Youâve read the values.
Youâve held the meetings.
Youâve sent the memo.
And yetâthings still feel stuck. The culture isnât shifting the way you hoped.
If thatâs familiar, youâre not alone. Many food industry leaders are pushing hard to improve safety, quality, and collaboration. But the results arenât matching the effort. So whatâs missing?
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The Core Truth: Culture Doesnât Change Unless Leaders Do
Culture is builtâquietly and consistentlyâthrough daily behavior. That means when we want to ...
In the fast-moving, cross-functional world of food manufacturing and operations, influence is essentialâespecially for those who donât have direct authority. Maybe you're a quality supervisor needing production to adjust processes. Or a senior director driving a change initiative. In any of these roles, pushing people doesnât workânot for long. Real influence isnât about controlling outcomes. Itâs about building trust-based relationships that make others want to move with you.
The Influence Myt...
In todayâs food production environments, culture isnât just a buzzwordâitâs a business imperative. From food safety to employee retention, an empowered culture influences every layer of operations. When frontline employees feel valued and leaders are equipped to support growth, the entire organization benefits. But creating that kind of culture doesnât happen by accidentâit requires intention, alignment, and daily practice.
In this post, weâll explore how food manufacturers can build an empower...
We all know food safety matters. But knowing isnât the issue. The issue is how we lead.
Across the food industry, leaders are doubling down on protocols, procedures, and auditsâyet food safety culture still struggles to move forward. Why?
Because weâre focusing on compliance, not commitment.
Compliance is about rules, checklists, and documentation. Necessary? Yes. Sufficient? Absolutely not.
Commitment is different. Itâs personal. Itâs what drives someone to speak up when they see something o...
How do you keep showing up as the leader you want to beâweek after week, meeting after meeting? In this episode of Real Talk with Jill & Tia, we explore strategies for maintaining momentum in your leadership growth. It takes more than just good intentionsâit requires rhythm, reinforcement, and reflection.Â
Whether you're fresh out of Catalystâs Technical Leader Bootcamp, leading a plant floor team, or guiding strategy in a corporate setting, leadership growth isnât a one-time eventâitâs a prac...
Sometimes what looks like âimprovementâ is really avoidance in disguise. In this weekâs Real Talk with Jill & Tia, weâre naming 3 common ways leadership quietly takes a backseatâmasked by process changes, shiny tools, or CI initiatives. These approaches can be helpful, but when they replace courageous leadership instead of enabling it, teams start to feel the disconnect. Weâll explore what it looks like when people sidestep leadership, how to spot it, and what to do instead. Whether you're a lea...
Weâre still riding the energy wave from Catalystâs Leadership Summitâand weâve got stories to share! On this weekâs Real Talk with Jill & Tia, weâre giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to bring the event to life, plus the powerful insights and takeaways that emerged. From standout sessions to unexpected moments, weâll share what we heard, what we learned, and what surprised us most. Youâll also get a peek at participant feedback and whatâs next on the horizon for Catalyst. Whethe...
The countdown is on for Catalyst Food Leaderâs Leadership Summit focusing on Advancing Everyday Leaders, Driving Extraordinary Results!
This week on Real Talk with Jill & Tia, weâre pulling back the curtain to share behind-the-scenes insights on how this event came together and why itâs a game-changer for food industry leaders. From designing impactful sessions to curating expert speakers, weâll highlight key takeaways and what attendees can expect. Plus, weâll share tips to help you maximize ...
Lately, it feels like uncertainty is everywhere. DEI programs are being rolled back, immigration enforcement is creating fear in communities, and for many people, the future feels shaky at best. You may not see it outright, but people around youâyour colleagues, team members, even friendsâare carrying a lot right now.
As leaders, we canât control everything happening in the world, but we can control how we show up. And in times like these, small moments of kindness and connection matter more th...
What does it take to become the best version of yourselfâboth personally and professionally? This week on Real Talk with Jill & Tia, weâre joined by Steve Sorenson of Johnsonville, who believes that growth happens through experiences, mentorship, and intentional choices. Heâll challenge us to think about how we spend each day of our lives and what weâre truly working toward. Learning alone isnât enoughâsuccess comes from application. Join us as we explore how to take ownership of our growth, dev...
Foodborne pathogens are a massive global issue, and current testing methods aren't keeping up. But what if AI could change the game? This week on Real Talk with Jill & Tia, weâre joined by Matthew Theurer (THER) of Hyperspectral, whoâs bringing a fresh perspective on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing food safety. By combining AI with spectroscopyâan age-old technologyâHyperspectral is making pathogen detection faster, more accurate, and cost-effective. Weâll dive into the scale of t...
I remember sitting through multiple years of strategic planning sessions at my former company in the food industry. Three days in a conference room, filled with PowerPoint decks, financial projections, and passionate debates about the next 1â3 years.
The same priorities always emerged: drive up sales and drive down costs.
Leadership teams came armed with game plansâincrease operational efficiencies, reduce supplier and ingredient costs, and introduce new products. Weâd map out timelines, budge...