THE SUPERVISOR'S JOB: AN OVERVIEW

What is the supervisor's job? What is a supervisor really meant to do? Although there are many ways to answer these questions, one of the most helpful is to look at the process of supervision as an actor would look at a stage play filled with a variety of different roles. As supervisor, you too will find many different roles to play (leader, coach, administrator, partner, friend) and you will need to select the appropriate role based on the situation you are in and the objectives you want to accomplish. As a new supervisor, you may have had many people advise you to "just be yourself," in an effort to help you get accustomed to your new responsibilities. In actuality, though, "just being yourself" prevents you from adopting the different roles that will make you an effective leader and manager. In the first part of this module, we will discuss the most basic aspects of the supervisor's role: The Most Important Part of a Supervisor's Job The One Thing NOT to Do as a Supervisor What Makes a Good Supervisor Developing a Good Attitude for Supervision What is Expected of a Supervisor

In the second part of the module, we will discuss the particular challenges that new supervisors face when they step into the position and offer some tips for making the transition smoothly: Five Rules for Becoming a Supervisor Ground Rules for Maintaining Friendships with Employees Dealing with Difficult Situations Ten Tips for Taking on the Supervisor's Role

Exercise: Why Do You Want to Become a Supervisor?

Supervision is the process of getting others to become self-directed. In a broader sense, it is the job of getting things done through others. But why do you want to become a supervisor? Is it for the increased status or prestige? The money? Put a check mark next to the reasons below which are good reasons to become a supervisor: 1. You will get a chance to make many important decisions, rather than reacting to the decisions of others all the time. You will have more freedom on the job. You will learn about people and how to successfully deal with them. You will learn more about yourself. You will generally be able to remain friends with your employees. You can earn the respect of upper management. You will create opportunities for advancement and growth. You will find that you can organize your schedule with greater control and ease. You will be able to give employees advice, and enjoy seeing them follow it. You will be able to help others develop their talents and skills.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE JOB

So what, exactly, is a supervisor supposed to do? Certainly, you've run into managers or bosses who feel that their job is to tell others what to doto stand above the employees and issue orders, administer punishment, and so on. Unfortunately, this attitude can have massive repercussions in terms of employee morale, cooperation, and productivity. What these managers have yet to understand is that supervision is not the process of directing people; rather, supervision is the process of getting people to become self-directed. This is a much more exciting way to look at supervision, because it means that you have to challenge your employees; to help them accept and welcome responsibility; to understand them and find a way to gain their commitment and support. If you're going to be a strong supervisor, you should look for ways to give power and control to your employees, instead of exerting power and control over them. Think of your job as "running interference" for your employees. This means that your time and effort should be spent removing the barriers to their success organizational, political, technical, and psychological roadblocks. This allows your employees to succeed and, by extension, makes you a success, too.

Many experienced supervisors will point to this process as the best part of supervision. When they look back over their careers, these supervisors see the greatest rewards not in the goals they accomplished or quarterly objectives they achieved, but in the people that they helped grow, mature, and develop. Beyond this ongoing process of helping people to become self-directed, the supervisor's job usually entails five basic responsibilities, as indicated in Exhibit 1.1

Exhibit 1.1

The Supervisor's Primary Responsibilities

Planning:

To forecast your needs and establish goals for your team.

Organizing:

To allocate your resourcespeople, equipment, and timeso as to achieve set objectives efficiently.

Staffing:

To hire and retain employees capable of fulfilling assignments and achieving set objectives.

Directing:

To train employees in the proper completion of tasks and to lead them in successful pursuit of their goals.

Controlling:

To monitor progress and ensure its congruence with established objectives; to evaluate group/individual performance, rewarding and correcting employees whenever appropriate.

THE ONE THING NOT TO DO AS A SUPERVISOR

If you're like most supervisors, you have been promoted to your position because you showed aptitude for your work and a high degree of motivation. However, now that you're playing the

role of supervisor, it can actually be a disadvantage to think of yourself in those terms. In other words, the one role you cannot adopt as a supervisor is the role you just vacatedthe team's best worker, or top technician, or most productive employee. Of course, in the first few days of your new job, you may be tempted to go back to doing what you're good atthe work itselffor many different reasons. For instance, you might want to help your employees out, so that they come to like you and see you as "one of the team." Or, you might feel that you can do the work better and faster than your employees, and so want to jump in and get the job done as efficiently as possible. Whenever you feel these temptations, remember that the job of the supervisor is to get things accomplished through other people.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SUPERVISOR?

Good supervisors often share traits that allow them to fulfill, and enjoy, the particular responsibilities involved in their jobs. Exhibit 1.2 lists some of these characteristics. Exhibit 1.2

What Successful Supervisors Do 1. Solve problems efficiently. Successful supervisors know how to identify problems by looking ahead, recognizing problems and ascertaining their causes. They are often shrewd, down-to-earth decision makers, with the ability to work under pressure and get results. 2. Demonstrate excellent motivation. Successful supervisors usually show great drive, and have the ability to tolerate frustration, while deferring personal gratification for the sake of the organization or team. 3. Handle interpersonal relationships skillfully. Successful supervisors are usually very comfortable with peopleopen to criticism, undefensive, and very communicative. They are quite often very warm individuals, with a giving, unselfish nature and the ability to look at many different perspectives in coping with and solving problems. 4. Manage administrative tasks efficiently. Successful supervisors set high goals consistent with what their teams can accomplish; they set out tasks carefully, ensuring that employees clearly understand assignments.

DEVELOPING THE PROPER ATTITUDE FOR SUPERVISION

As Exhibit 1.3 indicates, the supervisor's role carries with it a certain mentality, which includes some very specific attitudes toward the job.

Exhibit 1.3

Five Attitudes for Successful Supervision I'm a member of management. People will only take you seriously when you take yourself seriously as a supervisor. You are the first level of management, the level closest to the work. Your impact can be critical. Set an example for your employees in terms of work habits; show them how to behave by behaving that way yourself, and remember that actions always speak louder than words. And don't be afraid to make decisions at the risk of "being liked." I'm responsible for the performance of my entire team. When you realize how big your responsibility is, you'll be much less tempted to try to do all the work yourself. Instead, you'll start concentrating on bigger issues. What goals does my group have to reach? What obstacles can I see down the road that could hinder us? How do I ensure that we avoid these problems and get our work done on time? These are the issues you'll tackle when you accept responsibility for your team and allow each employee to take responsibility for his or her own job. In addition, you'll develop the attitude of feeling successful when one of your team members succeeds. I'm easy to work for. This attitude means that you try to make it as easy as possible for your employees to fulfill their responsibilities. You plan ahead to avoid panic deadlines. You anticipate problems and develop contingency plans to keep production rolling. You listen and get the whole story before you jump to conclusions. When you make it easy for employees to work, you become an easy boss to work forand that's the best kind of boss to be. I'm easy to get along with. Again, this attitude doesn't mean that your employees can push you around. Instead, it means that you don't allow your personal beliefs, likes, or dislikes to get in the way of your work with employees. You treat each employee equally, give each a fair hearing about complaints or problems, and remember always that employees should be judged not by personality, but by performance. I'm able to forgive myself for mistakes. When you criticize employees unduly for honest mistakes, you can hurt their motivation and morale. That same effect can occur when you berate yourself about a mistake you made in supervision. If you can't forgive yourself for mistakes, correct them and move on, then your team won't be able to do so eitherand you might end up with some frustrated workers on your hands.

WHAT'S EXPECTED OF A SUPERVISOR?

More than any other member of an organization, supervisors are caught in the middleacting as part of management on the one hand, but involved on a day-to-day basis with employees on the other. In this position, supervisors need to meet the expectations of managers looking down,

sometimes through several managerial layers, as well as the expectations of employees, who look up to them for guidance and direction. How can you accomplish this balancing act? The first step in meeting expectations is to understand what they are. Manager Expectations. The most important thing to remember is that managers expect results from a supervisor and that management expectations are therefore task oriented. Managers expect you to get the job done. Employee Expectations. Employees are more interested in the personal interaction between themselves and their supervisors, so their expectations are oriented more toward relationships. Employees expect you to take care of themto be responsive to their personal needs.

Exhibit 1.4

What Supervisors Are Expected To Do

Employees Expect a Supervisor to:

Management Expects a Supervisor to: Demonstrate loyalty Enforce policies Enforce discipline Solve problems Schedule work Monitor and evaluate employees Staff jobs Pay attention to budget Understand management's goals Keep management informed Support them Respect them Provide monetary rewards/promotions Be consistent Be fair Provide goals and direction Provide feedback about performance Delegate tasks Provide motivation Represent their interests Fight for them when necessary Provide direction and goals Train them

Communicate management philosophy Keep the morale up

Delegate tasks and develop others Set and follow priorities

MAKING THE TRANSITION TO SUPERVISOR

When you first step into the role of the supervisor, you may feel uncomfortable. After all, as a member of management, you face a whole new set of expectations and relationships and you have to develop new relationships with your co-workers, employees, and managers. To make matters even more challenging, you'll find that you really are on stage as supervisor, especially in your first few days on the job. People will be scrutinizing you, watching your behavior for signs of what kind of supervisor you will be. Those first days in the supervisor's role are crucial to your success, so it's important to remember that what you say and do will be noticed; that people will fashion opinions and judgments about you based on how you dress, the tone of your voice, the type of mood you display. You will need to watch yourself as closely as your employees watch you, to make sure that you are sending out the signals that you want your new team to receive. Some roles you'll need to play include:

The Salesperson, acquiring "buy-in" for your plans; The Evangelist, enlisting support for your ideals and values; The Trainer, teaching employees skills and behaviors; The Counselor, listening and helping employees with a variety of problems; The Facilitator, leading group discussions to achieve consensus; The Cheerleader, reinforcing performance and morale; The Expert, learning technical skills so that you can solve problems and help others; The Peacemaker, intervening in employee conflicts; The Authority, setting limits and defining right from wrong in terms of job standards and results; and The Ambassador, negotiating the tricky political matters of your organization to best represent your work group. You may also feel overwhelmed by the personnel issues that you have to deal with as a supervisor. Some employees may want to challenge your authority, to test your mettle and find out how much they can get away with under their new boss. Other employees will look to you as a kind of surrogate parent, asking for constant guidance and support, even on personal matters. Particularly in the latter case, you may be tempted to take on too much, to try to make other people's decisions and do other people's work for them. Remember that the most important task you have in front of you as a new supervisor is to establish your authority and gain the respect of your employees, while making sure your team's work gets done. Here are five steps for making the transition to supervisor as smooth and easy as possible: Step #1: Find out what management expects of you. This is the first and most important step you should take as a new supervisor. If your manager doesn't explain expectations clearly, press the point further until you have a solid understanding of what you and your team are supposed to do. You might ask, "In six months, how would you know if I were succeeding as supervisor?" Step #2: Establish your authority. You should expect a certain amount of complaining and resentment when you step into the job. The most important thing for you to do is to give yourself permission to be the supervisor and act like the supervisor: that means it is within your rights to direct people, to monitor them and, when necessary, to discipline them. Remember that you are setting precedents in your first days on the job, so be sure that you understand clearly what the implications of your decisions are. People may resent you at times, they may not always like you, but it is absolutely critical that you gain their respect. Step #3: Get to know your operation. Take a long careful look at your employees and the operation you're supervising to see what really needs to be changed. Remember that your employees may feel insecure during the transition; try as much as you can to encourage stability. Remember also that the first few actions you take will have a massive impact on your employees' perception of you, so your first decisions have to be good. Step #4: Get to know your people. Ask them what they think about their jobs and listen to what they have to say. The best way to get your employees on your team is to find out how they think their jobs should best be done, and to implement their suggestions when appropriate.

Remember that you can use your employees' ideas to improve your team's performance and make a hit early on with management. Step #5: Communicate your expectations. If management hasn't given you a clear and immediate directive, take your time with this step. Start the process by talking with key employees about your expectations; see what they think of your ideas and try to minimize the shock of any major change. Then, put your most important standards and expectations in writing, so your employees know where they stand. Be sure to set up a meeting early on to discuss your expectations and get feedback from your employees.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Friendships and Management
One of the most common questions new managers ask is, Can I still be friends with the people who used to be my co-workers and who now are my employees? While its certainly true that you can be friends with people, you cannot expect to be friends with them in the same way. As manager, you will have to lay down a few basic ground rules to protect your authority and position. Make sure that your employees know these ground rules right from the start, so that you have room to maneuver in difficult situations, and remember that what looks like friendship to you can often look like favoritism to other employees.

Preserving the Friendship

Read the case study and prepare some answers for the questions that follow. When he was a general employee, Chris became good friends with Pat. Chris promotion means he now manages his friend. Recent events have led Chris to conclude that Pat is now trying to take advantage of their friendship by asking for preferential treatment on work hours and vacation schedules. Chris wants to preserve the friendship, but he also wants to treat other employees fairly.

What ground rules should Chris set with Pat? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Socializing with Employees
Sooner or later, you and your employees will meet outside work, at a social situation, where the manager/employee relationship becomes a lot more ambiguous. While it is certainly acceptable to socialize with employees, its also important to realize the risks inherent in such situations, particularly when alcohol is involved.

Having joined a group of your employees for a drink after work, you find that the conversation has turned towards management policies and that some employees are voicing negative and somewhat vicious opinions. You know it would be inappropriate to join in on the gripe session, but your embarrassed silence is becoming a problem and employees are asking about your own feelings on the matter.

What options do you have in this situation? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Implementing Unpopular Policies
Another situation many managers find difficult is the communication and enforcement of unpopular management policies. Having just moved up from the ranks of general employees, they are very sensitive to the feelings of their employees, and often fear losing friendships as a result of an unpopular policy.

Delivering Unpopular News

Read the case study and prepare some answers for the questions that follow.

Jules was recently promoted to a management position. She has just come out of the regular weekly management meeting (The Brain Trust) where she has learned that the organization has decided to take a hard line on personal phone calls made from telephones in the workplace. Effective immediately, employees must place all personal phone calls from public pay telephones. Jules knows this news will not be well received. In fact, she too disagrees with the policy, believing that the time spent finding a public phone and waiting in line will cost the employer more than a brief call made from the office. She is also concerned about the parents amongst her staff who keep tabs on their children after school through brief phone calls.

How should Jules deal with selling the new policy? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Dealing with Employee Resentment
Especially in your first days on the job, you may encounter the resentment of employees who either because of age or apparent expertise feel that they should have the managers job themselves. If you are forced to occasionally rebuke a former friend or make unpopular decisions, resentment will probably be the result.

Establishing Respect
Read the case study and prepare some answers for the questions that follow.

Matteus is a newly appointed director of a department. He was selected for this position over Randy, whom he now manages. Randy has more experience in the field than Matteus. However, Randy is outspoken in telling others that he is more qualified for the position because he holds a masters degree, while Matteus has a bachelors degree. Twice when Randy needed a management decision, he has gone directly to Matteuss manager, Lana. On each occasion, Lana made a decision after listening to Randy and then advised Matteus.

How should you deal with employees who are reluctant to accept your leadership? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

How should you deal with those employees who you manage but who have more knowledge and experience than you? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

DON'T DO IT! Don't Make These Supervisory Mistakes

1.

Playing favorites. Surely some people are more likable than others. However, you must work positively with people you don't like, and give them the same opportunities as others. Separate people's work contributions from the issue of whether you would want to socialize with them. Let your workers know that you respect their competence, and that your likes and dislikes of personalities have nothing to do with whether they can get ahead. Doing the work. Let your employees be the technical workers. Learn to allow them to do the work, while you concentrate on "running interference" for them. Being emotional. When you allow your emotions to show too much, it will cloud your judgment and the judgments others have of you. More important, you will lose credibility as others see you as unreliable and temperamental. Lying your way out of things. When you make a mistake, admit it. If you don't know the answer to something, admit that you don't, but will find out. Employees and management alike look to you for honesty. And honesty builds trust and credibility, the most important assets any supervisor can gain. Trying to be "One of the Gang." Wanting to be liked is a natural human condition. But don't let it interfere with your ability to be objective, and to support management. You will earn credibility through demonstrating your competence, honesty and caring, even if some of your decisions might be unpopular. You will lose credibility by trying to achieve the impossible: being one of the workers, when you are actually part of management. Taking credit for your employee's successes. Learn to glory in your employees' wins. When you think of yourself as a professional manager of others, you begin feeling good about what your team accomplishes, and worry much less about what you individually accomplish. As a consequence you won't be tempted to steal their thunder. On the contraryyou'll want to tell the world how much they're getting done! Blaming management for problems. A difficult, but necessary part of your job is "taking the heat" for management decisions which you perhaps had no part in making. Nevertheless, management expects you to support them, and to refrain from sabotaging their plans. Selling out your employees. Every employee wants a supervisor to represent them actively to management, to fight for them if necessary. Maybe you can't obtain everything they ask, but work to get the resources, rewards and information your employees want and need. Refusing to make a proper commitment to the job. Management is not an eight-hours a day job. Sometimes you'll need to work long hours and take work home, and not receive rewards or even words of thanks for it. Most effective supervisors work harder than their employees, and stay until the job is done.

2.

3.

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9.

10. Neglecting to grow into the job. Supervision will test your limits in many ways. Only a fool believes he or she is fully prepared to supervise. The wise person notices areas for development, and continually upgrades his or her skills. Use classes, books, articles and conversations with people whom you admire to develop your understanding of the technical and interpersonal facets of the challenging profession of management.

Module Summary

Your objective as a supervisor is to get others to become self-directed. Give up the everyday work, the power and control to others, as much as practical. Develop the proper attitude for supervision. Managers expect you to be task-oriented, to get the work out. Employees expect you to take care of their "people needs." Make the transition in an orderly way, to establish your authority and earn the respect of your employees. Set ground rules for your friendships with employees. Understand that the biggest part of the job is human relations; learn how to deal effectively with people and you can succeed.

Why Do You Want to Become a Supervisor? - Answers

All are good reasons, except for #5 (you may not have everyone remain your friend however, you can still retain their respect), #8 (you will not be able to control your schedule, because you will have both employees and management taking your time), and #9 (generally, it's better to help others find their own way, rather than giving them advice they'll develop faster that way, and you'll avoid getting blamed for your ideas that don't work).

Preserving the Friendship - Answers

Chris should set the following ground rules with Pat: 1. Supervisors and employees do not discuss other employees' capabilities or personalities. 2. Supervisors and employees do not discuss personnel actions, i.e., promotion,

discipline, etc. 3. Supervisors and employees do not discuss salaries, raises, bonuses, etc. 4. Supervisors and employees do not discuss management actions or policies that have not been officially announced. 5. Supervisors and employees do not engage in gossip about co-workers, managers, etc. 6. Supervisors set limits on what is private in their lives, not letting employees become overly familiar with them.

Socializing with Employees - Answers

1. Change the subject. Tell the group early in the conversation that you don't want to talk about work. 2. Remain silent. Don't participate, but listen to the discussion to see what's bothering your employees. 3. Present the facts as you see them, representing rather than defending management's position. It can help to give employees a more complete perspective on this issue. 4. Remove yourself from the situation. You may find that the longer these sessions continue, the worse they become. If you find that listening and factual discussion don't work, then it's time for you to leave.

Delivering Unpopular News - Answers

1. First, ask management for advice. Tell your boss why you have a problem with the policy and ask him or her for the best method of gaining employee commitment, and for the facts behind the decision. 2. Be honest, but firm, with your employees. Communicate the policy to your employees and ask for methods of making that policy work as effectively as possible. Make sure that you are positive in the communication and that you don't undercut the policy, but ask for questions and suggestions, and assure your employees that you will make sure it is working, and keep management informed of the policy's success.

Remember that your responsibility as a supervisor is to communicate the policy and gain employee commitment to it. While you can grapple with the problems it poses, you must make sure that your own commitment to it is clear and unequivocal.

Establishing Respect - Answers

With older employees, or those who simply don't want to accept your leadership, try: 1. Showing them you want them on your team and value their work. 2. Recognizing their accomplishments whenever they occur. 3. Giving yourself permission to have the supervisor's job. Don't apologize for your position. 4. Talking about the resentment openly, if the steps outlined above don't work. With employees who have more knowledge or expertise than you, try: 1. Letting them know you respect their knowledge and competence. 2. Recognizing their good work as it happens. 3. Learning about their work, enabling you to monitor results and set standards for accomplishment. 4. Collaborating to set deadlines and quality standards, and holding to them firmly. 5. Putting your ego aside and letting the employee be good at his or her job.