EDUCATION CONNECTION
10
Attributes of Successful Supervisors When employees are asked about the toughest part of a job, there is one answer that stands above the rest: dealing with people. Employees often get frustrated or annoyed with
There are very few relationships — work, personal or in between — that can survive without trust.
their job because of the people around them. These interpersonal problems can lead to the downfall of the
increasing your power, grow your influence by being
hierarchal system within a company. To better explain how to
knowledgeable, respectful, caring and flexible.
build work relationships and supervise employees at all levels, Larry Kokkelenberg of Leath Group, LLC, provides these 10 simple guidelines for effective supervision. 1. Build trust There are very few relationships — work, personal or in between — that can survive without trust. Kokkelenberg says that trust is the foundation for all positive and sustained relationships and that these relationships are vitally important if a team wants to perform at a high level. When looking at behavior that helps build trust, Kokkelenberg suggests that communication, consistency and leading by example are all important behaviors. On the contrary, poor communication, lack of integrity and lack of reliability were listed as behaviors that hurt trust within a company. 2. Manage by influence, not power According to Kokkelenberg, an important distinction to make between power and influence is that power is the
3. Create a culture of appreciation As simple as it sounds, “thank you” goes a long way. Saying thank you costs nothing and gives more than you expect in return. About 76% of employees say that being recognized by their superiors motivates them in their job. Kokkelenberg says that after being more personable with your staff, acknowledging all extra efforts and thanking people for their work every day, the culture of the company will become more positive in 30 days. 4. Be fair and just No employee should be treated differently, better or worse, than another. Being impartial, unprejudiced and simply fair will show everyone that they are all equally important and will help build trust and morale within the company. 5. Be respectful This is an easy one. Would you rather have a boss that is
authority or right to give orders and make decisions, while
considerate, caring and patient or one that is harsh, abrupt
influence is the ability to positively affect ideas and actions.
and difficult? When people fear or dislike their superiors, they
Furthermore, an autocratic top-down model of employment
are constantly stressed or tense about their work situation,
can hurt a business if not handled correctly. Rather than
which also negatively affects their work.
16 • Vol. 15 / Issue 2 • International Surface Fabricators Association
