Cash Miller asked:
Being the person in charge can often be very exhilarating for someone experiencing such a feeling for the first time. Whether you are in charge of a project with a team of company employees that are reporting to you or a single employee that you might be responsible for. Either way we all get a rush from the power suddenly handed to us. But those feelings come while working for someone else. Now imagine the rush you will get when you are the ultimate authority over everyone employed by your company! It can be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. All the important decisions are yours to make. The fates of your employees are up to you. The future of your company is in your hands. Everything relies on you!
Okay now are we over the rush? Has reality set in yet? I hope so because while it may sound like everything you have ever dreamed that you wanted. It’s not an easy thing to be the final authority on everything that happens to a business. It’s a lot of hard work. But you do get the chance to be the boss if that is what you really want. So what kind of boss will you be?
We’ve all had bosses we’ve hated at one time or another. And some people have also managed to have a supervisor or two that they liked. Of course no one is ever going to be the perfect boss but what would you prefer. Do you want to be the tyrant or a person that people like coming to work for? We know that it’s not a popularity contest and the needs of the business will always have to come first. But which is better, having employees that actually like to come to work for you each day and can then give their best while on the job or people that hate their work and will always be watching the clock just waiting to go home?
Remember the supervisors you’ve had at one time or another that were both good to you and that you hated. No one really wants to be the type of boss that everyone hates but sometimes it does turn out that way. You know in your heart that you can do better and you will. You just have to be willing to put forth the effort. All the good intentions in the world will get you nowhere if you are unwilling to act.
So what can you do to be a good supervisor? Many things can be done, in fact more than we can possibly cover but we can mention a few of the more important things that you can do. Be willing to listen. Your employees should always be allowed a voice. People like to know their opinions are valued. And be genuine about soliciting their opinions. Give employee evaluations. Not everyone is going to like what you may have to say about them but if you do it the right way they may come to appreciate the input. Evaluations are a great way to show that you are paying attention to them. Employees that appreciate their jobs will make your that much easier.
Treating your employees with respect each day will always help. Yelling at them and berating them for mistakes they might have made will get you nowhere with them. Acknowledge that a mistake was made and work with the employee to correct. Try to teach them about the mistake was made and how they can prevent such a mistake happening again. Then move on. Because dwelling on something that is over with will not help you either.
Let people know when they have done a good job. Praise is too often withheld or the benefits of acknowledging a good job are ignored. How would you feel if you put forth your best effort to make a project successful and don’t even receive a simple thank you for your efforts? Never forget that people are not machines and so they should not be treated as such. Treat your employees how you would want to be treated and you will not go wrong.