How to be a competent supervisor?
[Workplace Interpersonal Relationship Series]
Being a supervisor is an honor and a responsibility. This is the trust and entrustment of your superiors to you, and it is also a test for you to climb upward; it is a glorious challenge and an opportunity for growth. The mission of a team leader is to lead this group of people to complete the tasks assigned by their superiors. It is necessary to connect the past and the future, make good use of wisdom and ability, motivate subordinates, and work together to complete the mission as scheduled.
What does a supervisor need to know?
First of all, you must clearly understand the content of your mission, not only understand the expectations of your superiors, but also know in detail what authority and resources you have. In particular, how much is the human resources and financial budget? How long will it take to complete? What assistance is needed from other departments? Therefore, you must have a good relationship and in-depth communication with your superiors, so that your superiors can keep abreast of the situation, rest assured and trust what you are doing.
In addition to knowing your job, you also need to know your subordinates. You must know yourself and your enemy, not only understand your own situation, but also work hard to win the trust and support of your subordinates. Not only do you need to know people well, but you also need to know how to lead troops and care. I really like the teaching in the Bible about leading people like a shepherd; I firmly believe that you must lead your subordinates with love and heart. The Lord Jesus said: "As you would like others to treat you, you also must treat others." (Matthew 7:12) We have all had the experience of being led by others. Now that we are lucky enough to be in charge, we should put ourselves in their shoes and think about how to lead our subordinates. .
The Psalms describe King David's leadership: "He shepherded them with the integrity of his heart; he guided them with the skill of his hands" (78:72). I sum it up as: lead with a cool head, a warm heart, and a skillful approach.
Proverbs also teaches us: “Know the condition of your flocks and take care of your herds; for riches do not last forever, and how can a crown endure to all generations?” (27:23-24) It is God who can be in charge. You are just a steward who has been entrusted with the gift of God temporarily. You must be a loyal, kind and knowledgeable steward, and seize the opportunity to glorify God and benefit others.
In today's free society, supervisors choose their subordinates, and subordinates choose their supervisors. If you follow the right supervisor, you will benefit a lot in your life; but if you follow the wrong supervisor, you will not only waste your youth, but even suffer consequences, and you will regret it for the rest of your life. As the saying goes: "The generals are incompetent and the entire army is exhausted." Some managers are autocratic and domineering, greedy for fame, irritating each other, domineering, and mysterious; some managers are timid, indecisive, moody, and change orders from day to day, leaving people at a loss as to what to do.
Popular and Unpopular Leadership Traits
In his book "360 Degrees of Leadership", John Maxwell lists seven types of leaders that most people don't like to follow:
1. Insecure leaders
2. Leaders without vision
3. Incompetent leaders
4. Selfish leaders
5. Chameleon-like leaders
6. Leaders who like to exercise power
7. Leaders who like to control others
He also mentioned that people like to follow leaders who make people think:
1. I know him
2. I trust him
3. I respect him
4. I can get close to him
5. I admire him
Therefore, "how to become a leader that people are willing to follow for a long time" is an important topic. The apostle Paul taught Timothy, "Do not let anyone look down upon you because of your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity." (1 Timothy 4:12) In today's society , we need good role models even more. "Leadership is influence." Supervisors are with their subordinates every day, and your words and deeds have a direct and powerful impact on their subordinates.
The SHAPE principle of knowing people and assigning them well
How can you learn more about the condition of your flock? I appreciate the SHAPE principle. It can help you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your subordinates, understand their characteristics and weaknesses, arrange everyone in the most suitable position, know people well and do their job well, strive to have the right people in the right place, and give full play to the power of teamwork. If unfortunately you put people in the wrong position, you will get twice the result with half the effort and ineffective results.
What does SHAPE mean?
S: Strength. First, make sure everyone has the skills needed for the job, and it’s important to place people wherever possible where their strengths can be leveraged rather than highlighting their weaknesses.
H: Heart. The ability to reflect strengths and show the enthusiasm of subordinates with their heart and soul. You need to know the interests and enthusiasm of your subordinates, and put them in the right position, and your subordinates will be like a fish in water and show their talents.
A: Attitude. People with good attitudes are usually team players and teachable. People with bad attitudes are often self-righteous, critical, and sow discord. Attitude is more important than ability. If there is a subordinate with a bad attitude, even if the ability is very good, he must give up as soon as possible to avoid endless troubles.
P:Personality. Everyone is influenced by a unique personality, some are extroverts and some are introverts. Some people like to stay the same, and some people like to seek innovation and change. People who have a low tolerance for change often find it difficult to take on important tasks.
E: Experience. This does not refer to the experience of a single event, but to multiple experiences in the past. Everyone is a product of their life experiences. Therefore, in order to find the right person for the right job, you must first understand whether the past life experience of your subordinates matches the duties assigned to them.
Leadership is an art, a way of life, not a skill
In addition to knowing people well and doing their jobs well, you must also help your subordinates get to know you. To earn their trust, you must demonstrate integrity, integrity, fairness, and tolerance. Set clear standards for high performance and continually communicate your values and mission. Create a vision for the team effort and their role in it. Subordinates should receive necessary information at any time so that they feel safe. Regular rotation of subordinates should be provided to try to make everyone's work fresh and challenging. Always show your face in front of your subordinates and emphasize the importance of every position.
Supervisors should set clear goals and guide the way forward. Be like a shepherd, leading the way before your flock. To guide subordinates, use communication and persuasion instead of coercion. Give subordinates space to perform, but let them know where the boundaries are.
Supervisors must have the courage to take responsibility and must not shirk responsibility. We must adhere to the principles of integrity, fairness and impartiality, and must not be biased to protect others' shortcomings or form cliques for selfish gains. If you encounter difficulties, you should be calm, calm, calm, confident, and commanding. In this way, you can win the trust and respect of your subordinates. Protect your subordinates at all times and argue for them. We should lend a helping hand at the right time, support those who fall, and encourage those who fail. Mistakes must be corrected in a timely manner and work progress must be constantly reviewed. We must be brave enough to find out the bad apples and work hard to maintain the honor of the team.
Strictly speaking, leadership is an art and a way of life, not a skill. A good manager should be one who fears God and loves others as himself. His (her) character earns the trust and respect of his subordinates, who are willing to accept his (her) leadership wholeheartedly, and are willing to follow him (her) for a long time and follow his (her) example. The Lord Jesus is our best example. He said, "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant; whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant. For the Son of Man did not come to be served; "Serve others." (Mark 10:43-45) He also said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is It is easy, my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
Note:
Adapted from Kevin Leman & William Pentak, The Way of the Shepherd, Zondervan, 2004. (Chinese translation: Leman & William Pentak, "The Shepherd's Management Wisdom", Taiwan Think Tank Press, 2005.)
Author profile
Lin Fengliang served as chairman and CEO of Payless Car Rental System Inc., one of the six largest car rental companies in the United States, from 1989 to 2013. Currently, he is a director of the Christian Messenger Association and is dedicated to the ministry of workplace missions and corporate transformation.