In my 30+ years working in human services the positions I’ve held are a story about how the work gets done in our sector. Community development worker, group home worker, line supervisor, manager, assistant program directors, associate executive director and executive director. I’ve seen firsthand what makes someone a fantastic leader who coaches, guides and inspires his or her employees.
Here are five common denominators of great supervisors or managers:
- Great supervisors know their strengths, as well as their weaknesses. They work to their strengths and hire others who excel in areas where the supervisor falls short.
- Great supervisors realize that giving feedback, including disciplinary action, is a necessary and inseparable part of their role. Despite bad circumstances, a great supervisor is able to helm difficult circumstances with grace and uses encouragement generously and appropriately.
- Great supervisors learn from their role models, both good and bad. This learning shapes their current interactions with those they supervise, and with their peers and managers. These great supervisors are able to bring a richer and better-rounded expertise to the organization.
- Great supervisors listen to understand. Many people don’t grasp the concept that active listening is more attitude than skill. By honing that attitude, great supervisors enrich their interactions with those they supervise through better communication and understanding.
- Great supervisors realize that knowledge and education are not the only hallmarks of good supervision. They lead and motivate by example, with respect and with their heart. None of which can be taught or trained. Instead these are personal qualities that may be honed by hard work and experience.