Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Making the transition to supervisor can be one of the most rewarding and challenging times in a person’s career. It’s rewarding because you’re moving along in your career goals. And it’s challenging because being a supervisor is more responsibility. So today I wanted to put together some career tips that I wish someone would have told me when I first became a supervisor. Here’s the list:
- Don’t try to be everyone’s friend. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be friendly. There’s a difference. But it’s not realistic to think that you can be everyone’s friend, especially if at some point you need to discipline an employee or deliver “bad news”. This is particularly true if you’ve moved up in the organization and are supervising recent coworkers.
- Take every opportunity to improve your people skills. No matter how long you’re in the business world, never turn down training and development. You can even learn something from bad training.
- Learn how to say “no” comfortably. The answer to everything is not “yes”. Being able to say “no” when necessary will allow you to focus on your wellbeing.
- Ask for feedback and input. You don’t have to know everything. Often, we put additional pressure on ourselves by assuming (incorrectly) that being a supervisor means we need to have all the answers. Being a supervisor means we should be able to find all the answers.
- Understand how you manage change. Business is all about change. No sooner do we get into our flow with a project or process and it changes. Get used to it. Become self-aware about how you personally process change and what resources you need to manage change successfully. Being flexible and agile is critical.
- Remember that fair and equal are not the same thing. Employees want to be treated fairly. It’s possible to be fair and not give everyone the same thing. Recognition is a good example. Everyone enjoys being recognized but all people do not want to be recognized the same way.
- Know how to run an effective meeting. People complain about meetings all the time. Developing a reputation for leading a good meeting will do wonders for your career – because people will attend your meetings and participate at a high level. This leads to productive conversations, good decisions, and measurable results.
- Master the art of delegation. Remember #2? You do not have to do everything yourself. You are responsible for making sure the task is completed – on time, within budget, and to the company standard. But you don’t have to do it all yourself.
- Find someone you can trust (and vent to) about work. Sometimes as a supervisor, you will have access to confidential information. And you’ll hear things that can be frustrating. Supervisors can’t always share everything with everyone. Find a person who you can talk with. It could be HR, someone at home, or a colleague. Just make sure you can trust that the person will handle the conversation appropriately.
- Find time to relax. Let’s be realistic – most times becoming a supervisor includes extra work. We must be able to effectively manage our workload without negatively impacting our wellbeing. The team relies upon us to be healthy and energetic.
Becoming a supervisor is about developing your team. When the team can effectively do the work, then you can attend training, take a vacation, or go to a meeting and the department doesn’t fall apart. That’s the work of a supervisor. This doesn’t mean that supervisors are abdicating their responsibilities. Their role is to develop people and support them. And make no mistake, that’s a big job.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV
The post 10 Career Tips for First Time Supervisors appeared first on hr bartender.
