This Week: Improving Your supervisory skills
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Kelvin ESIASA
By Kelvin Esiasa
If there is anything that employees are fond of complaining. It is their supervisors, their bosses. Some employees have resigned because of their supervisors.
Some bosses are just difficult; one just cannot get it right. Someone once listed his complaints about his boss. He listed as follows my boss micromanages me; doesn’t listen; doesn’t want to have his opinions and ideas challenged; doesn’t follow through on promises; assigns deadlines without considering what’s on my plate; doesn’t have time for me; doesn’t give helpful feedback about my performance and is disorganized and reactive.
Dr.Randall S. Hansen in his article ‘Dealing with a Bad Boss: Strategies for Coping’ narrated that when he was a Marketing Manager at People Magazine, he had a boss who drove all his employees nuts. He would start wandering to make sure no one left work before 5, he would give assignments but then micromanage them to death, he seemed to enjoy being in everyone’s business, and he rarely gave good performance reviews — unless somehow it reflected back on him. Hence the organization referred to him as Napoleon Pete. All-in-all, he drove everyone in the department crazy, and little-by-little just about every member of the department left.
So, it is important as a supervisor to have great skills to supervisor your team. Supervisory skills are an integral factor in how well a Manager relates to his employees. If misunderstandings, tardiness, absenteeism, missed deadlines or shoddy work are plaguing your office, then it might be time to reassess how well you relate to your workers and change your focus to improving your supervisory skills so that your employees can be
productive and feel good about their work experience with you.
Effective supervisors are necessary in all settings where employees need guidance and supervision to complete tasks, serve customers and meet deadlines. A skilled supervisor is an effective communicator, problem-solver and employee motivator.
Therefore, to be a great supervisor you need first to know your strength. Knowing your strength and weakness is about expressing your best personality. To express the best of yourself in life and work, you must identify and channel your unique strengths. Knowing your strength and where you need assistance can help you stabilize your personal life and nurture your professional interactions. Self-knowledge is a powerful tool in personal development.
Secondly, understand your subordinates’ weakness. Knowing people weakness is a cardinal attribute in managing people. It’s important as a supervisor to strike a balance between over-managing and under-managing. Watching your employees like a micromanaging hawk could make them feel pressured and less able to produce, while leaving them flying blind when they need information or advice could make them feel unable to properly do their jobs.
Thirdly, offer support to employees. Be available to employees to help them manage their workload and give them concrete information but then let them do the work with a trusting attitude. In your attempts to improve the support you provide, be responsive with phone calls and emails so that they know they can rely on you.
Lastly, be your subordinates’ resource and pillar. Many subordinates want you to a resource to them. Many subordinates want a Manager that is competent and who would show them a way through their works. Set a good example. Take advantage of the training you offer your employees, and attend workshops geared towards management level social skills. As your employees view the way you interact with the public, they will begin to emulate you.
Being a great boss means keeping your employees happy. The rest is gravy. Maintaining their happiness isn’t just important for morale — it’s important for your bottom line. Happy employees result in a more productive work environment, more satisfied customers and fewer workplace mistakes. So improve supervisory skills today!
Kelvin Esiasa – President for Zambian Society for Public Administration and Society for Family Business.
This Week: Improving Your supervisory skills
Kelvin ESIASA
By Kelvin Esiasa
If there is anything that employees are fond of complaining. It is their supervisors, their bosses. Some employees have resigned because of their supervisors.
Some bosses are just difficult; one just cannot get it right. Someone once listed his complaints about his boss. He listed as follows my boss micromanages me; doesn’t listen; doesn’t want to have his opinions and ideas challenged; doesn’t follow through on promises; assigns deadlines without considering what’s on my plate; doesn’t have time for me; doesn’t give helpful feedback about my performance and is disorganized and reactive.
Dr.Randall S. Hansen in his article ‘Dealing with a Bad Boss: Strategies for Coping’ narrated that when he was a Marketing Manager at People Magazine, he had a boss who drove all his employees nuts. He would start wandering to make sure no one left work before 5, he would give assignments but then micromanage them to death, he seemed to enjoy being in everyone’s business, and he rarely gave good performance reviews — unless somehow it reflected back on him. Hence the organization referred to him as Napoleon Pete. All-in-all, he drove everyone in the department crazy, and little-by-little just about every member of the department left.
So, it is important as a supervisor to have great skills to supervisor your team. Supervisory skills are an integral factor in how well a Manager relates to his employees. If misunderstandings, tardiness, absenteeism, missed deadlines or shoddy work are plaguing your office, then it might be time to reassess how well you relate to your workers and change your focus to improving your supervisory skills so that your employees can be
productive and feel good about their work experience with you.
Effective supervisors are necessary in all settings where employees need guidance and supervision to complete tasks, serve customers and meet deadlines. A skilled supervisor is an effective communicator, problem-solver and employee motivator.
Therefore, to be a great supervisor you need first to know your strength. Knowing your strength and weakness is about expressing your best personality. To express the best of yourself in life and work, you must identify and channel your unique strengths. Knowing your strength and where you need assistance can help you stabilize your personal life and nurture your professional interactions. Self-knowledge is a powerful tool in personal development.
Secondly, understand your subordinates’ weakness. Knowing people weakness is a cardinal attribute in managing people. It’s important as a supervisor to strike a balance between over-managing and under-managing. Watching your employees like a micromanaging hawk could make them feel pressured and less able to produce, while leaving them flying blind when they need information or advice could make them feel unable to properly do their jobs.
Thirdly, offer support to employees. Be available to employees to help them manage their workload and give them concrete information but then let them do the work with a trusting attitude. In your attempts to improve the support you provide, be responsive with phone calls and emails so that they know they can rely on you.
Lastly, be your subordinates’ resource and pillar. Many subordinates want you to a resource to them. Many subordinates want a Manager that is competent and who would show them a way through their works. Set a good example. Take advantage of the training you offer your employees, and attend workshops geared towards management level social skills. As your employees view the way you interact with the public, they will begin to emulate you.
Being a great boss means keeping your employees happy. The rest is gravy. Maintaining their happiness isn’t just important for morale — it’s important for your bottom line. Happy employees result in a more productive work environment, more satisfied customers and fewer workplace mistakes. So improve supervisory skills today!
Kelvin Esiasa – President for Zambian Society for Public Administration and Society for Family Business.
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