Kevin Burns Blog

Building Trust: Strengthening Supervisor Relationships with Employees

Posted by Kevin Burns on November 3, 2023

supervisors build culture and relationships with employees

Discover effective strategies for frontline supervisors in trades-based industries to build trust and strengthen relationships with their employees.

The Losada Ratio on Positive Employee Motivation

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 27, 2023

positive workplace is created by a positive supervisor

This week, we're diving into team motivation. It turns out that it matters not just what you say but how often you say it. So, let's explore the Losada Ratio and how it can transform your team's motivation.

The Supervisor's Clarity of the Safety Mission

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 20, 2023

At a mining camp in Canada's Arctic, a team of big city consultants was dispatched to determine the effectiveness of the safety messages throughout the mine site. The walls at the mine were plastered with so many mixed messages that the employees nicknamed them "the wallpaper." Too much noise, too many competing thoughts. First, let's admit it—generic messages like "Safety first" or "Be safe" don't cut it. They become a punchline, undermining the real priority. And in the end, the mission gets lost in "the wallpaper."

You Are Their Guide. They Are Your Heroes.

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 12, 2023

I want to discuss a concept, not just straight out of the movies, but deeply rooted in supervisor roles. It's about how to better understand your role in the grand narrative of your team.

But What If We Train Them and They Leave?

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 11, 2023

Management guru, Tom Peters, at a live event, was extolling the virtues of training managers in proper leadership and management skills. One senior manager asked, “What if we train them, and they leave? He responded, “What if you don’t train them, and they stay?” Training in leadership skills is a gamble. Leadership training is not proprietary. It is personal. If a supervisor decides to leave, the training leaves with them. Leadership skills are personal skills; as are skills in communication, coaching, empowerment, career development, team building, motivation, caring, and mentoring. But they are the skills that employees expect supervisors to have.

The Supervisor's Role in Safety

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 20, 2021

There's a fundamental shift that occurs the moment a front-facing employee becomes the crew's supervisor. And the quicker you understand the shift, the faster you will get the buy-in of your team.

When you have buy-in will you even need safety speakers?

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 6, 2021

Safety buy-in happens when you engage your people, simplify the communications, figure out the prime objective, and get supervisors on board. When you have safety buy-in, do you think you will need safety speakers anymore?

Why safety may not be a priority.

Posted by Kevin Burns on September 8, 2021

safety may not be a priority by kevin burns

Episode 6 of the Safety Buy-in video series tackles company priorities and why you may be having a hard time getting buy-in to your safety program by adding safety as one of your priorities.

People buy-in to this before they buy-in to safety.

Posted by Kevin Burns on August 25, 2021

When selling your team on the benefits of safety, you must remember this one key element that is more likely to create buy-in than any compelling argument you may have for safety. Watch the video.

Is "safety" a barrier to safety buy-in?

Posted by Kevin Burns on August 19, 2021

What happens when the word "safety" becomes a barrier to safety buy-in? It is happening with increasing frequency in all sectors and industries. And it's probably happening in your company too.

Leadership for frontline industrial supervisors.