Toledo, Ohio – January 26, 2026 – With layoffs hitting multiple industries in early 2026, one author contends the core issue isn’t underperformance but rather broken systems that leaders fail to recognize.

In Making Things Better: Timeless Lessons From Steve Jobs on Fixing What’s Broken, Toledo-based author and systems consultant Ben Klaiber breaks down how Jobs rescued Apple in 1997—not via charisma, but through methodical problem-solving. He also notes that these same frameworks could preserve jobs today.

“Jobs didn’t just ask more of people—he cleared the obstacles in their path so they could succeed,” Klaiber states. “Most companies don’t have a talent issue; instead, their workflows and tools are hindering their teams.”

Leveraging ten years of research and 20 years of consulting experience, Klaiber transforms Jobs’s approaches into a practical toolkit for leaders facing pressure:

• How to identify the real root causes of performance slowdowns

• Why “can’t” frequently translates to “we’ve always done it this way”

• How inadequate systems subtly create the illusion of bad employees

The book comes out at a time when CEOs are under increasing pressure to reduce costs and restore margins—often turning to layoffs as a default. Klaiber asserts that many of these cuts can be avoided if leaders first address the unseen friction their teams encounter.

“Companies are using layoffs to treat symptoms,” he continues. “But the real problem is often structural.”

Making Things Better isn’t a biography—it’s a systems handbook derived from one. Klaiber converts Apple’s most critical turnaround into a diagnostic tool for any organization that’s struggling to achieve results without exhausting its workforce.

The book is currently available in both print and digital versions at major retailers.