Keep in mind that you were hired to be a supervisor because your boss believes that you are capable of doing the job! Now you just have to prove your boss right. Don’t let yourself believe that bosses never make mistakes. Nobody expects you to be perfect except yourself.
Remember not to let your new-found power go to your head. It’s important to respect your employees if you want them to respect you in return. Your attitude is just as important as your actions. Always be friendly and professional. [3] X Research source
Try to keep your emotions under control as much as possible. Always treat employees fairly, and don’t favor one over another.
You also need to be able to adapt your management style to the needs of different employees. Some employees may flourish under hands-on management, while others may benefit from more freedom. It is your responsibility to recognize these needs and react accordingly. This does not mean that you should have different standards for different employees in the same role. While you may want to customize your approach to each employee’s working style, you still must be consistent in your expectations and disciplinary measures.
Make sure you take the time to get to know all of your employees, and let them know that you are available to talk to them whenever necessary. [8] X Research source Communication involves listening as well as talking, so be open to listening to whatever input your employees have for you. When you give workers your undivided attention, they feel respected and are more willing to listen to your guidance. Strictly giving orders without listening can erode worker commitment and enthusiasm. Avoid lecturing workers or sending directives by way of wordy emails. Think about the most important messages you want to convey and communicate them face-to-face or over the phone. Put thought into your email communications to ensure that they are clear, concise, and respectful. Regular meetings with employees will give you the opportunity to ask them about the projects they are working on, hear worker grievances and triumphs, discuss team successes, and brainstorm solutions to new problems. Always be responsive by answering your employees’ emails and returning their calls promptly. [9] X Research source Multitasking is very convenient in today’s busy world, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. Let your employees know that you value their time by putting all distractions aside when you meet with them.
You can still expect excellence out of your employees, as long as that excellence is actually attainable. [11] X Research source Take the time to talk to your employees about your expectations and get their feedback. If you encourage an honest discussion, your employees are more likely to let you know if your expectations seem unreasonable. You should have a good understanding of the work volume that already exists and the amount of time it will take your employees to finish a specific project before setting a deadline. If you don’t have the right information, you risk over-committing your team.
Remember that you are still ultimately responsible for your employees’ work, even if you delegate specific tasks to others. If you don’t completely trust your employees to do the work on their own, establish some kind of review process until you think they can handle it.
Some supervisors feel threatened by successful employees, but this will only hinder your ability to be an effective supervisor. You should be proud of your high-performing employees, not jealous. [14] X Research source
Pay attention to the unique talents and skills of each worker and utilize those strengths for the benefit of the project or company. For example, a worker may be excellent on the phones but a slow typist. Find opportunities for her to apply her phone skills to building company connections, selling products, or serving customers. Whenever possible, offer training to employees to help them learn new skills. A slow typist, for example, can be encouraged to take a typing class or be assigned additional typing tasks to improve her skills. Avoid drawing attention to weaknesses unnecessarily. Excessive focus on employee weaknesses can result in discouragement and low employee morale. Use employee reviews as an opportunity to both praise your employees for their strengths and to offer constructive criticism on what they can do better. Part of being an effective manager is assisting employees to transform their weaknesses into competencies. The first step is creating awareness of an area that needs improvement. Don’t wait for your employee’s next yearly review if you can offer some constructive criticism today!
Your employees will not respect you if they see you as someone who runs away in the face of conflict. When having a difficult conversation with an employee, always focus on objective observations and avoid making accusations. [17] X Research source
Keep in mind that long-term solutions are always better than short-term solutions, even if they are harder to implement. [20] X Research source Being an effective problem solver means staying focused on the facts of the situation and thinking of creative solutions. Avoid focusing on emotions and blame. Think of the necessary steps for helping employees to regain composure and resume the task at hand.
This doesn’t mean overwhelming your team or taking on more than you can handle, but it does mean stepping outside of your comfort zone every once in a while. Encourage employees to do the same by offering them the opportunity to work on projects that are unfamiliar to them.
Be sure to listen to your team if they tell you the goals are not attainable. There’s no reason a goal can’t be modified. The better your sense is of how much your team has to accomplish in a certain amount of time, the better you will understand how much additional work they are actually able to take on.
The importance of feedback cannot be overstated. Make sure you let your employees know how they are doing, whether good or bad.
Automate menial tasks whenever possible, encouraging employees to focus more on productive and engaging projects.
Keep in mind that negative energy will trickle down to your entire team, so be sure to set the right tone.
