Being a Supervisor 1.0: A Handbook For The New, Aspiring, And Experienced Supervisor

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Introduction

Throughout my 45 year career in management, I have consistently described myself as a professional student. That includes not just the learning I’ve done in traditional educational settings, but the learning that happens on the job, as well as the active practice of continuous reading of books and journals. Much of that reading has been, and still is, on the subject of leadership and supervision. I’ve often recommended these works to my direct reports, but in all my searching for pertinent material, never have I come across a single book that covers all the topics a supervisor needs to know to be successful in his/her role. Given the management skills that I have developed over the years, it has occurred to me that perhaps I should write that missing book, a handbook that encompasses the breadth and depth of what it takes to be an effective supervisor. I am retired now, though I continue to do some consulting and training in the field. I’m also still that professional student, exploring all the resources available. Finally, I decided that maybe it’s time to contribute to that collection of resources, and write my own book.

This book is written for two audiences. The primary audience is the first-time (and aspiring) supervisor. Most first time supervisors are line staff, promoted because of good performance. The assumption is that a good employee will make a good supervisor. But that is not necessarily the case. The two roles carry vastly different responsibilities, and without proper preparation, a stellar employee can fail miserably as a supervisor. It takes some combination of classes, reading, workshops, on-the-job training, and ongoing supervision, to successfully transition from staff to supervisor. This book is my effort to take my years of experience and education and codify it into a single source document that can assist the new supervisor in making that transition, and developing his or her supervisory skills.

The second audience is for experienced supervisors. Learning is a lifelong process. Even seasoned supervisors can benefit, learn and grow in their position. In my years of overseeing multi-million dollar agencies, I haven’t known one supervisor who didn’t at times face complicated situations and need extra guidance in managing them. It was often the most veteran supervisors, those who had become rigid in their habits, who could have most benefited from new and different ideas in dealing with their complex operations. This book will offer them the opportunity to consider methods that, in my experience, are indispensable for dealing with the most mundane to the most obscure.

I recommend, especially for the first-time supervisor, that you read the book once, cover to cover. Then go back and read those chapters that deal with a topic of particular interest to you. Keep the book handy and re-read chapters from time to time as that subject matter becomes an area of need or concern, or just as a refresher.

Have you ever heard the three envelopes joke? I was unable to identify the joke’s creator but found the joke reprinted in The Huffington Post June 29, 2012. On his way out, the outgoing manager hands the new manager three envelopes and remarks, When things get tough, open these one at a time.

About three months go by and things start to get rough. the manager opens his drawer where he keeps the three envelopes and opens #1. It reads: Blame your predecessor. So he does and it works like a charm.

Another three months pass and things are growing difficult again so the manager figures to try #2. It reads, Reorganize. Again, his predecessor’s advice works like magic.

Finally, about nine months into the new job, things are getting really sticky. The manager figures it worked before, why not try again. So he opens the envelope drawer one last time and opens #3. It reads … Prepare three envelopes.

It is a joke, but sadly, it is all too often reality for new supervisors, unprepared for the job. Be prepared. Read this handbook and keep it handy, at least until a better one comes out.

Chapter 1

Vetting the Organization

Be Prepared

Were you ever a Boy or Girl Scout? Scouts are guided by The Scout Motto, Scout Slogan, Scout Oath, and Scout Law. I learned them over 50 years ago and can still recite them word for word. I am proud to say I am guided by them even today. For those who are unfamiliar, and for others who are familiar but can’t quite recall, The Scout Motto is Be Prepared. That is sound advice in all aspects of life and certainly for any supervisor.

A corollary phrase to the Scout Motto is the proverb Forewarned is forearmed. One of the earliest documented references to it, is in a letter dated 1685 from Captain Francis Hooke, advising of the dangers of frontier life in the Americas. This letter appeared in John Farmer’s The History of New Hampshire in 1831. The proverb was prefaced with the phrase A word to the wise is enough; the old proverb is forewarned, forearmed.

For emphasis, I would combine the motto and the proverb as follows: Be prepared; forewarned is forearmed. If you seek or welcome being forewarned, you can be forearmed, and so, be prepared. While this advice is important for preparation before your first day of work it is also equally useful every day at work. So how can you Be Prepared before the first reporting day?

Go Surfing

Before starting a job, you want to be sure there is congruence and compatibility, between your own personal and professional goals and values and the Mission, Vision and Values of the Organization, and that you are comfortable in embracing them and working in a manner consistent with them. If there is not such congruence your work with the organization will likely be unhappy, unproductive, and short-lived, and could even create a toxic work environment. Visit the organization’s website (presuming there is one). It is common for most organizations, public, private, government, for-profit and non-profit, to have one. If you are unable to find one, that might be an indication of an organization that does not keep up with the times, slow to change. Certainly inquire if there is one during the interview process if you have not already found one. Surf the website to learn as much as you can about the organization, its history, current operations, program summaries, brochures, future plans, leadership, annual report, and financial condition.

Ask Human Resources (HR)

If there is no web site, you can certainly ask the contact person at the organization or the HR director there for such items and ask questions you might have after reading them. Don’t take it for granted that you will be presented with a job description during the interview process. If you are not, be sure to ask for one. I cannot tell you how often I have been told by an employee, including a supervisory level employee, that he or she did not know all his/her duties prior to starting work, and were shocked when they learned all they were expected to do after the starting day.

Read

Read the employee handbook, and if there is a separate personnel policies and procedures manual, read it sooner than later, hopefully before you start meeting employees. It will not necessarily make the book of the month club, but it will help you Be Prepared and may prevent you from having to back step later when answering employees’ queries, only to learn that your answer is inconsistent with policy.

Read the Sacred Documents

I often refer to Mission, Vision, and Values Statements as Sacred Documents. I would include Strategic Plans too as Sacred Documents. My own 45 year career in management has been in faith-based organizations in the fields of Catholic Healthcare, Catholic Education, and Catholic Charities, and as such, referring to these and others documents as Sacred Documents seems understandable, but I do believe the term is equally appropriate for non-faith-based organizations. I don’t remember when I started using this reference, whether I coined the use of those words or adopted them from another source. They make sense to me as a way of emphasizing their importance not only in faith-based organizations, but all categories of organizations, faith-based or not, for profit and non-profit, public and private. Webster’s dictionary offers several definitions of sacred. The one I particularly like to embrace in support of calling them Sacred Documents is set apart for, and dedicated to some person, place, or sentiment … secured by a sense of justice against any defamation, violation, or intrusion; inviolate. These documents, if committed to, even reverenced, become the raison d’être for the organization, giving it meaning and direction, providing a lens through which to make management decisions, assuring steadfastness to Mission, remaining on track towards realizing Vision, utilizing organizational Values in working towards achieving that Vision, and remaining faithful to the Mission as guided by the Strategic Plan (if there is one). There are many definitions for these sacred documents. Let me define each in words that are meaningful to me as a leader.

Mission Statement

In as few words as possible, the Mission Statement explains why the organization exists, what its purpose is. I subscribe to Peter Drucker’s admonition that a Mission Statement should fit on a tee shirt. His reasoning and mine is that the Mission Statement needs to be widely known. Ideally you and every employee, when asked what the Mission of the organization is, should be able to answer that question. As such, shorter is better.

Vision Statement

A Vision Statement is a look into the future, perhaps five or ten years down the road. It answers the question How would you want the organization described in that future time frame question mark? It challenges the organization and its employees to action, to realize the Vision while remaining faithful to the Mission. When working with organizations in developing a Vision Statement, I suggest they think of it as if they were writing their obituary for five or ten years down the road. I tell them to consider what they want the readers to read about them and their accomplishments. And I conclude that exercise by telling them that very likely, there would be differences in their ten year hence obituary from what would be written about them in the present time. The differences between the present and that time in the future are what need to be addressed to realize the Vision.

Values Statement

A Values Statement is a statement of important principles, the beliefs that become the moral compass of the organization, steering decisions and actions, guiding the organization and its employees and board in service of the Mission, and in realizing its Vision. Oftentimes they become referred to as Core Values. The organization decides upon these values and what they mean to the organization. By way of example, some typical organizational values might include, honesty, excellence, transparency, service.

Strategic Plan

A Strategic Plan fits hand and glove with a Vision Statement. A Strategic Plan Document looks at that point in the future (the Vision, three to five years down the road) and identifies goals and action steps needed to realize its Vision. The Strategic Plan becomes the organization’s GPS system guiding it on the journey from the present situation to that future Vision. Don’t just read these sacred documents. Seek clarification of anything that seems unclear especially if it might be problematic for your own beliefs. These are documents which you as a supervisor will need to know, embrace, adopt as your own, educate others about, and champion.

Read Other Sacred Documents

Organizations have other documents which if you read, you will be better prepared. Some may have an organizational history. Some may have a business or operational plan. All should have founding documents like bylaws, certificates of incorporation or amended certificates of incorporation, charters. Depending on the level of the supervisory position you are interested in, you will want to review financial information such as current budget, audit, tax filings (990 for non-profits and 1065 or 1120 for for-profits). While 990s are public documents easily found on the Guidestar website, for-profit tax statements are not public documents. You could however visit the Dunn and Bradstreet (D&B) website and find a D&B report on both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Asking if such documents exist will evidence your interest in the organization, and, if you are provided them, will be useful in confirming your interest in the organization.

Ask the Boss

If possible, and it usually is possible, sit down with your boss before you start and ask what is the most pressing issue that he/she wants you to deal with; any deadlines looming, reports due, etc. If he/she is expecting you to do A, and not having been told, you decide to push B, or C, D or J, your working relationship with the boss could be off to a rocky start. So find out what the boss’ needs are – Be Prepared. If the boss is open to talking, ask about your staff, their strengths and weaknesses, who are the go-to folks among them, who needs to be supervised more closely, longevity, open positions (and to his knowledge why they are open). And by the way, do not make the assumption that everything the boss tells you is 100% accurate. Be guided here by the words of Ronald Reagan, Trust but verify. You should