22 Jan Being the Boss.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Bonnie Jean Wasmund
Managing and supervising people is tough. Many express feeling confused, overwhelmed or unprepared for role of supervisor. There are so many facets to supervising, it’s obvious why this is such a challenging area for people! But, this is a key skill that must be continuously supported and developed.
Why?
People don’t stay in a job because of the job…they primarily stay (or leave) because of the boss!
This is a lot of pressure on those bosses!
Supervisors have shared that it is a challenge to motivate the team, hold people accountable and still produce the bottom line.
Middle management staff often feel stressed, torn between expectations from above and resistance from below.
Some of the common areas that challenge supervisors include:
- Boundaries
- Motivation
- Accountability
- Team Development
- Evaluations
- Time Management
- Constructive Feedback
What does all of this mean?
It means that for those in positions of power, it is important to spend time and energy developing skills in this area.
It is crucial to acknowledge the tremendous level of impact that you have on staff…which can be positive or negative!
Supporting, encouraging, validating, guiding, motivating and leading…this is what will make you an amazing supervisor, respected and valued by the team. But, perhaps even more importantly, this is what will ensure productivity and success within the company/agency.
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Tip to Try:
The most consistent (and important) question we ask supervisors seeking to grow in their supervision skills is, “What is your goal in this situation?”
Try asking yourself that question…before you meet with someone, before you address a performance issue, before you ask for that report. Too often people jump in to a conversation without being clear on the desired end result…and things don’t go as they had hoped.
Know Your Goal
Once you know what your goal is, that will help guide the interaction and support a positive outcome.
This helps frame the next step in a way that is powerful and focuses on success.
This simple question is a powerful tool for supervisors to get the results that they want.
Try it!
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