Supervisors Must Set Goals

As stated earlier, delegation is a very important aspect of supervision.  When you delegate work to others you are able to take an overwhelming project and make it quite manageable thereby increasing the chance of success.  A byproduct is that you create opportunities for your staff to grow and learn new skill sets as well.  

Another mistake for the supervisor to avoid is failing to set achievable goals for workers.  Effective performance starts with clearly defined goals that helps clarify direction as well as determining when an objective has been achieved.  Having achievable goals can impact morale and give a focus and leadership.  You have to provide the vision to your workers by meeting with your staff (group and individual) to answer the question “What is in it for me?”  (WIIFM).  We all want to know how we are going to benefit personally from any endeavor and you as the supervision has to be able to clearly communicate those benefits if turnover and absenteeism is to be addressed successfully.

In alignment with setting goals is the danger of failing to communicate clearly.  Some supervisors seem to be afraid to share much information with their staff which can create a rumor mill and negatively impact morale.  Others vent, complain and share the wrong information ending up with the same morale issues.  The ability to control information can be a powerful tool for good if used correctly.  Just remember that communication must be a two way street with the supervisor asking open ended questions that solicit responses from staff.  It cannot just be lecturing, berating and threatening since most front line workers will grow tired and to elsewhere resulting in the unnecessary expense of finding their replacement.

Delegation, setting goals and communication are all tools that the effective supervisor can use to further the company’s success. 

Your comments and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean…

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.