Tips & Advice for Supervisors

It's not easy treading that fine line between colleague and manager – keeping an eye on standards, quality and performance while still being one of the team.  Still, something made you shine and put you in this position of responsibility.

Here are some tips to help you along:

1. Keep asking questions.  "How can we do this better?", "Show me how you're getting on", "Is this the most efficient way to work", etc.  Use the collective experience and imagination of your team to improve performance and build trust.
2. Take time to find out about your team members; their hobbies, families, holiday plans, etc.
3. Be professional at ALL times. You cannot be mumbling about the management over a coffee and then representing them on the shop floor.
4. Walk the walk. Remember how you felt about managers who said "Do as I say, not as I do"? Well, don't be like them.
5. Stay in touch with management. Find out what new ideas and strategies are on the cards and take an interest in the bigger picture.
6. Offer suggestions to senior managers about more effective ways of working, use of resources, new markets, etc. Even if they're not used, you're showing interest and initiative.
7. Take part in recruitment and selection for new members of your team.
8. Watch your language, tone and demeanour with colleagues. Be consistent at all times, so that people know how best to communicate with you.
9. Volunteer to mentor and train a new or upcoming member of the team. Pass on your expertise and help someone else to see their potential.
10. Be happy, consistent and effective in your role (even on the days when you feel anything but), and your team will be happy, consistent and effective too.