Creating effective supervisors or managers includes three key steps:
- Hire those with true leadership qualities.
- Mentor and teach by example.
- Cultivate leaders from your existing staff.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Screen new hires for leadership skills
Before you hire a supervisor for your small business, look at his experience in managing others, or in leading teams to success. Ask focused interview questions to shed light on his sense of responsibility, respect for his supervisees, and personal integrity.I recommend: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers great insight into the qualities of a true leader. Sign up for a free e-course about hiring at About: Recruit and Hire the Best.
Be a role model and mentor yourself
A business mentor is a more experienced professional who gives significant career guidance to a less-experienced professional (the protégé). By mentoring your supervisors, you offer them invaluable, ongoing coaching, and in turn, teach them to follow your example, which can make your job easier.I recommend: The SBA's resource, "Mentoring: What Goes Around, Comes Around," offers individual assessments for a potential mentor or protégé to determine his ability to succeed in a mentoring relationship.
Walk the Walk
Leaders who make their employees to follow the rules, but don't do it themselves set a bad example and get little respect. Leaders who "walk the walk" are the ones their staff will want to follow.I recommend: Go to About Human Resources for great tips about setting a positive example for your supervisors, so they, in turn, will set positive examples for their employees.
Grow Your Leaders
Many business executives believe it best to grow their leaders rather than hire them from outside of your business. What better way to assess the person's abilities and potentials than to observe them at work as a supervisee? Do they show uncompromising standards and responsibility in completing their work? If so, your next supervisor is probably right in front of your eyes.I recommend: Go to Monster, Inc.'s Hiring Center to learn how you can groom exceptional employees into superior supervisors.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Apologize: Everyone makes mistakes, but a good leader will acknowledge his and admit when he's wrong.
- Manage: But do NOT micromanage. Guiding is good. Smothering? Not so good.
- Consider what you delegate: An employee is not the supervisor's personal errand boy. The supervisor should not send them to the dry cleaners, to fetch lunch, or anything else that is non-work-related.
- Give a helping hand: A good supervisor works at the counter when help is needed. This goes a long way toward earning employees' respect.
- Be friendly, but not their best friend: A friend isn't expected to discipline another about being late for work, ignoring the dress code, or breaking a rule.
the Interpersonal Communication Skills page at Business.com
Operational Risk Management Solutions, Software & Services
Manage enterprise-wide operational, safety, environmental, quality, security, and financial risk through continuous process improvement & compliance.
About Us | Demo | Customers | White Papers
www.SyntexSolutions.com
Manage enterprise-wide operational, safety, environmental, quality, security, and financial risk through continuous process improvement & compliance.
About Us | Demo | Customers | White Papers
www.SyntexSolutions.com
Leadership Development at The Wharton School
Take your career to the next level. Learn about leadership training programs at The Wharton School. Download course catalog or Enroll online today.
Upcoming Programs | Build Skills | Wharton Financial | Wharton Leaders
ExecEd.Wharton.UPenn.edu
Take your career to the next level. Learn about leadership training programs at The Wharton School. Download course catalog or Enroll online today.
Upcoming Programs | Build Skills | Wharton Financial | Wharton Leaders
ExecEd.Wharton.UPenn.edu
Leadership Training
Get a Free Datasheet From a Leading Leadership Training Company & Integrate Learning, Compliance, Performance, Compensation and Succession.
www.cornerstoneondemand.com
Get a Free Datasheet From a Leading Leadership Training Company & Integrate Learning, Compliance, Performance, Compensation and Succession.
www.cornerstoneondemand.com
Leadership Courses Online
Online courses address leadership topics including conflict, essential skills, change, delegating, discipline, feedback, coaching and communication.
Communication | Leadership Skills | Resolve Conflicts | Work Habits
www.Corexcel.com/leadership
Online courses address leadership topics including conflict, essential skills, change, delegating, discipline, feedback, coaching and communication.
Communication | Leadership Skills | Resolve Conflicts | Work Habits
www.Corexcel.com/leadership
Free B2B search marketing whitepaper, B2B Search Marketing Strategy Guide: Advice From the Pros.
