Effective Supervision Strategies: Building Stronger Relationships and Team Dynamics

1. Introduction to Supervision

2. The good, the bad, and the neutral • What do you believe? • Everyone is bad (Freud) • Everyone is good (Rogers) • Everyone is shaped by their history of rewards (Skinner) • What you believe will shape your interaction with your employees

3. Getting off to a good start • Be yourself • Start slowly • Be confident • Be visible • Use your boss • Ask questions • Be a good listener

4. Dealing with friends you now supervise • Usually everyone will adjust quickly to your new roles • Avoid favoritism. It’s perception more than reality. • Best answer “you know I’m not like that, so put the needle away” • Discuss the situation with your friends and ask them to help downplay the relationship at work. • But don’t take that to extremes either • True friends will be happy for your success

5. How would you respond to these things if you’re being needled about being a boss? • Things must be bad if they made you a boss • I think Herb should have been promoted instead of you • I guess you know the right people around here if you got promoted. • I guess you have to be a good looking woman to get a promotion • Just what we need around here, another new supervisor

6. Five things to tell your employees right away • Keep doing your job, it’s business as usual • You have no preconceived notions about anyone. It’s a new day and a clean slate. • You believe in teamwork and cooperation to get the job done • You promise to keep them informed and hope they will do the same • ANY problems should be brought to you for attention.

7. Learning the Ropes • Identify the priorities of your job • Find a mentor • Listen • Learn to ask questions • Review written materials • Observe the workplace and the workers

8. Establishing the right atmosphere • Be evenhanded with everyone • Make your own decisions • Learn the facts • Ask your workers for advice • Be generous with your praise • Stand up for your team • Be nice, show interest • Listen carefully to concerns • Play to their strengths • Demonstrate a “can-do” attitude • Don’t put up with slackers

9. Why slow is better • Facts take time • There are always conflicts of interest • It’s never as easy as it looks • It takes time to communicate (both up and down) • It’s not ALWAYS ok to take it slow

10. When they try to make you look bad • Don’t let remarks go unchallenged • But don’t go overboard with a response • Ask them to repeat what they said • Talk to them PRIVATELY • Tell them to stop. • Be firm but NOT angry • Brief your boss after you talk to the employee • Keep your sense of humor

11. Common Pests • The complainer • The chatterbox • The advise giver • The busy body • The potty mouth • The balkers

12. Categories of Priorities • Things that affect getting the job done • General work flow (who’s in today; work assignments) • Personnel matters • Paperwork • How important are these to your employees?

13. Speaking of Paperwork • Sometimes it’s just a question of figuring out what to do with it • Call ins/leave slips • Time cards • Overtime authorization forms • Medical slips • Accident report forms • Personal files (NOT personnel files)

14. Basic Practices to make you a better boss • Handle employee complaints promptly • Be informed • Don’t let minor irritants distract you • Don’t dodge unpleasant duties • Prevent little problems from becoming major issues

15. Basic Practices to make you a better boss • Have confidence in your employees • Don’t worry about looking foolish • Don’t dwell on any mistakes you make • Listen carefully to everything and everyone • Show your gratitude for assistance

16. Basic Practices to make you a better boss • Maintain your confidence • Try to avoid mood swings • Don’t try to do everything at once • Don’t volunteer for anything • Don’t make your life miserable over your job

17. Communicating • Listening • Keep an open mind • Pay attention • Assume it’s important • Be patient • Give feedback to show you heard them • Pay attention to what they’re NOT saying • Know when to nip it (chronic complainers)

18. Communicating • Giving praise • Don’t always praise everyone • Be timely • Relate it to specific behavior • Don’t praise routine effort • Praise the group when warranted • Constructive criticism sandwiches • Praise your staff to others

19. Communicating • Asking questions • Be persistent (keep asking) • Don’t get angry • Ask SPECIFIC questions • If you want to learn, you have to ask • Avoid yes or no answers • Ask for more detail • Rephrase questions • Ask for information, not accusation

20. Communicating • Answering questions • Some you can answer on the spot, some you will need to find out. • Like what? • Answering loaded questions • Think before answering • Never feel obligated to answer right away • Get clarification before answering • Answer the question with another question • Email: Get one!!!!!!

21. Arguments, Requests, Complaints, oh my! • Arguments • Emphasize the value of teamwork • Impact on team when disagreements • Talk to them separately • Tell them to knock it off • Don’t get dragged into taking sides • If it continues, talk to them together • Feel free to talk to HR or the union

22. Arguments, Requests, Complaints, oh my! • Time off requests • Vacations are easier to plan for than illnesses • Be flexible • But you CAN say no • If a legitimate business need • If too many previous requests • If you are shorthanded • If it violates policy • If someone else asked first • If they have no time left • If it’s their poor planning

23. Arguments, Requests, Complaints, oh my! • Complaints • Is it valid? • Can you do anything about it? • Is it legitimate or something else? • Are they about recent changes? • Did you involve them? • “Let’s try it for awhile” • Something will always change • Safety complaints should always be addressed immediately!

24. Performance Evaluation: Necessary or Necessary Evil? • Up to you • Can be valuable communication tool • Your annual chance to talk to employee about their work behavior • Gives direction and sets goals • Hopefully provides constructive feedback • Evaluations at Cobleskill

25. Performance Issues • Goofing Off • Ask if there’s a problem you can help with • Make sure they’ve been trained • Make frequent visits to their area • Ask them about their progress • Tell them they aren’t doing their job • Give them short deadlines • Don’t give up

26. Performance Issues • Tardiness • Get there early yourself • What are the rules? Who follows them? • What is your expectation? • Are there exceptions? How handled? • Enforce your expectations • Take action as necessary • What’s the excuse exercise?

27. Performance Issues • Giving constructive criticism • Goal is to correct behavior, NOT punish • No ranting and raving • Don’t want to demotivate • Focus is on the behavior, not the person • Tell what’s wrong and how to fix it • Involve them in the solution • Let them tell their side • Criticize in private, praise in public • Allow for mistakes, that’s how we learn!

28. Handling Difficult People • Intimidators • Procrastinators • Practical Jokers • Know-it-alls • Sneaks and Liars • Flirts • Minor Irritants

29. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 1: Why it doesn’t pay to get angry • Fear • Apathy • Revenge • More errors • Less work • More absenteeism

30. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 2: Setting the Right Example • Monkey see, monkey do

31. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 3: Keeping Distance without being distant • Mixing business with pleasure (DON’T discuss business with your employees)

32. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 4: Being fair while being firm • They WILL grumble • Take the time to explain WHY • Take the time to hear WHY

33. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 5: Establishing Credibility • Don’t make promises you can’t keep • Follow through when you said you would • Don’t be inconsistent • Don’t guess what’s going to happen in front of employees

34. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 6: Avoiding Appearance of Favoritism • It may not exist but people will think it does

35. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 7: Get off the hot seat without making excuses • Acknowledge your mistakes and then forget about it • You WILL make mistakes • If it’s not your fault, get your facts together

36. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 8: When and How to Take the Blame • Criticism of your workers is also criticism of you • It is actually better to take the blame for your workers’ errors • EVERYONE makes mistakes • DO follow up with the worker in private

37. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 9: Not cutting employees short when they ask for help • There ARE legitimate reasons • Sometimes they want to be reassured • Sometimes they want to talk to you about something else

38. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 10: Getting new employees off to the right start • Don’t overload with information • How and when they get paid • Time and attendance procedures • Specifics of the job • Pair them with a coworker

39. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 11: Scheduling work fairly • Start the day with a brief meeting about assignments for the day • Don’t always give the same people the same tasks • But DO assign people to things they are good at • AND ask people what they prefer doing

40. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 12: Planning training • On the job is still the best • Consider demonstrations rather than handouts • Have each person try it • Follow up with more training after the intial stuff is done • DON’T do it when you are the busiest

41. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 13: When morale is low • Show concern (maybe their old boss didn’t) • Ask people on an individual basis what they think might be going on • Don’t downplay obvious problems • You HAVE to be willing to listen to their issues

42. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 14: Dealing with chronic complainers • Is it legit? • Are they just trying to get your attention? • Give them a job to do whenever they complain • Team them up with a good listener • Refer them to someone else • Have them put it in writing • Try out-complaining them • Go about your business and let them keep talking • Tell it like it is: “I’m too busy right now.” • Give them a time limit • Leave whenever they show up, and walk fast.

43. 15 Supervisory Mistakes and How to Avoid Them • 15: Being the boss without being bossy • What’s your attitude? • If you were the worker, would YOU want to be treated that way? • Would you act this way toward YOUR boss? • You can catch more flies with honey • Strive to be polite and thoughtful • Assert your authority ONLY when you need to

44. Final Thoughts • There will always be work to do • There will always be problems • DON’T PANIC !