Get your time back by teaching supervisors to solve their own problems
Your phone rings. It’s your supervisor again. “We’ve got a problem on the line.” Sound familiar? By 10 AM, you’ve already fielded five “problems” that your supervisors should be handling themselves.
As a small company owner, you didn’t sign up to be the company problem-solver for every single issue that comes up during a shift. Yet here you are, constantly interrupted by supervisors who can’t seem to make a decision without calling you first.
You promoted them because they were good at the work, but now they’re treating you like their personal help desk instead of stepping up as leaders.
We’ve Seen This Problem Destroy Small Companies
In 25+ years of working with small industrial companies, we’ve watched this exact scenario play out hundreds of times. It’s incredibly frustrating because you know these supervisors are capable people – they just don’t have the confidence to handle problems independently.
The real issue? Nobody ever taught them the difference between problems they should escalate and problems they should solve themselves.
What This Problem Is Really Costing You:
40-60% longer problem resolution times because everything has to go through you
3-5 hours of your day spent on problems supervisors should handle
Delayed responses to real emergencies because you’re buried in routine issues
Here’s What’s Really Happening
The External Problem:
Everything Escalates to You Production hiccups, employee conflicts, equipment issues, scheduling problems – it all lands on your desk. Your supervisors won’t make decisions without your approval, even for routine situations they’ve handled before.
The Internal Problem:
You’re Drowning in Other People’s Jobs – You feel overwhelmed and frustrated. You’re questioning whether these people can actually be supervisors. You’re working longer hours solving problems that shouldn’t be yours, and it’s affecting your ability to actually run the company.
The Philosophical Problem:
Leaders Should Create Leaders, Not Dependents You built this company to grow and succeed – That can’t happen when every decision flows through one person. Your supervisors should be developing their teams and solving problems, not creating more work for you.
The Solution: A Proven System to Build Confident Problem-Solvers
Step 1: Define Clear Decision Authority
Your supervisors learn exactly which problems are theirs to solve and which ones truly need your involvement. No more guessing – they have clear guidelines that build confidence.
Step 2: Solving Skills
Instead of just bringing you problems, supervisors learn to come with solutions. They develop the thinking skills to work through issues systematically with their teams.
Step 3: Create Accountability Systems
Supervisors report results, not problems. They learn to track outcomes and communicate progress, freeing you to focus on running the company instead of fighting daily fires.
Within my role, people come to me with problems they want solved. It’s really easy for me to provide answers.
But I’ve become better at asking questions and helping lead them to the decision on their own. Now it’s their ideas – they already know the answer, they probably just need a little bit more support.
What Your Manufacturing Operation Looks Like When This Problem Is Solved
Picture walking your floor and seeing:
- Consistent performance across all shifts – no more wondering which team will have problems today
- Supervisors handling issues independently – problems get solved where they happen, not on your desk
- Teams that actually communicate – small issues get caught before they become big problems
- Employees who want to stay – your best people stop leaving for “better management” elsewhere
- Predictable production schedules – you can actually promise delivery dates with confidence
Your operation runs smoothly because your supervisors know how to lead manufacturing teams, not just manage tasks. You get your evenings back because the daily fires are handled during the day where they should be.
What Happens When Supervisors Handle Their Own Problems
Your operation transforms when:
- Problems get solved during the shift where they happen, not escalated to you
- Supervisors come to you with solutions and recommendations, not just problems
- Your phone stops ringing with issues that should be handled on the floor
- You have time to focus on growing the company instead of managing daily crises
- Teams become more self-sufficient because their supervisors are confident decision-makers
Get Your Time Back – Starting This Week
The PeopleWork Core Essentials program teaches supervisors exactly when to solve problems themselves and when to escalate. Plus ongoing support through weekly emails and office hours.
$995 gets you confident supervisors who handle problems instead of creating them.