How Supervisors Help Managers Coordinate

Supervisors and Managers

Introduction

Supervisors and managers play a big part in the success of an organization. They have to work together to make sure employees are firing on all cylinders and that the organization’s objectives are being met. This paper discusses the role of the supervisor, the traits of an effective manager, and the relationship between them. It also describes the importance of finding the right worker and challenges in a multicultural society.

The Role of the Supervisor

In a typical organization, a supervisor's role is to be the bridge between the organization's management and its front-line employees. This position may not sound very exciting or important, but it actually is both. The supervisor has to make sure that everything under his responsibility is functioning smoothly—which means the supervisor has to know what is going on, what is expected when and how, and what the needs of the staff are. Ultimately, the biggest responsibility of the supervisor is to oversee leadership so that management and employees are thoroughly and positively connected (Block, 2016).

Most important is going to be communication. The supervisor has to be able to pass along instructions that he receives from higher up the organization on down to the management and teams below. If he is lacking in communication skills, there is going to be an impasse between what the teams know or need to know and what management is sending on. He also has to be able to report back up the chain of command in a succinct manner so that higher-up levels of managers know the situation down the chain of command. Supervisors have to be clear, precise, honest, and accurate in their communications, as operations hinge on their reports and orders in most cases. Supervisors should be good listeners, as feedback they receive will tell a lot about how work is going and whether adjustments need to be made (Block, 2016).

Performance management is a big responsibility of supervisors, as they are expected to monitor and evaluate the performance of their team members, set and communicate performance standards, conduct employee reviews, and give constructive feedback to help employees reach the desired expectations. They identify areas for improvement and work with employees to develop their skills and capabilities. To that end, supervisors are often required to make quick and effective decisions, especially when resolving conflicts or challenges in the workplace. For that reason, they need strong problem-solving skills to analyze situations. They should also be critical thinkers able to gather all the relevant information, consider various solutions, and choose the best course of action (Hill, 2003).

Supervisors oversee training and development and make sure that teams adhere to all company policies, legal regulations, safety protocols, rules and guidelines. They also often handle all the different administrative tasks such as scheduling, hiring, firing, ordering, budgeting, and reporting. Supervisors need to be well-organized and detail-oriented to manage all these aspects effectively. They should not be wasteful with resources and they should be very good when it comes to maintaining records.

Effective Manager

Three traits of an effective manager are patience, decisiveness, and engagement. All three align closely with the five functions of management, which are planning, organizing, leading, controlling, and coordinating. Patience helps managers to handle any and all situations calmly and with a steady hand. This composure helps others to keep from getting worked up when things go wrong. Employees appreciate a manager who remains calm under fire and during the most difficult and tense situations. Managers who lose their cool easily tend to be disliked by employees and they can really harm morale. A patient manager will win over everyone, however. This is especially true in the planning phase, where patience is needed for developing realistic plans and making sure all possible factors and risks and outcomes are taken into consideration. When organizing, a patient manager can effectively deal with the challenges of allocating resources and assigning tasks, so that each decision is well thought out. In leading, patience helps with mentoring and developing team members, as the patient manager has the understanding that growth and improvement take time. In the controlling aspect of management, patience is necessary for evaluating performance and making changes; one cannot expect change to happen overnight—rather, it is a process and should be supported. In coordinating, patience helps in managing departments and teams through every type of situation (Block, 2016).

Decisiveness is needed in planning, because a decisive manager can set clear goals and give precise directions and stick to them. Workers do not like a manager who changes his mind every time he turns around; such managers cause more chaos and harm than good. When organizing, decisiveness helps in determining the best allocation of resources and responsibilities. In leading, a decisive manager inspires confidence by making clear choices and standing by them. In the controlling aspect, decisiveness is good for addressing performance issues promptly so that problems do not persist and spread under the surface. And in coordinating, a decisive manager makes sure all the different parts of the organization work together to resolve issues speedily (Hill, 2003).

Engagement refers to a manager's ability to be actively involved in and connected with their team's activities. In planning, an engaged manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the team and what to expect and how to get it. The engaged manager is present and involved in the team’s affairs. He knows them and they know him. There is a sense of trust and transparency and everyone knows what to expect from one another when the manager is engaged. When organizing, engagement means being aware of the team's dynamics and using the talents of each team member appropriately. In leading, an engaged manager is approachable and supportive. In controlling, the engaged manager is monitoring and providing feedback on performance. And in coordinating, an engaged manager is collaborative and communicative with all the moving parts of the team and departments (Block, 2016).

Relationship between Managers, Supervisors, and Employees

Managers typically operate at a strategic level by setting goals and strategies, setting schedules, and making decisions that affect day-to-day operations. Supervisors take the charge from the managers and head to the front lines, and are micro-focused on the operations, where they implement the strategies set by managers at the ground level. The relationship between managers and supervisors is important because it bridges the gap between high-level strategic planning and day-to-day operational activities. Effective communication and mutual respect between these two levels means that organizational strategies will more than likely be translated into actionable plans. Managers rely on supervisors to provide feedback from the front lines, so that they in turn can make informed decisions and adjustments in strategies or processes if necessary (Hill, 2003).

On the front lines, supervisors directly interact with employees and have a big impact on their daily work experiences. A good supervisor can both manage and lead, motivate and support employees. This relationship is needed for making the most of employee engagement. Supervisors who are effective communicators and empathetic leaders can create a positive work environment that supports productivity (Daniels & Whitener, 2003).

For an organization to reach its maximum potential, these relationships need to be nurtured and aligned with the organization's goals. This alignment is achieved through excellent communication, support and empowerment of all, recognition and respect, and collaborative teamwork.

Finding the Right Employee and Challenges in a Multicultural Society

Finding the right employee is a matter of matching the person with the skill and experience to do the job with the culture and brand of the organization. There needs to be fit between the individual, the workplace culture, the job, the expectations, and the ability to deliver.