The Manufacturing Executive Creating Manufacturing Environments Where Engineers Can Thrive w/ Josh Tarbutton
Dec 2, 2025
Josh Tarbutton, a PhD engineer and founder of Bravo Team, dives into the importance of giving engineers creative freedom to solve problems. He shares insights from his military background on trust and teamwork that accelerate innovation on the factory floor. With a compelling restaurant analogy, he highlights the communication gaps between engineering and sales teams. Tarbutton emphasizes that investing in R&D and fostering a culture of agency can lead to groundbreaking developments, showcasing how freedom inspired innovations like Gmail can transform companies.
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Systems Teach How To Lead Engineers
- Systems shape behavior and leaders should learn how systems work before imposing constraints.
- Josh Tarbutton links Army, academic, and entrepreneurial systems to explain how to iterate processes thoughtfully.
Army Deployment Informed Team Logic
- Joshua describes his Iraq deployment in the Quartermaster Corps as a 'world-class education' on group logistics.
- He uses that experience to explain coordinating large teams and moving equipment effectively.
Grant Engineers Agency With Support
- Give skilled engineers agency and clear objectives so they can make decisions without micromanagement.
- Set teams up with training, tools, and contingency plans so autonomy produces reliable outcomes.