Supervising for Success University Housing | Residential Programs and Services Professional Staff Victor K. Wilson, Vice President for Student Affairs Monday, July 17 East Campus Village, Rooker Hall, Fireside Lounge

About Supervision Styles Supervision styles often based on personal experiences Supervisors receive little to no training on supervision Staff members state that quality supervision is one of the most important aspects of employment One of the most important things new professionals say they need to be successful is “talk time” with supervisor People supervise the way they want to be supervised

My Supervisory Style: 1 - Hire people who want to make a difference for students Start with what’s the in best interest of students – always Appreciate the qualities that will be needed to be successful in the given role, not just the qualities you tend to prefer in people Appreciate how the person will fit in the broader organization. Different can be better but consider different in what ways Understand where this role fits in the person’s larger career arc – both under-qualified and over-qualified can work in certain cases, but can also bring challenges Know your non-negotiables (and stick to them) Remember there are always trade-offs. (Except for us) there are no perfect candidates

2 - Set clear expectations The supervisory relationship begins long before hiring Everything counts – the employee is watching and listening and taking cues from the start Your actions (and those of other colleagues) matter too Don’t assume – spell it out More communication is better than less, particularly at the beginning Need to agree on the outcomes from the start – not necessarily the process or style! High expectations are OK as long as they are shared. Once the bar is set, can’t keep moving it – unless it’s together *Without shared expectations, you will never agree on what success looks like – and one or both of you will be constantly disappointed

3 - Challenge and support Build in challenges to the expectations Without some challenge, anyone will get bored Appreciate how involved you need to be – can depend on the individual employee how much / little Be prepared to jump in at any level Listen – not everything needs an immediate answer Be honest and forthright! Think of supervision as an ongoing conversation – you both have needs and things to share

4 - Create a strong feedback loop Be consistently available Create a regular and predictable communications path – employee should know how to interact with you – and has to be with some frequency Be open to feedback – we’re not right all the time Provide clear feedback and check-ins on progress – keep it about the outcomes Understand conflict will happen – try to handle it with grace (if not in the moment, then soon after) Give some space for flexibility – stuff happens Don’t have to be friends but you need an empathetic relationship

5 - Focus on the “four corners” Job description is the best guide for the supervisory relationship Is this a shared expectation? Is the work getting done effectively? Provide clear feedback – documented in writing as needed Don’t be afraid of the difficult conversation – but focus it on the unmet expectations and solutions for improvement (and not the person/style/process, etc.) If the expectations need to change, revise the job description

6 - Emphasize staff development Needs of the organization evolve over time People change over time Give some intentionality to the staff member’s learning plan Utilize the performance review process as well to define growth areas Can relate to both the job and personal growth Worth the investment

7 - Prepare staff for the next step – whatever that is for them People outgrow roles – leaving not always a reflection on you Not always a good next step in a department / division / organization – sometimes the next step is outside Help them on their journey – can’t define the destination(s) for them Ultimately about finding your bliss

How my supervision style has evolved Learning to trust Don’t hire if you have doubts Separate the personal from the professional Meeting people where they are (Millennials, etc.)

Predictable supervisory challenges The “bad attitude” / downer / badmouther The control and power issues / micromanager / know-it-all The lazy / absent / under-engaged The busybody / gossip / pot-stirrer The schemer / underminer / divider The roadblock / work-around / “no” person *All about feeling connected

To fulfilled employees… Outcomes are valuable Actively contributing to those outcomes Feel contributions are understood and appreciated (and for some, compensated appropriately) Feel part of something bigger than themselves See this role as valuable to their life and/or career Continuing to grow and learn *Supervision is important to meeting all of these

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