The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Supplemental Self-Study Presentation

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Overview

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Introduction What is your toughest challenge as a supervisor? Every job has its challenges. What sets your job apart as a supervisor is that you manage people. So, your toughest challenges are likely to be employee-related issues. Take the Time to Do the Right Thing Supervising others can be extremely rewarding. But it can also be a big headache when employees don’t do what they’re supposed to, when they fight with each other, or when you have to lay off or terminate people. This program focuses on taking the time to do the right thing in these situations for the long-term success of the organization, the employees, and you. “There are three secrets to managing. The first secret is to have patience; the second is to be patient. And the third most important secret is patience. ” —Chuck Tanner, Major League Baseball manager

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Keys to Taking the Time Keep these three keys in mind as you face any tough challenge. They will help you take the time to do the right thing. Realism A realistic, down-toearth outlook will keep you on a path that is neither overly optimistic nor too pessimistic. Restraint is the opposite of impulsiveness. If you practice restraint, it will save you from many rash and poor decisions. Resolve Facing tough challenges requires determination and perseverance to do the right thing.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 1: Resolving Conflict Between Employees

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Conflict Strategy: Ignore It Conflict among employees is a major hassle for most supervisors. It is tempting to take the “quick fix” of ignoring conflict in hopes that it will die down on its own and they won’t have to deal with it. However, most conflicts only fester and get worse when left unresolved, and many employees need help resolving conflicts constructively. It is worth your time to do the right thing and help them. First, we’ll look at the “quick fix” strategies and when it might be appropriate to use them. Ignore it • Left alone, most situations will only get worse. • Ignoring may be appropriate if the conflict will resolve itself in a short period of time. For example, if two employees are arguing about sharing a workspace and additional space will be available soon.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Conflict Strategy: Work it Out Yourselves A second “quick fix” strategy is to tell employees to work it out themselves. This may or may not result in a permanent, positive outcome depending on the skills and intentions of those involved. Tell Employees to Work it out Themselves • This may be appropriate if you have seen evidence that one or both employees have successfully resolved a conflict in the past. • It is most likely to be effective if all employees have been trained in constructive conflict resolution.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Conflict Strategy: Impose a Resolution The third “quick fix” strategy requires a bit more time on your part. It is to get involved and impose a resolution. Impose a Resolution • When you impose a resolution, one side (or both) may be unhappy with the outcome. • It may be an appropriate strategy if the conflict is extremely time sensitive, such as a conflict about a client meeting scheduled to begin in the next hour.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Conflict Strategy: Mediation requires the most time on your part. However, it is a collaborative process so it has the best chance of achieving a permanent, positive outcome for everyone involved. Before you begin, establish ground rules with everyone involved. Typically, these will include treating everyone with respect, focusing on the issues and refraining from personal attacks, and keeping emotions in check. Follow a Framework • Allow each side to state his or her case. • Don’t interrupt or allow the other party to refute anything at this point. • Gather information and ask questions to separate facts from perceptions. • Agree on the facts and define the conflict.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Mediation Part 2 Once the facts have been established and the conflict has been defined, begin to focus on the solution. Then determine how the conflict is affecting the employee and workplace, it may help to ask questions such as these: • How is the conflict affecting work performance? • How is it damaging the relationship? • Is it affecting a client relationship? • Is it obstructing decision making? Explore Options Together • Ask each person to describe specific actions he or she would like to happen to resolve the situation. • Having each side state their preferences is a starting point for brainstorming solutions. • Though both sides will state what they would like to see happen, a mediated outcome will involve collaboration and compromise. • Decide on a solution that resolves the business-related problem and is satisfactory to all involved.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Identify which would be the best strategy to use for each of the situations below. When you’re ready, click each to reveal the answer. A. A. Best Mediate chance it of achieving a permanent, positive outcome. B. B. When Impose a resolution conflict is extremely time sensitive and must be resolved quickly. C. C. When Ignoreconflict it will resolve itself in a short period of time. D. When employees have trained in constructive conflict resolution. D. Employees work it outbeen themselves

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 2: Dealing with Problem Employees

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them What Kind of Problem Employee Do You Have? Do you recognize these behaviors in any of your employees? • A bully, always arguing and trying to get his or her own way • A know-it-all who speaks condescendingly to you and others • A gossip who talks about others behind their backs • An overly sensitive and emotional employee • An employee who always needs to be told what to do The problem employees we’re talking about here are irritating and annoying, but are performing up to expectations. If they are not, deal with them using the suggestions in Module Five: Discipline and Termination.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Lack Initiative One type of problem employee is someone who doesn’t take initiative. Symptoms • Always have to be told what to do next • Are afraid to take risks or act independently Solutions • Do you tell employees what to do? Make sure your own approach isn’t too overpowering or authoritative. • Give employees specific authority and trust them to use it wisely. Don’t second-guess decisions or require them to get permission from you for minor decisions. • Don’t penalize mistakes. Show employees it is part of the learning experience. • Praise efforts to take initiative—no matter how small.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Know-It-Alls Another type of problem employee is the know-it-all. Symptoms • Stubborn, constantly want to do things their way • Interrupt others, may be rude • Lack empathy • May have an unrealistic image of themselves Solutions • If they have a suggestion that seems reasonable, try it. Don’t dismiss a great idea merely because this person has a history of getting their way. • Try to understand why they believe their way is better, and make sure they haven’t made any faulty assumptions or jumped to inaccurate conclusions. • Help know-it-alls see themselves as others do. They may feel they are sharing important facts and may not realize they sound condescending or patronizing.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Whiners Another kind of problem employee is a whiner. Symptoms • Always complaining, nothing is ever right • Always blaming, nothing is ever their fault • Adopt a “poor me” mentality Solutions • When the whiner comes to you with a generalized complaint, ask for specific information and details. • Encourage the whiner to suggest concrete steps to address his or her complaint. • If you notice the whiner using absolutes like “always” and “never, ” gently but firmly remind him or her to avoid generalizing and jumping to conclusions. • Ask the whiner to envision an ideal solution or work environment and his or her suggestions for achieving it.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Backstabbers Another type of problem employee is a backstabber. Symptoms • Spread rumors, talk about others behind their backs • Take credit for others’ ideas • Share personal or confidential information • Say one thing and do another Solutions • Don’t listen to their gossip and criticism. • Don’t act on what they say unless you have confirmed the information with credible sources. • Don’t trust them with any confidential or sensitive information. • Keep written documentation of any backstabbing incidents you have experienced first-hand. • Confront them publicly. “Last week you told me you had serious reservations about this project, so I’m surprised you are supporting it now. ”

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Supervising Friends and Former Coworkers Supervising friends and former coworkers can also be a tricky situation. These people aren’t “problem employees” in the same sense as those we just talked about. However, supervising them can be challenging if others think you’re giving them preferential treatment. To minimize any impressions of favoritism, have a candid talk with your friend. • Acknowledge that your relationship will be different in the workplace than outside of it. • Talk about it directly with them. Ask for their support and state your expectations that they— and you—will act professionally and avoid discussing social activities at the office. • Refrain from spending too much time with them at lunch or during breaks. • Be discreet about work-related matters when socializing outside of work. Don’t discuss sensitive or confidential issues. And don’t talk about your social activities at work. • Be extra diligent about treating every employee fairly.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Consider for what type of problem employee it would be most effective to use each of the strategies below. Don’t listen to their gossip and criticism. Require a solution to be presented with every problem. Don’t require them to get permission for minor decisions. Try to find the logic from the employee’s point of view and address your concerns based on that.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Part 2 Consider for what type of problem employee it would be most effective to use each of the strategies below. Don’t listen to their gossip and criticism. Backstabbers Require a solution to be presented with every problem. Whiners Don’t require them to get permission for minor decisions. Employees who don’t take initiative. Try to find the logic from the employee’s point of view and address your concerns based on that. Know-it-alls

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 3: Dealing with Personal Problems

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Why Personal Problems Are Difficult As every supervisor knows, employees’ personal problems sometimes affect their work and behavior at the office. When your employees are dealing with personal problems, your goal is to balance your responsibilities to the organization with your desire to be understanding, sensitive and helpful. Personal problems are difficult to deal with for several reasons: • There’s no set policy to handle every potential problem. • You aren’t sure how to talk about the problem or how involved to get. • You feel you aren’t an adequate or effective counselor. • You don’t want to feel like you’re kicking employees when they’re down if they aren’t performing up to your expected standards.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Types of Personal Problems Personal problems can run the gamut; this list is only a brief example of the many problems employees can encounter. Keep in mind that a problem doesn’t have to be a major one to have an impact on an employee’s work. It can be a smaller but persistent issue such as unreliable childcare. • Divorce or relationship issues • Domestic violence • Drug or alcohol misuse or addiction • Chronically ill children or parents • Financial and/or legal problems • Kid troubles • Grief and loss

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them General Performance Issues No employee is perfect all the time. Everyone occasionally exhibits some of these performance problems. However, when one—or more—of these behaviors becomes a pattern, then you must address it. • Increased absences • Excessive time on personal phone calls • Increase in mistakes • Interpersonal conflicts • Errors in judgment • Arriving late and/or leaving early • Decrease in performance, such as the level of customer service provided • Difficulty completing tasks or meeting deadlines

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Specific Warning Signs As a supervisor, one of your responsibilities is to monitor the quality of your employees’ work. And being on alert for warning signs of personal problems is part of that. Repeated absenteeism and tardiness are warning signs of personal problems that must not be ignored. Absenteeism can also occur while on the job. • Repeated unscheduled or unexplained absences • Unusual and improbable excuses for being away • Frequent and/or lengthy trips to the restroom • Frequent and/or lengthy breaks • Unexplained absence from work station • Repeated tardiness, especially following weekends or when returning from lunch Be right back

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Conduct Issues If you notice a change in an employee’s personality or temperament, that may be a sign of an underlying personal problem. You should be concerned if an employee is involved in more conflicts than usual or seems to be lashing out at coworkers or customers. Other displays of poor conduct that could indicate an underlying issue are: • Wide mood swings • Inappropriate reactions • Irrational decisions • Erratic work patterns of high and low performance • Appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs • Threats of violence to self, others, or property Don’t jump to conclusions. Some physical ailments or disabilities may mimic behaviors that appear to point to alcohol or drug addiction.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Documentation and Preparation As a supervisor, you need to address all performance issues. Record specific, observable behaviors that have a negative impact on the employee’s work performance or the workplace in general. • • Record what you observed, when it occurred, who was involved or any other witnesses, and any action taken at the time. Review the stated performance expectations for the position. Review your assessment of the employee’s performance against those expectations. Determine how much deviation is acceptable if there is a gap between what is expected and what is being done. Consult your HR staff to ensure you are following policies and procedures correctly. For example, you may have to create a written performance improvement plan.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Meeting with the Employee A critical step in addressing an employee’s less-than-stellar performance is, of course, meeting with the employee. The focus of the discussion should be on the employee’s work performance. If the employee brings up personal problems, avoid giving advice or counseling. • Meet with the employee privately. • Share your documentation. Focus on workplace behaviors that are negatively affecting performance. • Share your desire to help the employee improve his or her performance. • Be honest about potential repercussions and explain the consequences if performance doesn’t improve to stated expectations. • Gain the employee’s commitment to improve, which should include deadlines for following up.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them The Personal Side of Personal Problems Identifying performance problems is your responsibility. However, diagnosing and treating complex underlying issues is not your responsibility. You can certainly have compassion for an employee’s situation, but as a supervisor, you must remain focused on performance. Your direct involvement should be related to helping the employee get his or her performance back on track. If your organization has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), it can be a valuable resource. Getting skilled professional help to support employees in easing or solving their personal problems is not only the right thing to do, it’s good for business.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Read each statement and decide if it is true or false. Click on the item to reveal the answer. A. Performance issues due to personal problems shouldn’t be addressed immediately. FALSE B. If an employee has a personal problem, you should counsel him or her on what to do. FALSE C. It is your responsibility to diagnose an employee’s personal problem. TRUE D. Physical ailments or disabilities may mimic behaviors that appear to point to alcohol or drug addiction.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 4: Discipline and Termination

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Adopt a Mindset Having to fire an employee is probably at or near the top of the list of toughest challenges as a supervisor. Discipline and termination are important and difficult activities. However, they are necessary at times, so you’ll need to adopt a certain mindset. • Channel your energy into challenging yourself to handle the situation well. Keep in mind that you are disciplining the behavior, not the person. • Recognize that you often have a dual role as a supervisor: o On one hand, you are dedicated to helping the employee improve. o On the other hand, you may need to build a defensible case for firing that person if necessary.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Establish Guidelines and Expectations Your goal is for the employee’s performance to improve to an acceptable level. So, how can you make sure that you and your employee are on the same page about what is considered “acceptable”? • Establish clear, written guidelines and expectations of performance for each position. • Provide a written conduct policy, which typically includes prohibition of: • o Theft or improper use of company property o Falsification of time or production records o Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol o Fighting or threatening violence o Insubordination or disrespectful conduct o Violation of health or safety rules The conduct policy should also include examples of possible disciplinary actions for problematic behavior and low performance such as a formal warning, suspension, and termination.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Proactive Performance Management In addition to keeping accurate documentation, it’s critical to address performance issues as soon as they occur. Don’t wait until an employee has missed 5 important meetings before you approach them. This will minimize the stress of disciplining and reduce the risk of legal action in the case of termination. • Document performance and attendance on an ongoing basis. • Rate performance evaluations fairly and honestly. o If you rate an employee higher than he or she deserves and you need to initiate a disciplinary action later, your documentation won’t support it.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Progressive Discipline Sometimes, an employee will violate your organization’s code of conduct for which the consequence is immediate termination. That should be stated in the written manual. Otherwise, most organization use a system of progressive discipline. Progressive discipline typically consists of the following four steps. 1. Verbal warning. Example: “You arrived late to work on the 14 th, 15 th, and 22 nd of this month. The rest of the group had to field extra calls until you got in. If you are late again, you will receive a written reprimand. Do I have your commitment to be on time? ” Remember to document the first warning and include it in the employee’s file. 2. Written reprimand. Record the violation, the date of the previous occurrence, and the consequences of future violations. Present this document to the employee and have them sign it.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Progressive Discipline Part 2 3. Suspension. This is implemented with or without pay, depending on the organization. State the violation, the dates of previous occurrences, and the consequence of future violations (termination). Ask the employee to decide whether or not he or she chooses to follow the rules and improve performance to stated expectations, or leave the organization. 4. Termination. Before terminating an employee, make sure that you have taken all reasonable steps to help the employee improve. Ask yourself whethere is a solid case for termination. If so, consider these questions: o When will it be done? Who will be in the meeting? What, specifically, will be said? o What are the plans for the employee and the rest of the staff immediately following the meeting? Will you meet as a group? What will you tell them? How will this affect them?

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Terminating the Employee Usually, you (as the direct supervisor) will do the actual termination, although it is helpful to have a neutral third party present to observe and help keep the atmosphere from getting heated. In the termination meeting: • Be direct. Clearly state that the employee is being terminated and the reason(s) why. • Termination shouldn’t come as a surprise to the employee if progressive discipline has been followed; however, be prepared to handle a variety of emotions from the employee. • Do not apologize or engage in an argument about whether the termination is necessary. • Explain procedures for final paycheck, unused sick or vacation time and severance, if any. • Give the employee time to respond ask questions.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Read each statement rephrase it in a way that follows the guidelines for conducting a termination conversation. When you’re ready, click on each statement to reveal a suggested answer. “Hi, Jim. you? How are the kids? ” “Jim, I’ve How calledare you in to discuss your performance. ” “Your performance has not met the standards we established and documented in our last “I’m really sorry, but your performance hasn’t improved enough, so we have to let you go. ” meeting, therefore we are terminating your employment. ” “I“You’re know this is difficult. toland answer any questions you have about the termination a great guy and. I’mavailable sure you’ll on your feet. ” process. ”

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 5: Dealing with Layoffs

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Develop a Plan Undergoing a layoff is a difficult event, both for the employees losing their jobs and for the employees remaining, not to mention for the supervisor dealing with it all! To conduct a layoff as smoothly as possible: • Plan and coordinate with your HR department. Make sure you follow all policies and procedures correctly. • Decide when and how you will tell the employees who will be laid off, and when and how you will tell those remaining. • Be clear about the reasons for the layoff, what other options were considered, and why certain positions are being cut. • Consider developing a script to guide your conversation.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Meeting with Your Employee Here’s a sample script to guide your conversation. This is not the time for small talk; dive in with the bad news. • “It’s hard for me to tell you this, and I know it’s harder for you to hear it. As you know, we have made many cuts throughout the organization over the last six months. At this time, we must eliminate some positions in the organization, and yours is one of them. I’m here to help you as you make this transition. ” • Once you’ve finished, allow time for employees to process the news. • As a final step, describe any procedures that must be done and any options available to help them deal with the transition. For instance, when to clean out their workspace, outplacement services they can contact, who can help them with paperwork, and so on.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Meeting with the Remaining Employees Another crucial step of a layoff is meeting with the employees who aren’t being let go. Communicating quickly and honestly with all employees is crucial for minimizing the negative effects of a layoff. Before you meet with them, anticipate their reactions. They will likely feel: • Fear and uncertainty • Distrust of management, sense of unfairness • Sadness, survivor’s guilt • Frustration, resentment, anger • Optimism, opportunity In addition to telling your remaining employees, tell your customers directly. Don’t allow them to draw conclusions about your organization based on hearsay.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Keep the Remaining Employees Engaged Take extra time to ask how people are doing. Don’t tell them how they should feel; instead, listen and respond empathetically to what they tell you. Regain Positive Momentum • Share your plan for how work will get done. • Set attainable short-term goals and celebrate with your employees when they are accomplished. • Encourage employees to focus on what they can control—taking care of themselves mentally and physically and doing their best work. • Ask what they need and want, and try to give it to them if possible. • Ask what the rumors are, and then confirm or set the record straight.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Module 6: Crisis Management

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Characteristics of a Crisis Like personal problems, crises take many shapes and forms. They can be natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. They can be technological, such as software failures, industrial accidents, or oil spills. They can be ethical or criminal, such as product tampering, embezzlement or violence. They can be economic, such as a sudden and unexpected drop off in sales. Or random and unforeseen, such as the abrupt departure of a high ranking executive. In all these cases, each crisis shares similar characteristics: • Surprise • Uncertainty • Tension • Lack of control • Lack of information • Necessary immediate action

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Be a Leader When a crisis occurs, most people’s instincts are to overreact by becoming angry, upset, afraid or panicked. But what employees need from their supervisor is leadership. Therefore, take a deep breath and respond with realism, restraint, and resolve. To be a good leader during a crisis, you’ll need to: • Take control and take responsibility. • If sacrifices must be made, go first and set the example. • Be accessible to your employees. • Communicate frequently and thoroughly, and don’t isolate yourself from them. • Remain optimistic but realistic. • Get the facts before making a decision. Ask questions and gather information quickly.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Crisis Planning Since there are so many potential crises, you can’t develop specific strategies to address every single one you might face; however, you can develop a plan for how you will react and handle an emergency situation. Anticipate • Periodically ask, “What could happen that would disrupt, interfere, or obstruct business as usual? ” • Imagine the worst case scenario that could happen and then identify the consequences. Develop a Contingency Plan • Begin with the worst-case scenario consequences you identified, and work back from there to develop steps to handle them. • What would you do first? Next? Who would be involved? What resources would you need? How would they be organized and activated? • Get input from others and get their input before putting your plan in writing.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Contingency Plan Template This is an extremely simplified version of a thorough contingency plan, but it gives you an idea of the type of information you need to consider and collect. Worst-case scenario: _______________________________ Other critical situations: ______________________________ Consequences: _________________________________ Financial: _______________________________ Personnel: _______________________________ Communications: ____________________________ Technology: ______________________________ Reputation: ______________________________ Crisis management team: Name Emergency phone # __________________________

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Test Your Knowledge Read the scenario, then, for each item decide if it is an effective or ineffective behavior. Scenario: You are the supervisor at a regional airline. A customer has tweeted a negative comment about your customer service, and it has gone viral. Ineffective 1. Immediately defend your company’s actions. Effective 2. Get the facts before making a decision. 3. Try to bury the comment and cover it up. Ineffective 4. Ask someone else to handle the fallout. Ineffective 5. Focus on problem solving before figuring out what went wrong. Effective

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Review

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them CASE STUDY—Apply What You’ve Learned Read the case study and answer the questions that follow in order to put your skills into practice. Organization: A large national insurance company. People: Richard is a supervisor in the Claims Department. Andrew is a claims processor who has worked at the company for two years, the last four months of them for Richard. Stephanie is a claims processor who has worked at the company for eight years. Situation: Andrew is known to be ambitious and has a reputation for being selfish. He is frequently critical of others behind their backs. He always seems to be at the center of gossip and rumors, though he denies spreading them.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them CASE STUDY—Apply What You’ve Learned Part 2 Richard has noticed a change in his department’s atmosphere since Andrew joined it. Other employees seem more on edge, Stephanie in particular. Stephanie has always seen the glass as half empty. If there’s a problem, she’ll point it out. No matter what Richard has suggested, Stephanie is never happy. Just yesterday she complained to Richard that Andrew had a better workspace with more natural light than she did. Richard is considering having Andrew transferred to another department. However, Andrew is a high performer who is improving the overall productivity and quality measures for Richard’s department. Plus, he can’t pinpoint any specific performance issue. As far as Stephanie goes, Richard is used to her attitude and just kind of tunes her out.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them CASE STUDY—Questions to Consider 1. How would you describe Andrew in terms of a “problem” employee? Stephanie? 2. Is there a performance issue with Andrew? With Stephanie? How does that affect Richard’s choices in how to deal with each person? 3. Has Richard made any mistakes or missteps in dealing with Andrew and/or Stephanie so far? 4. What, if anything, should Richard do about Andrew? About Stephanie? Review the ideas and suggested answers provided on the following slides.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them CASE STUDY—Suggested Answers 1. How would you describe Andrew in terms of a “problem” employee? Stephanie? Andrew is a backstabber (talking about others behind their backs, gossiping, spreading rumors) and Stephanie is a whiner (always complaining, nothing is ever right). 2. Is there a performance issue with Andrew? With Stephanie? How does that affect Richard’s choices in how to deal with each person? There is no performance issue with Andrew, in fact, he is a high performer. There is no evidence of a performance problem with Stephanie either. That means Richard’s approach will not involve discipline, rather, changing his approach with each one to hopefully lead to different behaviors.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them CASE STUDY—Suggested Answers Part 2 3. Has Richard made any mistakes or missteps in dealing with Andrew and/or Stephanie so far? It looks like Richard has done nothing to deal with Andrew, which could be considered a mistake. Additionally, it sounds like Richard has made suggestions when Stephanie has complained; this is an ineffective strategy when dealing with a whiner because she will never be satisfied. 4. What, if anything, should Richard do about Andrew? About Stephanie? Richard can choose to do nothing, but he should expect nothing to change. Instead, Richard should try to minimize the negative effects of Andrew’s backstabbing. He should confront Andrew any time he notices that Andrew says one thing and does another, or says one thing in front of certain people and something else in front of other people. With Stephanie, Richard should ask her to refrain from complaining unless she has a solution to suggest for the problem. He can guide her away from complaining and toward constructive problem solving.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Congratulations! By now you should be able to: • Use realism, restraint, and resolve when facing any tough challenge. • Resolve conflicts effectively between employees, choosing the most appropriate strategy. • Deal with layoffs in a way that minimizes negative effects. • Show support for employees with performance issues while building a defensible case for discipline and/or termination if necessary. • Handle employees’ personal problems with sensitivity and fairness. • Take control and responsibility in a crisis situation.

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them Appendix

The Toughest Supervisor Challenges and How to Overcome Them References Badaracco, Joseph L. , Jr. Leading Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002. Fournies, Ferdinand F. Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed To Do and What To Do about It. New York: Mc. Graw-Hill, 1999. Runion, Meryl. Perfect Phrases for Managers and Supervisors, second edition. New York: Mc. Graw-Hill, 2010. Tracy, Brian. Crunch Point: The 21 Secrets to Succeeding When It Matters Most. New York: AMACOM, 2006.

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