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 IntimidatorsProcrastinators 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 !