Shift & Thrive: CEO Insights on Driving Change

What does it take to rebuild trust in an organization where most employees are disengaged? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Bree Katulak, President and CFO of RenoSys and host of the Unstoppable You podcast, about leading transformation in manufacturing and industrial businesses. A CPA by training, Bree shares how quarterly town halls, fireside chats, and a constant presence on the plant floor lifted employee engagement by 800 basis points and cut turnover from 65% to 15% at Polygon. She also covers reorganizing engineering into sales after pressure-testing the plan with her YPO forum, leading with curiosity instead of alarm when KPIs dip, walking away from unprofitable customers, and setting priorities across people, go-to-market strategy, and technology in her current role.

Takeaways:

Earn employee trust by staying visible and following up on every open question within a set timeframe.

When someone pushes back on change, take it offline and ask what is driving it before deciding if they are a fit.

Test major org changes with a peer group of CEOs and ask them to challenge every angle before you announce.

When a KPI dips, ask questions from curiosity before stepping in, because early intervention can create stress across your team.

Tie incentive plans to the metrics that drive valuation so employees share in the results they help create.

Define which customers are not a fit, since every yes uses capacity you need for better ones.
Decide which strategic priorities you are pausing and make that list visible so your team stays focused on what matters now.

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This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. 

Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com