Try this Exercise to Relate to Employees

Some supervisors have used a hard-nosed take-no-prisoners supervision style. Sure, they thought it would earn them respect because they would garner a health dose of fear, but alas it backfired. So, how can supervisors win back the trust that I lost with my style? First, when counseling these folks, understand a simple principle, employees prefer harmony and avoiding the stress this form of management style. This desire for a harmonious workplace provides the hope, however, that the supervisor can turn things around and regain trust. Time is on his or her side. Important personal issues may need to be addressed to ensure the fundamental changes desired, but that's where the EAP comes in. Hey, a good book can help. Everything is not necessarily a "personality disorder". Guide the supervisor in understanding that he or she will need to fix one relationship at a time. Forget the speeches. There's no need for a Jimmy Swaggert speech. Suggest the supervisor meet in private with each employee, as applicable and practical, to acknowledge his or her supervision style and the changes planned in order to improve morale. Although the supervisor will feel vulnerable with this approach, it is the one that will accelerate regaining the trust so desired. He or she will soon discover that most employees respect authority and respond favorably to a more supportive supervision style. Try offering these exercises over a period of weeks while you counsel the supervisor. Goal: Attempt to relate to your employees on a personal basis, not merely a professional basis, on a general topic you could have in common. You may not know very much about the personal life of your employees, but there are appropriate casual conversations you can have with any employee without intruding in their personal lives. Supervisor Exercise: In this exercise you will initiate a casual conversation with an employee you don’t know very well. Not everyone watches the big game or the latest movie. But if you’re a big film fan, ask employees if they saw the newest movie blockbuster. If they say no, simply say, “I’m a big movie fan.” If they also watched the film, you’ll have something to talk casually about. If they didn’t, you shared a little bit about yourself, which they’ll appreciate knowing. Evaluation: Were you comfortable initiating a personal conversation with an employee? Did they seem comfortable talking to you, or did they hurry to get away? Was there an actual conversation, or simply a “yes” or “no” reply? Learn more about helping supervisors. Tips for Supervisors Newsletter

Getting Your Employees to Trust You

Don't beat yourself up for being a hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners supervisor. Sure, you thought it would earn you respect because your employees would fear you, but alas, it backfired. Young people--especially--do not fear authority. I won't elaborate, but get this one down pat, and your life as a leader will be dramatically improved. This is of course, why the term "leadership staff" is being pushed hard and the word "supervisor" being thrown out (with the bath water). Didn't you know? The word supervisor is the title of that guy who oversaw the folks pulling an oar on the Armistad slave ship. That's not you. The new PC term is leader or "the leadership staff'. So, how do you win back the trust that I lost with my style? First, understand a simple principle, employees prefer harmony and avoiding the stress that your management style produces. This desire for a harmonious workplace provides the hope that you can turn things around. You may have important personal issues to address to ensure the fundamental changes you desire. If that's the case, get a good book to assist you with these small behavioral change goals so you do not return to your former supervision style after practicing more functional leadership skills. You will need to fix one relationship at a time. This is also key. Forget the speeches. If practical, meet in private with each employee to acknowledge your supervision style and the changes you have committed to make in order to improve morale. Although you will feel vulnerable with this approach, it is the one that will accelerate regaining the trust you desire. You will soon discover that most employees respect authority and respond favorably to a more supportive supervision style. You might want to consider an ongoing dose of input to keep you on track from Supervisor Tips & Skills Newsletter

New Supervisor Training: Manage Your Stress Folks

You’ve surely heard about the need to empower employees to do their best work. But what you may not know is that effective supervisors also empower themselves. By overcoming obstacles and taking a proactive approach to problem solving, the best supervisors sweep away distress and stay focused on goal attainment. That’s especially important because supervisors often feel immobilized by stress. Neither their bosses not their employees may understand the pressures that they face. Supervisors often operate in isolation, and they may not know what to do when problems—ranging from real to potential to imagined ones—mount by the hour. The anxieties can prove overwhelming. You need resources. Contact your employee assistance professional if you have any questions about stress management after completing the course. The employee assistance program can help you manage stress so that it doesn’t endanger your health and improves your overall well-being. And it is not a bad to get a regular hard-hitting, no fluff, hard tips, do this-do that professional newsletter that is one page every month to help you!

How Supervisors Can Pump Up Employees and Motivate Their Engagement

During supervisor training, I frequently discuss the following topic. Top management will create a statue in your likeness if discover how to get employees engaged, excited, and producing at maximum capacity while remaining happy, healthy, and contributing to a positive work culture. Tall order, huh? So is there a secret formula for employee engagement to this magnitude. No. However, after writing a monthly supervisor newsletter for 20 years every month, non-stop, and getting emails from possibly hundreds of HR managers and employees, I think I can get close to the answer in 150 words. Here goes possibly one the best supervisor tips for your leadership: ++++++++++++++++++++++++

Managers should start with a premise, and assume that each of his or her employees is capable of magnificent achievements. This will positively affect the attitude and interactions with them. A positive engaging style is half the battle, and the other half is good communication. Let everyone know what’s going on within the organization and the importance of their role in the big picture. Cite successes, trends, and opportunities. Be realistic, but let employees know what awaits them personally and as a team for achieving goals. Check your behavior. Mistrust, inability to adapt to change, disrespect toward employees, or perception that you are not performing at your peak can be magnified by employees and fodder for chatter. This will undermine your goal keeping employees engaged. Process your stress with other supervisors and the professionals (not a 800 hotline) of the intact and in-house employee assistance program. Develop ideas for nurturing your staff. This will reduce isolation and keep the supervisor energized and forward looking, pumped, an excited which become contagious. -- Daniel Feerst, http://workplacenewsletters.com ++++++++++++++++++++++ More Engagement Ideas

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I'm OK, You're OK Supervision Will KO Your Authority

Something is trending and it is downhill. It appears that the overvaluation of "compromise, negotiation, fairness" in our politically correct society--an utterly destructive social force in many ways--has contributed to a belief among some supervisors that any protest or refusal by an employee to do his or her job, must somehow be understood and examined for its merits. It seems as though for many managers, a knee-jerk response is an "I-thou", "You're Ok-I'm Ok" attempt to negotiate with the employee in order to get the work done. May I ask a question? Whatever happened to telling employee to do things a certain way or else?

Sometimes--no always--if you're the boss, you're the boss. You should examine the nature of conflict with your employee before engaging in any kind of negotiation process. Get advice from a peer supervisor colleague if needed, but absolutely shy away from mediation services of any kind. That's off the table. I have seen supervisors do it, but it is a one-way ticket to relationship dysfunction. Never enter into mediating a conflict with an employee you supervise because it will elevate the employee bad behavior and make accepting change and direction from you completely optional.

Some supervisors feel hesitant about asserting themselves with employees because it feels awkward and antagonistic to their long-term and familiar relationship. They would like to avoid feeling as though they are “pulling rank.” They are unaware that their employee’s behavior has placed them in this position, so they struggle with a way to get the job done without upsetting their employee. You have a right to expect work duties to be performed in ways you judge effective. Although mediation is useful in workplace relationships, the natural imbalance of power between the supervisor and the employee can be harmed by mediation. This could send a message that makes changes optional for the supervised employee.  Supervisor Tips and Skills Newsletter may help you tremendously.