A supervisor has the most demanding job in any company. You’re charged with everything your employees do or fail to do. You’re responsible for productivity, efficiency, safety, security, housekeeping, the list is endless. When something goes wrong it’s your responsibility. When things go great, well, you’re just part of the management team. That’s just the way it is, and always been, and the future looks like it’s going to be the same. So let’s just say its part of being a supervisor. The question is what exactly are your responsibilities, liabilities, capabilities, and limitations? Well, that is what this program is all about.

Managing People

Let’s start with a few basic statements. Your primary responsibility is also the most difficult: Managing other people. The success you’ll have in people management is directly related to a number of skills.

First is concern for employees and the company, demonstrating genuine interest in the welfare of your employees. This includes making sure they are challenged in their job and their job is rewarding. You have an opportunity to make adjustments in job assignments and responsibilities to maintain interest in the job. Rewards for doing a good job, and that’s not necessarily monetary rewards.

Leadership

Employees look to you for leadership, or certainly the model or example to emulate. They will learn your strengths, your weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and they will follow your example. One of the pitfalls inexperienced supervisors make is to think that they can fake a certain personality. Employees can be fooled for a day or two but very quickly the real person will emerge, and that’s the model they will follow. Let’s say you’re committed to following all the company’s policies and procedures, and during that time you’ve demonstrated a high degree of enforcement of company rules. Your employees know that and will be surprised if you change. For the same reason if you’ve demonstrated a low degree of policy enforcement your employees will be surprised if you change your personality or enforcement actions. Know all your people on an individual basis. Know your group as a whole, know the capabilities, know the limitations. Strive to get them to understand you. If you are perceived as a low-key supervisor by your employees changes to a high profile creates confusion until you’ve established your new personality. Frequent changes from one to the other, and back again creates permanent confusion. The moral of the story: Be consistent with your employees. They can learn to deal with you whatever your manner or personality, but they can’t deal with someone who is constantly changing. A good supervisor has a set of rules, and enforces those rules equally and equitably among all employees. No favorites, just consistency. This is a major people management skill. It’s an extremely important responsibility.

Following Company Rules and Policies

From time in memorial companies have issued policies and procedures that appear wrong or misdirected, but they are rules and it’s your responsibility to follow company policy. You have every right to provide input on decisions before decisions are made, but once the company makes a decision it’s up to you to support those decisions. It’s also your responsibility to create an environment or atmosphere among your employees that they too follow the decision. It’s easy to tell your employees, “Well the company came up with these stupid rules, but I have to enforce it, so bear with me.” That’s not leadership. That’s trying to make yourself look good, and blaming it on the company. Don’t forget you’re part of the company’s management team, and it’s your new rule too. You can make an effort to understand this new policy or new rule, and do your best to explain the need of this new rule to your employees, but don’t think you can put the blame somewhere else. It’s your responsibility once the decision has been made.

Setting Goals for your Employees

The next responsibility is setting goals for you and your employees. The only difference between a wish and a goal, is that a goal is written down. Tell them what’s expected of them. Give them information and training. They need to know the reasons and how they’re going to do what they’re going to do. You may have department goals or individual goals, but communication of these goals is critical.