This week, Jan made a call most podcasters won't make. She sat down in the studio with a leader she's wanted on the show for a long time, and the conversation was too strong to rush out in two days. Every episode goes out as both audio and video on YouTube, which takes real production time. So she chose quality over quantity, and the full episode drops next week.

That leader is Tom Lewis, President of Horse Powertrain USA. Tom doesn't accept "that's how we've always done it" from his team, his customers, or this industry. He and Jan take on the rules automotive has followed for decades: slow approvals, OEMs and suppliers keeping each other at arm's length, and the habits we protect because they feel safe even when they cost us. Tom isn't waiting for permission. He's already built a different way of working.

In the meantime, this is a good week to catch up. Start with Jan's solo episode, "We've Had the Tools for 30 Years. Why Didn't We Use Them?" It's built on binders and letters she's kept in her basement since the early '90s, and it's her take on China's speed as an operating model. Then go back to her conversations with Bryce Currie, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Ford, and Jim Voss, CEO of Tenneco. They're two leaders who practice servant leadership every day and aren't afraid to talk about it.

Jan also wants to hear about the leadership challenge sitting on your desk right now. Email her at [email protected], because your challenges shape where this show goes next.

[Transcript]

[00:00:39] Hi, everyone. This is Jan, and this is a quick check-in from the Automotive Leaders Podcast.

[00:01:06] The conversation was strong, and it deserves the full treatment, and that doesn't happen in two days.

[00:01:28] So I'm gonna make the call of quality over quantity. No episode this week. I want to give you something that's right next week.

[00:02:06] We talk about the rules automotive has followed for decades, the ones that need to be broken, the slow approvals, the way OEMs and suppliers keep each other at arm's length, the habits we protect because they feel safe even when they cost us. Tom's done more than talk about it. He's built a different way of working, and he's not waiting for permission.

[00:02:48] Go back to my solo episode, "We've Had the Tools for 30 Years. Why Didn't We Use Them?" And I'll talk about a discovery that I made in my basement. It's my take on China's speed as an operating model, and it's built on binders and letters that I've kept since the early '90s. Then pull up my conversations with Bryce Currie, chief manufacturing officer at Ford, and also Jim Voss, CEO at Tenneco.

[00:03:40] And of course, I cannot leave this episode without a huge call-out and a big thank you to our sponsors, Lockton, Seraph, UHY, and Tradeverifyd.

[00:04:04] Now, I want to hear from you. Tell me the leadership challenge sitting on your desk right now. I'd love to know. You can email me directly at [email protected]. Your challenges shape where I take this show.

[00:04:49] See you next week.