Billy Ray Taylor on Ownership, KPAs, and Winning with People

Billy Ray Taylor shares how he went from engineer to turnaround leader at Goodyear and why real change starts with ownership. We dig into defining winning, marrying KPIs with KPAs, building union trust, and creating simple systems that stick like peer scored 5S and daily visual boards. Billy’s two foot rule, let go without letting loose mindset, and leadership standards show how to lead people without losing the plot. We wrap with AME, networking that actually helps, and the life lesson to never confuse being naive with being dumb.

00:00 Introduction to Lean Manufacturing and Leadership

02:43 The Journey of Billy Ray Taylor in Manufacturing

05:00 Ownership and Leadership in Operational Excellence

07:29 Creating an Inclusive Environment for Change

09:54 Defining Winning in Business

12:17 Breaking Down Goals for Success

14:45 Key Performance Actions vs. Key Performance Indicators

17:48 Understanding KPIs and KPAs

19:14 The Human Mind and Assumptions

20:22 Building Relationships with Unions

22:00 Aligning KPAs for Success

23:30 The Value of Relationships

25:33 The Importance of Networking

27:34 The AME Conference Experience

32:41 Advice for the Younger Self

• Billy Ray Taylor

• Linked XL

• The Winning Link

• Rapid Fire Manufacturing

• Lean manufacturing

• Operational excellence

• Continuous improvement

• Manufacturing leadership

• KPI vs KPA

• 5S methodology

• Visual management

• Plant turnaround

• Union relations

• Manufacturing strategy

• Define winning