SDW Training - "What It Takes To Be A Supervisor" - PowerPoint Version

What It Takes to be a Supervisor

Steve Wise - July 2010

If I was a New

Supervisor - what advice

would you give me?

My Supervisory Experiences

Managed Union Presidents and Union Officials

Directed both Support and Productive Departments

Held Supervisor / Manager Positions @ HQ & Field Locations

Union vs. Management Environment

Workforce Reductions

New Supervisor Development

Severe Cost Cutting Measures

Various Workplace Investigations

Grievance Meetings & Resolution

Conducted Extensive and Various Types of Training

Conflict Abatement

Employee Terminations - Theft, Drug Use, & Physical Altercations - Hourly & Salary

3 Supervisors and 1 Administrator - won Presidential Awards for their performance

Established Working Union Relationships

Safety Leader

Name one characteristic that you did

not like of one of your

Supervisors - and why.

Definition of Leadership

Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of

individuals - to achieve a common goal.

SOURCE: Concepts of Leadership - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html

What a Supervisor is to Me

LeaderCommunicato

rPlanner

AdministratorWell

OrganizedCoach

Disciplinarian Time Manager Co-Worker

Counselor Employee Change Agent

Safety Champion

Flexible / Adaptable

Learner / Teacher

Challenges Supers FacePeople Problems

Conflicting Priorities

Manpower vs. Amount of Work Differences

Tool & Equipment Issues

Keeping Your Emotions in Check

Administrative Duties

Outside Interference

Communication Breakdowns

Schedule Changes

Supervisor vs. Friendship

Managing Time

Union Relations

Lack of Management Support

Adversity vs. Opportunities

Supervisor Experience # 1

New Supervisor was hired from outside of the company - to direct a support department - who had no prior company experience but did have extensive field experience.

Current union / management relationship was improving - but was still having trying times.

Mechanic in work group was a strong union member - and did not see eye-to-eye with this new Supervisor.

Incidents / run-ins / disagreements between Mechanic and Supervisor took place on a regular basis - mainly over job procedure / performance - and in view of fellow workers.

Efforts to resolve the conflict were falling short.

HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION?

Be a Good Communicator

Maintain 2-way Communications

Be a good Listener - listen as much as you talk

Give clear Direction(s) that are understood by all

Share Information that affects your People

Send the same Message

Have an Open Door Policy

Say what You Do / Do what You Say

What and how you Communicate - either builds or harms your relationships with your People

Needed People SkillsTreat your People fairly

Don’t ride your Horses too much

✦ May overburden your top performers

✦ Co-workers may resent such efforts

Trust Your People

✦ Delegate - Avoid micro managing your People

Don’t look to place Blame

✦ Find out what went wrong and correct it

Learn from Others / Your Mistakes

Needed People SkillsBuild Teamwork / Share the Load

Seek Input / Feedback from your People

✦ But do not be afraid to Direct your People

Explain Your Decisions when Needed

Don’t look to be Popular

Recognize Your People for their Efforts

Be aware / sensitive to Your People’s Personal Life

Supervisor Experience # 2

You are supervising a group of ten (10) workers that perform operations as one designated work group.

Work performance by this work group - is efficient, cost effective, and meet quality standards.

A new procedure has been developed by HQ, that will not only improve the results of several locations - but will also reduce labor hours and cost to perform.

This new procedure will require certain workers (not all) - to learn new skills needed to execute this new procedure.

From your initial conversations with your people, you feel that they do not support this new procedure and believe that it will negatively affect their performance.

HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION?

LEADERSHIP TRAITS - Where are You?Authoritarian - strong on tasks / weak on people skills

✦ Very task orientated - Hard on workers - No allowance for cooperation - Expect their People to do what they are told to do without question, input, or debate.

Country Club - strong on people skills / weak on tasks✦ Uses predominately reward power to encourage their People to

accomplish their Goals and to maintain discipline - Reluctant to use leadership power for fear that it could hurt team member relationships.

Impoverished - weak on tasks / weak on people skills✦ Delegates workgroup direct through a team member - Basically

allows team members to do as they wish - Provides no to limited team direction - Style results in permitting power struggles within the team ranks.

Team Leader - strong on tasks / strong on people skills

Leads by positive example - Seeks and promotes a team environment - Strives to attain the highest potential, both as a team and individually - Frequently encourages the team to reach its goals - Strives to strengthen the bond between team members.SOURCE: Concepts of Leadership - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html#

definition

Supervisor Experience # 3

Two mechanics have been assigned to separate work areas that perform similar functions and responsibilities.

Car types and related repairs made to them in either work area are different in nature.

From your observations of both mechanics - they both seem to be busy throughout their day.

One mechanic approaches you and complains that the other mechanic is not carrying his weight.

He mentions that this mechanic is often behind, resulting in his co-workers in this second work area, asking said mechanic to help out.

This mechanic says that he is getting stressed out from doing more than his share and wants you the Supervisor to do something about it.

HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION?

Principles of Leadership

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement - always look to strengthen your leadership abilities - both from within and outside your organization - learn from others.

2. Be technically proficient - know your job and what is expected of you as a leader - and be familiar with the tasks of your people.

3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions - frequently look for new ways to guide your workgroup - look to meet current goals and set new ones - don’t point fingers when trouble strikes.

4. Make sound and timely decisions - practice sound problem solving skills - make timely decisions - consult others when needed - consider both sides of a decision.

SOURCE: Concepts of Leadership - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html#definition

Principles of Leadership

5. Set the example - walk the talk - be a good role model for your employees - they must see what they hear from you.

6. Know your people and look out for their well being - know human nature and the importance of caring for your people - respect their personal side.

7. Keep your workers informed - know how and what to communicate to not only your people, but senior management and others as well.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers - develop good character traits that will help your workers carry out their professional responsibilities.

SOURCE: Concepts of Leadership - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html#definition

Principles of Leadership

9.Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished - communication is the key to this leadership responsibility - clear / concise / understood by all.

10.Train as a team - your department is a group of individuals doing their jobs - strive to attain workgroup responsibilities via a team effort.

11.Use the full capabilities of your team - develop your team daily - strive for team achievements - offer the full potential of your team to your organization.

SOURCE: Concepts of Leadership - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html#definition

RECOMMENDATIONS

When You have questions or need help - ASK!

Make use of the Expertise and Experience at company HQ and field locations.

Look to improve your Supervisory Skills - make use of in-house or external Training.

Spend time on learning the Computer resources that are available to you at your company.

Be Positive - think in terms of how to get things done - not why they cannot be done.

Never feel that You are alone.

From - “101 Ways to be a Better Supervisor Tomorrow”

Use plain talk - all of the time.

Treat everyone alike - fairly.

Look for successes - not mistakes.

Learn to say “No” and “I don’t know - but I will find out.”

Have fun at work - and let others have fun also.

Always keep trying to think of better ways to do things.

Don’t make decisions in anger.

Get back to people promptly.

Keep promises and remember commitments.SOURCE: Ramsey, Robert D.. Supervision, Mar95, Vol. 56 Issue 3, p12, 2p; (AN 9503152942)

From - “101 Ways to be a Better Supervisor Tomorrow”

Learn something new every day.

Don’t let anyone think they’ve asked a dumb question.

Try to leave things better than you found them.

Look for answers - not excuses.

If someone else has a better idea - use it and give them credit.

Don’t take your work home every night - You deserve a life of your own.

Criticize in private - praise in public.

Keep everyone informed of important matters which affect them directly.

Know what is going on in your organization.

Make personal contact regularly with everyone that you supervise.SOURCE: Ramsey, Robert D.. Supervision, Mar95, Vol. 56 Issue 3, p12, 2p; (AN 9503152942)

LEADERSHIPAlthough your position as a Supervisor gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives for the company - this power does not make you a Leader - it simply makes you the Boss.

True Leadership is when the Leader inspires his / her People to want to achieve higher goals.

QUESTIONS

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GOOD LUCK!