SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT

Supervisory management is the act of managing employees in a business. There are many trade
and business schools, as well as community colleges which offer certification or degrees in
supervisory management. The goal of such courses is to teach people how to be effective in
supervisory positions. Training can focus on working with large groups, small groups and as
well, running whole companies with supervisory management techniques.

The goal of anyone who is involved in supervisory management should be to help employees
most adequately fit with the needs of a company. Such acts as holding meetings, reviewing
performance, scheduling, assigning raises or bonuses, and hiring or firing employees could all
be part of someone’s job in the supervisory management field.

Depending upon a company’s infrastructure, those in supervisory management may have a lot
of power, or have relatively little. For example, a supervisor may be in charge of scheduling and
reviews, but not be able to make decisions regarding raises or termination of employees. Such
supervisors are often called middle management. Their primary goals are to ensure production,
yet they often lack the ability to give rewards based on increased production.

Others involved in supervisory management may have greater control over fiscal decisions regarding a
company, particularly when it comes to raises or hiring and firing decisions. As well as directly
supervising employees, these people may also manage all aspects of a company or a branch of a
company. Often in small companies, the owner or the manager practices supervisory management, and
is empowered to make major decisions affecting the careers of employees. Some find it preferable to
have more direct access to a general manager who supervises, since talking to such an employer may
result in more direct action being taken.

It can be frustrating for those in supervisory management who have little power for good or ill over
employees. They may truly have the best interest of their employees at heart, but may be unable to
enact change if upper level management does not wish for the same changes. Often those in middle
management are the go-betweens for employees and bosses. Frequently they are the unhappy
messenger of bad tidings from either employees or heads of company, and employees resenting them
often misplace their resentment.

Those who are good at supervisory management are best when they can be inspiring to employees and
promote good work ethic and increased production. Supervisory management positions may also be
held by people attempting to make specific changes in a company, such as changing policies that cause
high turnover in a workplace.

Many who are employed in supervisory management are never trained. However, training can really
help a supervisor employ effective strategies in his or her job. Though some people have a natural way
with employees, many would perform their jobs more proficiently with training or education. Often,
employees are likely to be much happier with the work of a supervisor who has either a “way” or the
education to really provide excellent management and interpersonal communication skills.
EIGHT STEPS TO EFFECTIVE SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT

When an employee gets promoted to a supervisory level position or becomes an entrepreneur, he/she)
discovers that none of his/her previous, “on-the-job” training can guarantee him/ her success in this
new position. And no wonder! In his/her previous (subordinate) position, he/she was responsible for
his/her own (somewhat) limited area of responsibility. Now, suddenly, he/she becomes a “manager”
and the contents of his/her job changes completely! Now, instead of being a “follower”, he/she has to
be a “leader”. One expects from him/her) that he/she) will start functioning effectively in numerous new
key result areas, areas in which he/she has had little or no experience in the past; areas which he/she
may not even be familiar with.

What are we specifically talking about here? He must:

1. PLAN – Can he prepare to overcome obstacles before they occur? Can he develop clearly defined
objectives a then make sure that (he AND) his subordinates reach them?

2. ORGANIZE – Can he combine the right amount of time, manpower and funds for any given project,
While keeping waste to a minimum?

3. CONTROL – Can he keep tabs on his subordinates and their work, whiteout trying to “do it all by
himself”?

4. SET PERFORMANCE STANDARDS – Can he determine what results he, as a supervisor, has the right to
expect from his subordinates?

5. APPRAISE PERFORMANCE – Can he assess the performance and the value of each employee to his
organization?

6. COMMUNICATE – Can he indicate to his subordinates precisely what he wants? Can he maintain a
liaison with his own supervisors?

7. MOTIVATE – Can he gets that “extra” effort from his subordinates, without compromising employee
morale?

8. APPLY DECISION MAKING TECHNIQUES – Every action (of any consequence at all) that a supervisor
takes, involves a decision making process in order to arrive at an effective decision which will achieve
the desired results? How does a manager or an entrepreneur pass the above 8 tests? Some, of course,
never do. Others do it by trial and error; by making mistakes and (hopefully) byprofiting from them.

But there is a more efficient way than the one above! We can prepare our managers and ourselves for our
job by preparing to “manage”. This means: preparing to plan, to organize and to control; preparing to
communicate and to motivate more effectively; preparing to put more quality into our/their decision making.
In short, we and they can be prepared to apply the same managerial techniques that other, “first-time”
managers have had to learn to use in order for them to make the successful transition from “follower” to
“leader”.
To help give managers that preparation, EFFICIENCY IN OPERATION is offering a Revised Version of its very
popular Management course. Based largely on our more than 30 years of experience in management
consulting and education, this course systematically attacks the eight key (managerial) result areas in which
“leaders” are most vigorously tested.

The course curriculum, prepared by EIO and other Supervisory Management Association experts, is patterned
on highly successful and time-tested management training principles. Over 1000 firms here and abroad, have
already put this course to valuable use as part of their training programs. Our revised Course has been
expanded in each of its major areas to include the most recent advances in management techniques. Our
Course has, of course, also been adapted to the specific needs of the Antillean Community.

The basic program of the Course is divided into eight units – each unit representing an essential supervisory
management function. Supervisors and managers are trained in each function separately and are shown,
through illustrative and meaningful examples and discussion, how these functions are applied in their actual,
day to day operations. In this way, the Course aims at producing well-rounded management trained
entrepreneurs & supervisors – men and women who will have all the basic tools at “management’s disposal.
This integrated Course has been designed to provide organizations with the possibility of a continuing
program of management education for supervisory management people, regardless of their level in the
organization.

The eight units of this basic program feature the following items: Presentations based on recognized
management authorities and discussion periods, to allow the participant to learn how to make the transition
from the theoretical to the practical in his/her every day task. The eight units comprising this basic program
include: the Nature of Management, Planning, Organization, Control, Standards of Performance and
Performance Appraisal, Communication, Motivation and Decision-Making. The units, each lasting
approximately three hours, are usually scheduled one week apart, most often in the evenings or after
working hours. Although the main language of the Course is Papiamento, english and Dutch are used
whenever necessary during the sessions. Note: Should there be enough interest, then the Course could also
be made available completely in one of the other two languages.

EFFECTIVE SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT SIGNIFICANCE

• Develop the potential of team members.

• Assist in handling and preventing personnel problems.
• Enhance managerial skills and self-discipline in the areas of:
• Leadership and management
• Understanding and movtivation
• Control of tasks and priorities
• Identifying high pay-off activities
• Properly enforcing rules
• Decision-making and problem solving
• Managing the time of others
• Training and development of others
• Feedback on performance

Implementation sessions and follow-up service focus on specific, practical action oriented exercises to
help you to personally
adapt the supervisory skills and ideas and apply them in your work.
NEW TRENDS IN SUPERVISORY TRAINING: SOME IDEAS TO CONSIDER

I. CHALLENGES FOR THE NEW SUPERVISOR

Simply put, supervisory development is an effort (hopefully, planned in nature) that enhances the
learner's capacity to be a supervisor. Supervision often includes conducting basic management skills
(decision making, problem solving, planning, delegation and meeting management), organizing teams,
noticing the need for and designing new job roles in the group, hiring new employees, training new
employees, employee performance management (setting goals, observing and giving feedback,
addressing performance issues, firing employees, etc.) and ensuring conformance to personnel policies
and other internal regulations.
Managing other people is highly rewarding and demanding, and the transition from frontline employee
to frontline manager—and leader—is a particular challenge. Here are six challenges commonly cited by
new managers. These challenges can be viewed as either positive or negative, depending on your
outlook.

TOP 6 CHALLENGES TO NEW MANAGERS

1. New Responsibilities. Promoted managers typically had strong technical skills as employees. They
knew their job and they did it well. And while these technical skills are important to managers, they
become less useful. Promoted managers must perform new tasks, uncover new knowledge, and learn
new skills to be successful.

2. Varied Responsibilities. Whereas employees tend to know what they will be doing each day,
managers often find themselves being pulled in many different directions, performing tasks they didn’t
expect, and making decisions about what to do and when to do it. Some people thrive on this controlled
chaos, and some are quickly overwhelmed.

3. Time. Employees typically work their shifts and call it a day. Managers are expected to keep up a
hectic pace and keep at it until the job is done. Time is particularly challenging for new managers who
tend to spend more time reading, learning, and creating their game plans. New managers are not
limited to 8-hour days or 40-hour weeks and receive no overtime pay.

4. Balance. New managers need to find their feet and optimize their balance between technical,
administrative, and people tasks. This doesn’t mean managers should spend the same amount of time in
each of these areas; it means they should not neglect one for another.

5. Feeling Alone. New managers often feel alienated from other managers and employees. They may
feel unsure how to relate to new employees who question their abilities or old coworkers who treat
them differently. They may be reluctant to ask questions or admit they need help from their boss or
other managers. Moreover, frontline managers are often caught in the middle between supporting
company policies and initiatives and supporting the concerns and needs of their employees. It can be a
lonely feeling.

6. Personal Wellness. Wellness can be defined as an active process through which people become
aware of and make choices for a lifestyle designed to realize one's highest potential for wholeness and
well-being. Wellness begins with an awareness of the existence of your individual abilities,
accomplishments, limitations, and goals. Wellness can become a state of mind, or, as in the definition
above, a more successful lifestyle. Especially in the case of new supervisors, it is more important than
ever to pay attention to being healthy. New supervisors (and supervisors generally), may be under more
stress, have less time to think about taking care of themselves, and be exposed to new germs and
sicknesses at work. Being healthy involves many different parts of your life, including eating well,
exercising, resting and relaxing, and being careful about sickness.

II. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF SUPERVISION IN A MULTICULTURAL (AND MULTIGENERATIONAL)

WORKPLACE

Supervisors in the 2000s will be challenged by a dynamic, shifting and shrinking workforce. The
traditional white, male-dominated workforce will become obsolete, with a more diverse workforce
made up of females, minorities, the disabled and the elderly taking its place. Supervisor training is the
answer to effectively managing these changes. Across the country, many companies have implemented
workplace diversity through extensive supervisor training programs. These programs address the
importance of understanding each employee and how individual needs differ. With the real threat of a
shrinking workforce ahead, employee retention becomes an additional focus. Traditional management
styles are not as successful, with the new workforce as the “leader” or “coaching” styles of
management. Companies that do not effectively train their supervisors to handle the needs of a variety
of people and do not shift their management styles to accommodate the new workforce may struggle to
stay afloat.

Closely akin to multicultural diversity is the idea of generational diversity. Sociologists, psychologists,
and everyday managers have identified important differences between generations in the way they
approach work, work/life balance, employee loyalty, authority, and other important issues.
Multigenerational diversity is not new, but for the first time in recent history, the workforce includes
four generations of employees: the Veterans (i.e., people born between 1922 and 1943), the Baby
Boomers (i.e., people born between 1943 and 1960), the Generation Xers (i.e., people born between
1960 and 1980), and the Nexters--also called Millennials, Generation Y, and Generation Next (i.e. people
born between 1980 and 2000). Although these generations share some common values and beliefs, they
also exhibit differences stemming from the experiences of their eras. It’s never been more important to
understand what values influence today’s segmented populations/generations and how you can best
position your products and services to influence these distinct groups.

III. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS

Exploring and developing emotional intelligence not only makes people happier and more successful, it
helps motivate them, manage stress more effectively, and resolve conflict with others. It gives
supervisors and managers the skills to be able to encourage, comfort, discipline, and confront different
kinds of people appropriately in different situations. It determines how effectively people express
emotions within the cultural context of their family, their workplace, and their community. It determines
how well people listen and how well they are heard.

Developing emotional intelligence skills can be an invaluable resource for supervisors, managers, and
anyone who needs to build competencies in their work with individuals, teams, or groups.
IV. SUPERVISORS: LEADING THEMSELVES AND MANAGING THEIR OWN LEARNING

A critical skill for anyone is the ability to manage his or her own learning. In today's rapidly changing
workplace, learning is more important than ever before. But many people don't understand how
learning takes place and how to manage the process. Supervisors need to know how to analyze their
previous learning, design an action plan for future learning, expand their educational opportunities, and
use libraries and the Internet effectively in order to become a proactive and perpetual learners.

V. MENTORING NEW/PROBATIONARY SUPERVISORS

A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor and guide, someone who is genuinely interested in
developing others and has the ability to encourage the supervisor to manage their own learning and
development.

Mentoring needs to take place within a relationship of trust, honesty and confidentiality. It is part of the
support for an individual new/probationary supervisor and complements learning on the job, formal
training, and personal development planning. A mentor will encourage the supervisor to review his or
her experiences in order to improve performance, focusing on future performance in the role.
Supervisors and others need to better understand the role of the mentor, the purpose of mentoring and
how to make the mentoring effective.

VI. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Simply put, performance management includes activities to ensure that goals are consistently being met
in an effective and efficient manner. Performance management can focus on performance of the
organization, a department, processes to build a product or service, employees, etc. Supervisors need to
become proficient in a number of areas, including performance goals and plans, observation and
feedback, evaluating performance, rewarding performance, recognizing performance problems (gaps),
and firing/hiring employees.

VII. ENHANCING THE SUPERVISORY WORKING ALLIANCE

Much attention is paid to the skills needed to be an effective supervisor, but less is know about
enhancing the working relationship between supervisors and supervisees. The supervisory working
alliance refers to the collaboration between supervisee and supervisor for change in the supervisee
based on mutual agreement on the goals (e.g., mastery of “counseling” skills) and tasks (e.g., observing
counseling sessions) of supervision, as well as a strong emotional bond (e.g., mutual caring, trusting, and
respect).

VIII. CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE PLANNING

For many busy professionals, reflection on career and life planning focuses much more on career – the
getting around, the getting ahead, and the getting things done – and less on life. It is important for
people to regularly assess their own needs to ensure that their lives are balanced. This balance is closely
related to career success. People have many life roles, including child, student, leisurite, citizen, worker,
spouse/partner, homemaker, parent, and pensioner (among others). These roles constitute our “Life
Rainbow”, and periodic review of these roles and their significance will help to affirm the positive and
adjust the neglected – and help you refocus your priorities and develop both personally and
professionally.