What does your best operator get when you promote them to supervisor? Usually a new title, a set of keys, and no training on how to lead people.
I've watched that happen since I started on the manufacturing floor at 18. Great workers get promoted because they're great at the work. Then they're left to figure out the people side on their own. Some make it. A lot of them struggle, and their teams feel it every shift.
I got to talk about this in a Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight from The Wantrepreneur Show, which went live this week. We covered the day a CEO called me into his office after a one-off training and asked how he could keep us, the membership idea we walked away from, and the advice I'd give any new business owner.
Here's the short version of how we turn supervisors into leaders.
Start with the real job. Every leader we train leaves with a scorecard built from their actual job expectations. Generic leadership theory doesn't survive a Monday morning on the floor.
Give them tools they'll use every day. A handful of practical tools for coaching, problem solving and tough conversations. Things a supervisor can pull out at 6 a.m. with a line down.
Keep it going after we leave. Training fades within a few weeks once the trainer leaves the building. Our Leadership Operation System keeps every leader's scorecard, training and coaching in one place, so the habits stick and leadership can see it happening.
The results show up in the numbers. A Midwest manufacturer cut turnover from 49% to 36% in a year. A mining operation that was close to shutting down over state violations came through a recent federal safety audit strong.
Read the full spotlight on The Wantrepreneur Show. The podcast episode drops November 19th, and we'll add it right here when it's live.
Want to know what this could look like in your operation? Tell us what's going on and we'll tell you straight whether we can help.
