Our Books

Leaders Listen to Understand: Not Respond. The Quiet Skill Behind Great Leadership, Truly Hearing your People.

Most leaders think they’re good listeners. They nod, they maintain eye contact, they wait for their turn to speak—and then jump straight to solutions. But your people don’t just need an answer. They need to feel heard.

This book is a practical, no-fluff guide to the leadership skill most people talk about but rarely master: listening to truly understand. Not to fix. Not to defend. Not to respond. To understand.

You’ll discover how real listening changes everything—trust, performance, morale, retention, safety, and culture. When your team knows you’re actually hearing them, they stop holding back the truth, start bringing you problems earlier, and work with you instead of around you.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Shift from “problem-solver” to “people-leader” without losing control

• Read what your employees are really saying through tone, body language, and emotion

• Ask questions that open people up instead of shutting them down

• Handle hard conversations without getting defensive or shutting people out

• Build psychological safety so your team will tell you the things you don’t want to hear—but absolutely need to

• Turn everyday interactions into coaching moments that grow your people, not just your metrics

Whether you lead a shift, a department, or an entire organization, this book gives you an in-depth, usable toolkit—not theory—for becoming the kind of leader people trust with their real thoughts, real concerns, and real ideas.

If you’re ready to stop talking at your team and start leading with them, Leaders Listen to Understand: Not Respond will show you how.

The Heart of Maintenance: Leading People, Not Just Processes: How Great Leaders Inspire Safety, Pride and Performance.

In an industry where uptime, safety, and reliability determine success, Leading a Maintenance Team redefines what it means to manage beyond the wrench. This book is a field-tested guide for maintenance leaders, supervisors, and operations professionals who must balance the hard science of asset management with the art of leading people.

Drawing from real-world industrial experience, Kris Jones explores how leadership—not just technical skill—drives performance, safety, and operational excellence. Through detailed examples and actionable strategies, he shows how great maintenance leaders build engaged teams, anticipate problems before they happen, and transform maintenance departments into strategic business partners rather than cost centers.

From embracing Industry 4.0 technologies and managing regulatory compliance to developing safety cultures and mentoring technicians into leaders, this book delivers a comprehensive, practical framework for today’s maintenance professionals.

Whether you’re a new supervisor stepping into your first leadership role or a seasoned manager looking to elevate your department’s performance, Leading a Maintenance Team will help you:

• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Integrate modern maintenance technologies to drive measurable results.

• Build high-performing teams that take pride in reliability and precision.

• Connect maintenance strategy directly to business success.

This is more than a leadership manual—it’s a call to action for those who keep industry running. With clarity, depth, and purpose, Kris Jones delivers the definitive guide to mastering maintenance leadership in the modern era.

52 Weeks of Maintenance Leadership: The Playbook for Sustainable Maintenance and High Performing Teams.

“52 Weeks of Maintenance Leadership: A Year of Growth Beyond the Wrench” is a practical, boots-on-the-ground leadership guide built for those who lead from the shop floor — not the boardroom.

Author Kris Jones, a seasoned maintenance leader, draws from years of real-world experience in industrial environments to create a year-long roadmap for personal and professional growth. Each of the 52 weeks focuses on one specific skill or mindset — from safety culture and time management to trust, communication, and strategic thinking.

This isn’t theory or corporate jargon. It’s about the real work of leadership — building habits that improve reliability, strengthen teams, and make maintenance safer and smarter. Every week offers a clear purpose, hands-on practices, simple tools, and reflection prompts that help you apply what you learn right where you are.

Whether you’re a new supervisor or a veteran manager, this guide helps you step beyond the wrench and lead with clarity, consistency, and character.