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