How many of you are supervisors or managers? It's not easy, is it? Often the hardest part of a job is dealing with other people. But it doesn't have to be that way. When you develop outstanding supervisory/managerial skills, your job becomes much easier. Grade yourself to see if you are making any of these mistakes.
1. You avoid delegating work to others and do everything yourself. It's hard to give up what made you successful in the past. Yet, you must let go. Realize that you now need to have the work done by others and that you can no longer do it yourself. Sure, you can pitch in if it's crunch time, but generally, you need to keep your hands off and let others do the work. As a supervisor, you need to spend your time planning, organizing, checking, controlling, coaching and giving positive feedback to your employees.
2. You have trouble dealing with the role of a supervisor. You may realize that you are now the "boss," but you don't exactly understand your new duties. You think that managing means doing what you have been doing all along, only with more power and authority. You still want to be buddies with your former co-workers and feel uncomfortable in your new role. This is not an unusual reaction. Get yourself some training to help you cope with the new situation. There are many books and training courses available on supervisory skills including my supervisory skills series. Take advantage of them.
3. Unwillingness to make decisions. If you are uncomfortable with making decisions in case you might be wrong, you will have trouble in your new role. Don't become indecisive, postponing decisions until they absolutely have to be made. Don't defer decisions to those above you to avoid responsibility.
4. Competing with subordinates. Some supervisors derive their self-esteem by being seen as the "expert." They always have to be the best. This will only lead you to frustration with your supervisory role. One of the things you should do as a supervisor is bring out the talents in others. You can't possibly have all the answers, so you must find them in your people.
5. Tendency to hire weak people. After all, if you hire people who are not as good as you, it will make you look better, right? Wrong! Don't try to make yourself look good with this technique. It will only make you weak and your group will not be as productive as management wants. Hire the best you can, train them well, and then stand back and let them do the best job possible. It can only make you look good.
