New Supervisors: Nervous About Decisions? Master the "Process" Phase of the "3-P" Framework.

In a previous post, I shared one of my all-time favorite frameworks - the three Ps: Pause, Process, and Provide a solution that I first used to wrangle in my teenagers' mid-spiral in classic teenage drama, where emotions run high and unintelligible words fly! Ironically, I found the process just as effective with new supervisors who were teetering on the edge of a poorly thought-out decision or freezing up and avoiding one entirely. 

Pausing gives you time and keeps you from reacting, instead of responding. Providing a solution is the finish line. But the middle Process phase is where real leadership maturity happens – it’s the difference between a knee-jerk call and one that people will respect.

When you hit the Process phase of the three P's, force yourself to run these three quick checks in this exact order when facing a challenging decision:

#1. Policy: What does the policy, SOP, contract, or safety rule say? If it’s written down, start (and typically end here).

#2: Peers: How are your peers handling the same situation on other shifts or in different units? They may be facing the same or a similar situation you are facing. 

#3. Precedent: How was the issue (or something very similar to it) handled in the past? This can be especially important for issues involving discipline, exceptions made for staff, or pay decisions. Remember, human resources can be a great resource! 

And if you’ve accidentally turned yourself into your staff's 24/7 answering machine - “Hey boss, what do I do about…?”, here’s one of the fastest ways to break that habit and grow your people: Stop giving them answers. Start coaching them with questions. 

The next time someone comes to you with a problem (within their scope of authority), walk them through the Process phase above in question form:

• “What does the policy or procedure say about this one?” 

• “How are your peers (or the other shifts) addressing the issue?” 

• “Do you know how we handled this the last time it came up?”

This 30-second checklist can be used for any situation—scheduling, overtime, safety exceptions, customer issues, performance, discipline, or anything else that lands on your desk.