Prepare for Promotion to Supervisor by asking these Five Questions
You are thinking about applying for a new team leader, supervisor or manager position. You are imagining the prestige, the new found power you’ll have and hopefully a raise! Unfortunately the initial excitement and glamor of the promotion will be replaced with the realities that confront every new leader: Stress and pressure to deliver results; […]
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New Supervisors: Technically Competent but not Leadership Competent
The vast majority of new front line supervisors are promoted from within based on their technical skills. They quickly learn that it’s the people dynamic that can be the most frustrating and stressful. One study revealed that most leaders are on the job for 13 years before they get access to leadership training. Learning through […]
MoreThree Curious Leadership Lessons for Front Line Leaders from Donald Trump
Now that the U.S. election is behind us, there are some interesting lessons that front line supervisors and managers in operations and manufacturing environments can take by observing the significant support expressed by those who voted for Donald Trump. This article doesn’t condone or support unacceptable behaviors towards women or immigrants, nor does it support […]
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Dealing with Dominant and Disrespectful Employees
A popular topic in the Front Line Leadership course is dealing with different personality styles. And one thing supervisors say is quite challenging is when one their employees has a dominant, driver personality type. A dominant employee will typically do these things: – Boss around their co-workers. – Tell their supervisor what to do. – […]
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Workplace Conflict – Educate to Overcome Ignorance – Three leadership tips to harness the positive side of workplace conflict
Are you in the majority of people who see conflict as destructive and avoid it at all costs? Or do you see conflict as an essential ingredient to create a healthy organization and reap the rewards of continuous improvement? The root cause of most conflict is ignorance – either I don’t fully understand your perspective […]
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3 Destructive Things Leaders Say and Shouldn’t
In more than 25 years working with organizations, we’ve seen and heard lots of… ahem… questionable behavior. There are three cringeworthy phrases that say a lot about a leader’s attitude towards his or her people and contribute to a lack of engagement. Destructive Phrase Number 1: We Don’t Pay You to Think How insulting is […]
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3 Steps to Create Career Progression When Promotions Are Scarce
In today’s flatter organizations, promotions are scarce and yet younger workers want continuous career progression. (See our recent post on Decoding the Mysteries of Managing Millennials.) Whether your role is more senior in the organization, or you are a front line supervisor or team leader, there are a few simple steps you can take to […]
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5 Reasons a Simple Notebook is a Supervisor’s Most Valuable Tool
Front line supervisors, managers and team leaders can have a positive impact on their success if they use a simple pocket sized notebook as part of their daily management routine. The most obvious use of the notebook will be to document issues that support progressive discipline but that’s only the beginning. Can the simple notebook […]
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Missed Opportunity to Motivate with Metrics
How did one client boost output on one of their production lines? Simple, it began with the question, “At what speed is this machine designed to run?” The answer was surprising – the machine was running at 30% less than it could have been running. There can be some good reasons to run a machine […]
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Joy, Peace, Hope and yes, even Love at Work
Lately I’ve been more aware of the various stresses and worries that lurk just below the surface of many of my colleagues, clients and friends. Whether it is the stresses of work, illnesses of loved ones or personal health challenges, many of the people around you are likely facing similar concerns and you can make […]
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