Table of Contents

About This Course

How to Take This Course

Pre-Test

1. Becoming a Supervisor 1

Making the Transition to First-Line Supervisor

Focus

Seeing the Big Picture

The Work

Number of Priorities

Work Quality

Time Commitment

Dealing with Information

Motivation

Role on the Team

Attitude

Importance of First-Line Supervision

Day-to-Day Operations

First Line of Contact for Employees

Span of Control

Development of Organization Talent

Paradoxes of First-Line Supervision

Being a Supervisor and a Technical Expert

Little Effort Is Devoted to Training

The Way Work Is Organized

Supervising Tasks and Learning Skills

Leadership Style and Behavior

Task vs. People

Other Considerations Affecting Leadership Style

Recap

Review Questions

2. Role of the Supervisor 21

Day-to-Day Supervisory Roles

Plan and Organize Work

Provide Resources

Manage and Develop People

Administer and Control

Handle Problems and Issues

Personal Qualities of an Effective First-Line Supervisor

Set High Personal Standards

Be Accessible

Inspire Success

Accept Responsibility for Your Actions

Emphasize Quality and Service

Believe in Employees

Set Priorities and Stick to Them

Strive for Continuous Improvement

Working with Your Boss

Develop a Partnership

Focus on Common Priorities

Communicate Upward

Maximize the Relationship Potential

First-Line Supervision Key Competencies

Communicating

Developing People

Managing People

Building a Team

Getting the Work Done

Supervising in a Changing Environment

Recap

Review Questions

3. Communicating 45

The Communication Process

Listener Problems and Solutions

What Is This All About?

Exactly What Is Being Proposed?

Why Is It Needed and by Whom?

What’s in It for Me?

What Is Supposed to Be Done About It?

Improving Personal Listening Habits

Listen for Ideas, Emotions, and Feelings

Listen for What Is Not Being Said

Control Your Emotional Reactions

Overcome Personal Prejudgments and Distractions

Keep an Open Mind

Listen More Than You Talk

Hear the Other Person Out (Don’t Interrupt)

Use Open-Ended Questions for Active Listening

Planning and Conducting Meetings

Preparing an Agenda

Conducting the Meeting

After the Meeting

Brainstorming

Written Communication

Organize Before You Write

Use Simple, Straightforward Language

Be Sensitive to the Tone of Your Writing

Write from the Viewpoint of the Reader

Communication Technology

Electronic Messaging

Voice Mail

Internet or Intranet

Conferencing

Cellular Technology

Computer Systems

Recap

Review Questions

4. Developing People 71

People Development

Benefits

Types of Development Activities

Setting Goals and Maintaining Focus

New Employee Orientation

Objectives

Developing an Orientation Plan

Conducting New Employee Orientation

Employee Training

Benefits of Training

Failure to Train

Identifying Training Needs

Four-Step Training Method

Being an Effective Trainer

Making Sure Training Is Effective

Have a Pre-Training Meeting

Have a Post-Training Meeting

Provide an Opportunity to Perform

Ensure a Supportive Environment

Encourage and Recognize Improvements

Coaching Employees

Key Factors in Assessing a Possible Coaching Situation

The Coaching Process

When to Quit Coaching

Recap

Review Questions

5. Managing People 99

Performance Feedback

Using Feedback Systems

Provide Positive Feedback to Reinforce Performance

Providing Corrective Feedback

Performance Appraisal as a Feedback Tool

Working with Difficult Employees

Types of Difficult Behaviors

Causes of Difficult Behaviors

Strategies for Working with Difficult Behaviors

Managing Workplace Conflict

Causes of Conflict

Conflict Management Styles

Steps for Successful Conflict Management

Taking Disciplinary Action

Focus on Behavior

Disciplinary Options

Recap

Review Questions

6. Building a Team 123

Why Teamwork?

Organization Benefits

Individual Benefits

What Is a Team?

Transforming a Group into a Team

Share the Expectations

Share the Responsibilities

Share the Glory

Being a Valuable Team Member

Use Active Listening

Avoid Making Commitments You Can’t Keep

Deliver What You Promise

Give Credit to Others

Seek Contributions of Others

Share Your Resources

Work to Resolve Workplace Issues

Keep Confidences

Maintain a Sense of Humor

Smile

Obstacles to Team Development

Recap

Review Questions

7. Getting the Work Done 139

Performance Motivation

Your Role in Motivation

Different Folks, Different Strokes

All Behavior Is Motivated

Obtaining Top Performance

Establish and Communicate Expectations

Provide Positive Feedback

Focus on Teamwork

Inspire, but Don’t Control

Lead by Example

Delegating to Get the Work Done

Guidelines for Successful Delegation

Planning and Organizing for Success

Imperatives of Planning

Make Your Plan Specific, Achievable, and Measurable

Plans Should Be in Writing

Plans Must Have a Timetable

Determine Priorities Beforehand

Communicate What Is Going On

Questions Your Plan Should Answer

Managing Your Time

Use a Daily List of Things to Do

Prioritize Your Daily List

Determine the Best Use of Your Time Right Now

Manage Your Time Like Money

Strive for Life Balance with Your Time

Effects of Stress on Productivity

Recap

Review Questions

8. Supervising in a Changing Environment 161

Legal Issues for First-Line Supervisors

Government Laws and Organization Policies

Avoiding Legal Action

Supervising a Diverse Workforce

Your Role in Supervising Diversity

Developing Yourself for Diversity

The Distance Manager and Virtual Work

What, Why, and When of Distance Management and

Virtual Work

Being a Successful Distance Manager

Being a Successful Virtual Worker

Organization Success Factors

Managing Change

Stages of Change

Managing Change as a First-Line Supervisor

Recap

Review Questions

9. Ensuring Your Success 179

Reevaluate Your Confidence Level

Additional Skill Development

Ongoing Professional Development

Recap

Review Questions

Bibliography

Post-Test

Index