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Supercharged Supervision: Professional Development for the Front-line Supervisor

David R. Selden, LICSW Enterprise Health Solutions

“People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be part of something they’re really proud of, that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for, trust.”

Howard Schultz, Starbucks

Thoughts to Ponder

Energizing Front-line Supervision

What gets you up and out of bed in the morning?

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Laser Quest Pledge

• I will not run climb or jump

• I will not sit kneel or lie down

• I will not cover any sensors

• I will not use offensive language

• I will not make physical contact with other players

• I will play fair, play smart and give it my all!

Supervisor’s Pledge

Thoughts to Ponder

“Part of growing up is realizing that you don’t need expertise-you just need to want to, and then do it. Enthusiasm, not expertise, is the requisite.”

Malcolm Forbes, Sr.

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Time Management

Adapted from: Mind Tools. Ltd

"Time is what we want most, but what we

use worst"

William Penn

“Concentrate on results, not on being busy”

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Action Priority Matrix

4

3

2

1

Not Important Important

Not

Urg

ent

Urg

ent

Motivated Time Management

• Find ways to motivate yourself

• Make up your own rewards.

• Ask someone else to check up on you.

• Identify the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing the task.

• Work out the cost of your time to your employer.

Activity Log

• How do you really spend your time?

– When in the day do you perform certain tasks?

– How does your energy level fluctuate?

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Using the Activity Log

• Chart your activities and times for 2-3 days

• Note:

– Activity

– Time begin

– Feelings/energy level

• Review results

Using the Results

• Eliminate jobs that your employer shouldn't be paying you to do.

– tasks that someone else in the organization should be doing

– personal activities.

• Schedule your most challenging tasks for the times of day when your energy is highest.

• Minimize the number of times a day you switch between types of task.

– For example, read and reply to e-mails in blocks once in the morning and once in the afternoon only.

• Reduce the amount of time spent on legitimate personal activities such as making coffee

Effective Scheduling

• How will you use the time available to you to meet your goals? – Understand what you can realistically

achieve with your time

– Plan to make the best use of the time available

– Leave enough time for things you absolutely must do

– Preserve contingency time to handle the “unexpected”

– Minimize stress by avoiding over-commitment to yourself and others

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Structuring • Close your door

• Silence your phone(s)

• Turn off cell phone

• Begin work 30 minutes early

• Require bullet point memos or agendas from supervisees from meetings

• Organize your files

– Computer

– Paper

Supercharging Staff Communication

Communication

By using each encounter with his or her

workers as an opportunity to model

open, honest and decisive dialogue,

the front-line supervisor sets the tone

for the entire organization.

Paraphrased by D. Selden from Charan, R. Conquering a Culture of

Indecision, HBR, April 2001, pp75-82

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Communication

Decisive dialogue encourages

incisiveness and creativity…

Paraphrased by D. Selden from Charan, R. Conquering a Culture of Indecision, HBR, April 2001, pp75-82

Supercharging Staff Feedback

“Help people reach their full potential-Catch them doing something right”.

K. Blanchard, 1981

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The One Minute Praising

• Tell people up front

• Make contact: state name

• Look person in the eye

• Be precise

• Connect with overall goals of organization

The One Minute Correction

• Tell people beforehand

• Reprimand immediately

• Be specific

• Relate with goals of organization

• Let feedback fit in

• Remind of value

• Reaffirm

• Its over when its over

Feedback Tips

• Crystal clear feedback

• Brief and concise

• Comment on behavior not worth of person

• Help people laugh at themselves

• Never adjust anyone in public

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Supercharging Staff Giving Direction

Communication Giving Direction

Resentment and

resistance when used in

wrong place

Should be used in

emergencies only Order or

Command

Sometimes builds

resentment. Feeling of

close supervision

Specific deliverable and

time requirements,

sometimes under

pressure

Instruct and

Require

Must include parameters.

Provides feeling of

freedom and respect

You are confident in

the person’s ability to

accomplish the task

Request

Open to alternatives. May

convey sense of

unimportance

No time or outcome

pressure Suggestion

Results Situation Type

Thoughts to Ponder

• The six most important words in managing:

“I admit that I was wrong”

• The five most important words in managing:

”You did a great job”

• The four most important words in managing:

”What do you think?”

• The three most important words in managing:

“Could you please…”

• The two most important words in managing:

“Thank you”

• The one most important word in managing:

“We” Paraphrased from Jay Levinson

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Team Building and Team Leadership

Definition

Teamwork\'tém-werk\ n : Work

done by several associates with

each doing a part but all

subordinating personal

prominence to the efficiency of

the whole.

Team Focus

Their energies are directed

toward problem solving, task

effectiveness, and maximizing the

use of all members' resources to

achieve the team's purpose.

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Obstacles to an Effective Team Leader is the weak link

– Step up and fulfill the mission

Personal conflicts are taking over

– Address the issues

Only a few carry the team's load

Everyone has a role

Self-interest is the name of the game

– “There is no I in team”

Developing the High-Functioning Team

Create opportunities for people to get together to tackle an issue.

– Mine the learning from these group experiences

– Give the process time

– "In a shared model, everyone on the team initiates things, rather than waiting to be told what to do by the leader," "They have a part in creating the values and the vision of the organization."

– Communication decreases duplication.

Ellen Alcorn, Monster.com, 2003

Characteristics of Good Team Building

• High level of interdependence among team members

• Team leader has good people skills and is committed to team approach

• Each team member is willing to contribute

• Team develops a relaxed climate for communication

• Team members develop a mutual trust

• Team and individuals are prepared to take risks

• Team is clear about goals and establishes targets

• Team member roles are defined

• Team members know how to examine team and individual errors without personal attacks

• Team has capacity to create new ideas

• Each team member knows he can

influence the team agenda

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Leading the Team

• Lead yourself before you try to lead others

• Give team members a sense of ownership in the process

• Build an atmosphere of trust

• Help your staff build capacity

• Foster inclusion

How the Leader Shapes Norms

• Technical expert

• Model setting participant

I. Yalom, 2005

Technical Expert

– Make sure that staff are clear on goals and agency mission

– Reinforce the instruction

• Backing it with weight of authority and experience

• Presenting the rationale behind the suggested behavior

– Subtle, often non-deliberate social reinforcers

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Model Setting Participant

• Example setting

– How can leader best demonstrate to the staff that new behavior will not have the anticipated adverse consequences?

• Model of non-judgmental acceptance

– “I value you the staff, this team and this mode of learning”

• Model responsibility and appropriate restraint as well as honesty

– Admit personality fallibility

Lead Yourself Before Trying to Lead Others

–Role model • Respect

• Honesty

• Attitude and enthusiasm

• Taking risks

Help Your Staff Build Capacity

–Empower others

–Make yourself dispensable

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Foster Inclusion

–Diversity • attitudes

• values

• ways of thinking