| Many leaders in health and human services have | | | | to take on new tasks and challenges while the |
| witnessed a shift in behaviors in the workforce's views | | | | supervisor can cultivate new talent. Collaboration does |
| regarding longevity -- particularly among "new" | | | | not mean a supervisor abdicates authority and |
| workers in the specialty. As leaders, we used to see | | | | responsibility for oversight. However, true collaboration |
| newer workers transition to other positions within our | | | | results from a relationship based on honesty, trust, |
| organizations or to a different organization. This has | | | | presumption of positive intent and open communication. |
| changed in the past several years, and we now | | | | Collaborative supervision provides an opportunity to |
| witness new workers enter, "do their time" and move | | | | address issues reciprocally in order to reach a shared |
| into the private sector OR leave the health and human | | | | goal without fear of judgment, ridicule, or breach of |
| services field completely. | | | | confidentiality. |
| Strong recruitment practices play an important, integral | | | | All the reflection and collaboration in the world will not |
| role in bringing fresh, vibrant and competent talent to | | | | make for a successful supervisory relationship if |
| the workforce. I sometimes wonder what would | | | | regular interaction between the employee and |
| happen if we would apply comparable time, energy, | | | | supervisor does not exist. A supervisor who protects |
| and resources used in recruiting talent to integrating | | | | regular, designated supervision time from cancellation |
| and sustaining these new workers. Once on board, an | | | | gives both new and seasoned employees strong |
| employee usually receives the company/position | | | | messages: |
| orientation and required training that we hope lead to | | | | - I value you and your contribution. |
| success on the job. However, do we continue to | | | | - I believe in investing in your professional development. |
| assess the "goodness of fit" between the employee, | | | | - I want you to succeed and pursue "goodness of fit" |
| the expected functions of the position, and the | | | | between your passions, strengths, and the work you |
| company? Do we view the new employee with an | | | | do. Remember, employees watch, listen and take their |
| eye to "growing our own" and retention? Supervisory | | | | cues from leaders: |
| interactions can provide us opportunities to assess and | | | | - Does my leader make time for supervision, for me? |
| observe. | | | | - Does my leader believe in what we do? Does my |
| Our approach to supervision, however, can make all | | | | leader "walk the talk"? As a leader, I now check in with |
| the difference in how effectively we integrate a new | | | | myself about every four to six months and review the |
| employee into our work teams and assess "goodness | | | | following questions: |
| of fit" and potential for growth. On becoming a | | | | - What tone do I set in the workplace? Have I set a |
| supervisor, I understood the oversight function of | | | | tone of discovery, collaboration, trust and |
| supervision and the necessity of performance | | | | transparency? |
| evaluations. However, when faced with multiple | | | | - In general, do I dread or look forward to supervision |
| demands from my workplace, I often thought of | | | | with employees? |
| supervision and performance evaluations as merely | | | | - How and why do I look forward to (or dread) |
| constructs that licensing entities and/or my company's | | | | employee-specific supervision? |
| HR department required. These functions became just | | | | - How frequently do I schedule supervision with each |
| one more thing that I had to "make time for" in the | | | | employee? To what extent do I individualize the |
| midst of limited resources. | | | | frequency and duration of supervision for each |
| Eventually, I adjusted my view of supervision having | | | | employee? |
| had experiences of both success and failure. I now | | | | - How many times did I cancel supervision in the past |
| consider supervision a discovery process for | | | | quarter with each employee and for what reason? |
| professional development, skill building and workforce | | | | - To what extent do I believe in employee partnership |
| integration. Regular, collaborative, and reflective | | | | in the company, especially in the development of |
| supervision provide me with "designated time" to | | | | processes, policies, evaluation, performance |
| observe and listen for the signs, symptoms and | | | | improvement, and employee recruitment and retention? |
| indicators of where things stand with an employee, | | | | If I believe in it, what recent evidence do I have or do I |
| especially during an employee's first year on the job. | | | | see of such a partnership? |
| Employees watch and learn months beyond the | | | | - How clearly and effectively does the company use |
| required initial orientation and job training. They continue | | | | behavioral indicators to describe the functions of the |
| to watch and take note of the interactions and | | | | position in both the job descriptions and the |
| management styles of their leaders and co-workers. | | | | performance evaluation tools? How well do the |
| Employees use this information as they make | | | | behavioral indicators align with the vision, mission, and |
| decisions about their investment in the work and the | | | | values of the company? |
| company. Supervision based on honesty, trust, and | | | | - Do I review work goals, expected outcomes and |
| self-reflection can help create "an environment in which | | | | actual performance with every employee and not just |
| people do their best thinking-one characterized by | | | | new employees? If yes, how often we have these |
| safety, calmness, and support." In such an environment, | | | | reviews? Do we do this at least every six (6) months? |
| the supervisor can help the employee answer individual | | | | Is this enough? If no, what prevents me from this |
| questions and guide decision making. The supervisor | | | | review? |
| also can support the employee's professional | | | | - Do employees take an active role in the |
| development especially by helping the employee | | | | performance evaluation process or just "leave it to |
| continually assess performance that includes strengths, | | | | me" to evaluate them? |
| limits, and vulnerabilities; and make mid-course, real time | | | | - What do I know of each employee's professional |
| corrections in performance. | | | | development goals -- one, three and five years out? |
| Supervision based on collaboration (or teamwork) | | | | Supervision provides leaders with opportunities to |
| emphasizes sharing responsibility and control of power. | | | | check in, determine the status of expected |
| Knowledge about the people one serves, the work | | | | deliverables and progress on projects, and pause |
| itself, and oneself within the work increases an | | | | WITH their employees to reflect on the directions for |
| employee's confidence, effectiveness, control and | | | | the coming months. Entering supervision with a |
| power especially in ambiguous situations. A spirit of | | | | collaborative stance and embracing these meetings |
| collaboration makes room for open dialogue between | | | | with employees as an essential tool for performance |
| the employee and supervisor about issues affecting | | | | discovery and development should prevent dread of |
| the program and the staff member. Collaborative | | | | supervision - from yourself or your employees. |
| supervision also gives the supervisor and the | | | | Supervision will be viewed as designated time to |
| employee opportunities to clarify expectations of one | | | | address pertinent issues and hold one another |
| another and reciprocally express views about the | | | | accountable. |
| work. Further, the employee can discuss the potential | | | | |