1When Elena became the new manager, the factory was losing money every single month of the year.
2Machines broke down often, workers felt tired and ignored, and customers complained about late deliveries.
3Instead of cutting jobs immediately, she spent her first weeks listening to people on the factory floor.
4The workers knew exactly which machines failed most and which steps wasted the most time.
5Together, they repaired the oldest equipment and changed the order of work on the line.
6Within six months, deliveries were on time and the number of complaints had fallen sharply.
7Elena also introduced small monthly rewards for teams that suggested useful improvements to the process.
8People who once stayed silent in fear now spoke up freely at the weekly planning meetings.
9By the end of the year, the factory was finally making a small but healthy profit.
10Elena says the biggest lesson she learned was simple: always trust the people who do the work.