning about leadership. The podcast aims to teach curated content from the plethora of books Mark reads and to feature interviews with frontline leaders. The goal is to equip, inspire, and help listeners grow from being good leaders to great ones. Mark also offers a free Leadership Guide in the show notes and previews the next episode's guest, Sean Eisenhower.

00:00 Welcome to the Learning to Lead Show
00:17 My Journey from Salesman to Plant Manager
01:15 Discovering the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
02:17 The Purpose of This Podcast
02:53 Insights from Frontline Leaders
03:36 The Importance of Leadership in All Areas of Life
04:15 Always Make Your Future Bigger Than Your Past
05:37 Conclusion and Next Steps

Resources Mentioned on Today's Episode

• Get your Free Learning to Lead Leadership Reading Guide Here
• The Learning To Lead Newsletter
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
• The Laws of Lifetime Growth