Over the years, I have had nearly thirty different supervisors. As I shared in a previous post, they had varying impacts on my life and career. Luckily, my very first supervisor, Danny, displayed to me many of the characteristics that go into being a successful boss.
Being a front line supervisor is a darned difficult job! You are layered between the staff and upper management. The goal is to attain the mission with the resources – human and other – available. Differing pressures are exerted on the supervisor from the two directions of the org chart. It is not easy to achieve continuing success.
If you think back about those to whom you have reported, you can likely identify many positive qualities for those you considered to be strong supervisors and perhaps some attributes on the flip side of the coin for those who were less successful.
Certainly, a good supervisor must embody a number of traits and behaviors.
- Communicates honestly and clearly
- Sets attainable goals and performance expectations for employees
- Provides feedback
- Motivates and inspires staff
- Is self-aware regarding preferences, bias and one’s own strengths/weaknesses
- Recognizes good work
- Helps staff with career development and advancement
Beneath these attributes, though, there are two foundational elements that are critical to one becoming a great boss.
First, the supervisor – or leader at any level – must keep the organization’s mission squarely in front of the staff as the high-level target for which all are striving. I am familiar with one executive who demanded that staff throughout a large institution carry a card with the organization’s mission printed on it. Word quickly got around that he was stopping employees and asking to see their mission card. So, many did start to carry the mission card, but that’s a sledgehammer approach to keeping the staff on target.
Rather, the mission should be obvious in the decisions that the institution – or a unit within an institution – makes. It should be made apparent when assignments are given or projects started. It is the supervisor’s duty to ensure that the employee understands how their work contributes to achieving the overall mission. Eventually, the staff themselves internalize the mission and start seeing that their efforts naturally must point toward a result that aligns with the larger goal. It is really as simple as that.
The second foundational element for a successful supervisor is truly the most critical. It also is a very simple concept, yet it is very powerful. A supervisor needs to take care of the staff. What does that entail?
Well, it should start before one becomes a supervisor. There are a number of reasons why someone takes that career step. It could be upward mobility, a bigger paycheck, or a chance to have a greater impact. In advance of moving into such a position, though, it is important for the individual to take a close inward look and ask, “Do I like people? Can I be empathetic toward others?” If the answer is no, or not so much, the conversion from being a successful employee to being a successful boss will be a rocky road at best.
To take care of your staff means first to respect each of them as individuals and to put their well-being in the organization ahead of your own. The lines of communication must be wide open and honest. If the employee has a concern, then they should feel comfortable bringing it to the supervisor, and the supervisor should take whatever steps are needed to address the issue. Likewise, if the supervisor has a concern about the employee, that comfort level should also be in place to allow for frank and truthful discussions.
The supervisor should take a personal interest in each staff member, ensuring that the employee is getting a chance to perform at the highest possible level and providing support in the growth and development of the individual. Accomplishments should be recognized and rewarded.
Even in very formal and business-like workplaces, the boss should promote an atmosphere that allows employees to enjoy themselves. Danny sure knew how to have fun despite the stress of running a deli and dealing with a variety of problems every day. It almost goes without saying that a happy staff member is better able to be a productive, positive and fulfilled employee.
This principle of the supervisor taking care of the staff can be summed up as treat others as you would like to be treated if you were in their place. Yes, it’s a take on the Golden Rule, an idea that has carried through since ancient times and still resonates today. It is often challenging to be a supervisor. But by practicing empathy and showing the staff on a continuing basis that you care about them and by keeping everyone’s focus on the organization’s mission, every boss has a chance to be great.