# Thrilled to Be Asked: How to Build Leaders on the Frontline w/ Gayle Noakes

- Show: [The Manufacturing Executive](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive)
- Published: 2020-12-01
- Length: 21m
- Episode: 25
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes
- Listen: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-manufacturing-executive#episode-d5ea127b-6b78-4228-a978-5620b94130ad

## Summary

Gayle Noakes, owner of Gayle Noakes' Supervisor Success, explains how midsize manufacturers fail to train frontline supervisors, causing executives to micromanage and supervisors to revert to operator roles. She advocates for identifying potential early, providing targeted leadership training, and creating an environment where operators feel safe to share critical process knowledge. Noakes illustrates these points with anecdotes about resolving clutter through operator-purchasing collaboration and fixing a machine's structural failure through a quiet operator's insight.

## Chapters

- [0:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=54) Introduction: Gayle Noakes and the Supervisor Development Gap
- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=183) The Problem: Executives Firefighting and Supervisors Reverting to Doers
- [5:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=330) Solution: Identifying Potential and Developing Leads Before Promotion
- [7:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=468) Modern Supervisors: Management and Leadership vs. Supervisory Skills
- [9:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=571) Engaging Operators: Creating an Environment for Improvement
- [12:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=747) Case Studies: Operator-Purchasing Collaboration and Machine Fix
- [17:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2020-12-01-thrilled-to-be-asked-how-to-build-leaders-on-the-frontline-w-gayle-noakes#t=1060) Organizational Impact: Executives Focus on Strategy, Supervisors Coach

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Guerrilla 76 (company)
- Gayle Noakes' Supervisor Success (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [293: Manufacturing Leadership That Works with Author and Geislinger CEO Jason Woodard](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-06-23-293-manufacturing-leadership-that-works-with-author-and-geislinger-ceo-jason-woo) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [164: How to Cut Turnover in Half by Leveraging Data and Empowering Frontline Leaders with Mike White, Founder & President of Secchi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-12-19-164-how-to-cut-turnover-in-half-by-leveraging-data-and-empowering-frontline-lead) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [196: The Skills CNC Machinists Need that You WON'T Learn in Trade School!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-07-30-196-the-skills-cnc-machinists-need-that-you-wont-learn-in-trade-school) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [The Truth about Machine Learning with Oden Technologies CEO Willem Sundblad](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-10-26-the-truth-about-machine-learning-with-oden-technologies-ceo-willem-sundblad) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [From MBA To COO: Navigating EMS, Mentorship, And A New Leadership Model with Koh Young Europe COO Solin Ahmed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-11-26-from-mba-to-coo-navigating-ems-mentorship-and-a-new-leadership-model-with-koh-yo) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

## Citing this page

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