Change is never easy, especially in manufacturing and engineering facilities, where small disruptions can have massive impacts on schedules, budgets, safety, and customer commitments. Whether it’s restructuring a department, pausing a capital project, or shifting to new production technology, plant and engineering executives are often forced to make decisions that won’t please everyone.
As Eduardo, a veteran operational leader, shares:
“When I inherit a struggling operation, before any talk of turnarounds, I ask: What’s broken in the basic systems? Sometimes teams are overwhelmed with change because the fundamentals—like maintenance or process discipline—aren’t in place. Bringing clarity to these basics grounds every other decision.”
Being liked isn’t the goal. Being trusted – especially during turbulence – is what sets successful industry leaders apart.
How do engineering and manufacturing leaders actually push through tough, sometimes unpopular decisions without crushing team engagement or morale? In this edition of “Engineering 365” we will explore strategies and hear from leaders who have successfully navigated these challenges.
Start with the Why—And Mean It
Clarity is the foundation of trust. Teams want leadership decisions to make sense given the mission and day-to-day realities.
Eduardo demonstrates this by always connecting new plans to operational needs:
“If you don’t start with a clear diagnosis—here’s where we’re off track, here’s why it matters—no new initiative will get traction. Explain how this serves the business, the team, and safety or quality in terms everyone can understand.”
When canceling a product line, consolidating facilities, or changing overtime policies, clearly explain your reasoning:
- Will this safeguard jobs long-term?
- Will it ensure plant safety or product quality?
- Is it about focusing resources on core technologies or markets?
Manufacturing professionals are problem-solvers and take pride in their contributions. Treat them as partners in the process – even when you’re the one making the call – and you’re likely to gain their respect.
Communicate Early, Openly, and Often
Silence breeds rumors, especially in industries where job stability and performance targets are always top-of-mind. Executives who get ahead of speculation, by sharing the context behind decisions before the water cooler chatter takes hold, protect their credibility.
It can include:
- Team or crew huddles for Q&A
- Direct acknowledgment of discomfort or pushback
- Updates that show you’re following through on promises
Empathy is critical, but so is conviction. Leaders who appear unsure risk losing both trust and authority.
As one COO emphasizes:
“People aren’t afraid of information, they’re afraid of surprises. When you set the narrative early and explain the whys—even if it’s uncomfortable—your team will give you more trust and stay with the mission.”
Bring Your Supervisors and Leads On Board First
Your supervisors, shift leads, and engineering project managers are your best communicators on the floor. If they don’t buy into the “why” behind a major change, their teams won’t either. Before rolling out new initiatives, invest time engaging these critical influencers:
- Brief them with transparent talking points
- Set clear expectations for what comes next
- Give them space to share honest feedback
Remember, your frontline leaders shape morale and acceptance throughout the workforce.
Connect Changes to Core Values
Unpopular decisions become easier to accept when they’re clearly tied to what the company stands for. For instance:
- Shutting down an underperforming product line may hurt now, but it enables investment in next-gen automation—supporting a culture of continuous improvement.
- Asking engineers to return onsite for collaborative work may disrupt routines but can spark the innovation that keeps your operation competitive.
Frame the message in terms of safety, quality, and shared progress.
As Eduardo, Founder of Manufacturing Simplicity, shared:
“Change lands better when it’s tied to your culture – things like quality, safety, or customer commitment. Even unpopular measures, like reallocating teams or sunsetting outdated lines, become part of the company’s legacy if you connect them to what’s always mattered.”
Support Your People Through the Transition
Engineering and manufacturing teams are resilient, but they feel the strain of uncertainty like anyone else. Whether changes mean job losses, role reshuffling, or strategic pivots, respected executives support their people both practically and emotionally:
- Offer cross-training, mentorship, or redeployment when possible
- Create channels for honest feedback—even the tough kind
- Publicly recognize contributions of impacted employees
Even if you can’t promise stability, you can promise honest conversations and opportunities for people to raise concerns or offer ideas. Don’t underestimate the impact of simply listening, it makes the hardest transitions survivable.
The Right Executives Know How to Lead Through Resistance
At Crown Technical Staffing, we help manufacturers and integrators identify and hire leaders who aren’t just experts in their field, but are the managers and executives who know how to lead when decisions are unpopular but necessary. These are the executives who:
- Make decisions grounded in data, safety and long term operational impact
- Anticipate resistance without being paralyzed by it
- Communicate changes with clarity, empathy, and authority
- Protect culture and trust while still hitting cost, quality, and delivery targets
Unpopular decisions will always be part of leadership. But with the right people in place, companies can make tough calls without eroding trust, engagement, or momentum. Looking for leaders who can handle the hard decisions? The CDS System® is built to surface the people who can both do the work and carry the weight of hard decisions without creating hidden costs in culture, turnover, or missed delivery. Let’s Chat Today!
