Sustaining improvement is one of the biggest challenges in manufacturing. Many teams make progress, but struggle to hold onto it.

In this episode of Manufacturers Make Strides, George Pesansky shares practical strategies for making improvements stick, based on his decades of experience working with global manufacturers.

If you’re searching for ways to build lasting change in your operations, this episode is worth your time

Why Sustaining Improvement Is So Difficult

Manufacturing teams are often caught in a cycle of firefighting, solving urgent problems without building systems that prevent them.

George explains how this reactive mindset blocks long-term progress. Even well-intentioned improvement programs fail when they’re too complex, too rigid, or disconnected from day-to-day reality.

Instead of copying what worked elsewhere, George encourages leaders to simplify their approach and focus on what works in their own environment.

Practical Strategies That Make a Difference

Here are four ideas from the episode that can help manufacturing teams sustain improvement:

1. Focus on what works
George’s “Golden Hour” method helps teams identify periods of peak performance and understand what made them possible. Instead of analysing failure, look at success and replicate it.

2. Reduce the leaks
Improvements often fade because they’re not supported by systems. George recommends focusing on the “rate of subtraction”, the moments where good work is lost, and fixing those leaks before adding more.

3. Standardise success
Different shifts often run the same equipment in different ways. Aligning teams around what “good” looks like helps improvements stick and reduces variation.

4. Empower your team
Sustaining improvement isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about helping others find them. George encourages leaders to build systems that work without constant oversight

🎧 Want to Hear More?

Dive deeper into George Pesansky’s inspiring journey by listening to the full episode of Manufacturers Make Strides, available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

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