How to Improve as a Supervisor

Good supervisors are just another member of a team.

A good supervisor relates to her employees as a person and not only a boss. She can handle tough situations without getting emotional but still show employees that she cares about their concerns. To improve as a supervisor, model good work habits and maintain open communication with employees. Remind yourself to praise employees often and to address performance issues that are hurting the company.

Instructions

1. Work alongside the employees. Managers that dictate orders and hide behind closed office doors are not likely to get the results they want. Instead of thinking of yourself as a supervisor, consider yourself a member of a team who can help coach the others to achieve the desired end result.

2. Give specific feedback to employees. Never just say "great job" at the end of a project. Elaborate on the positive points to let the employees know what actions were appreciated. If you have a problem with an employee's performance, cite specific examples.

3. Listen instead of talking. Handle employee conflict by letting employees speak without interruption and empathize with their problems. Ask open-ended questions and paraphrase back to them. Bring in other department members if necessary to resolve issues.

4. Delegate your responsibilities. Assess each employee to determine his strengths and weaknesses. Provide training opportunities to help him hone these skills. Assign him duties in projects that play off his best attributes. When an employee is handling new responsibilities, do not micro-manage the tasks.

5. Accept suggestions from employees. Your employees are working in the trenches of the company and often see issues from another angle. If you do use an employee's idea, remember to give her the credit for it.

6. Allow fun into the workplace. Show your team you can let loose. Make small talk about TV shows and movies or share some tidbits from your personal life. This helps employees relate to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't play favorites as a supervisor. Give everyone a fair chance to excel.

References

• "Employment Times"; Want to Be a "Super Supervisor"? Here are 11 Things You Can Do; David Lee; June 2007
• University of Maryland: FSAP - How to Be a Great Supervisor
• My Open University: Become a Better Supervisor, Getting Noticed and Have a Promotable Social Circle
• SmartBusiness; Simon Doesn't Say; Victoria Reynolds; October 2001