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Welcome to SuperVision

Next scheduled sessions
What Folks Are Saying...
Registration Information
Overview
Pre-Session Quiz
Mission Statement (Permission Statement)
The "Non" Exit Interview
New Employee Orientation
Give 'Em What They Want
Feedback Model
Ask Yourself
100 Ways of Saying, "Thank You!"

Next scheduled sessions

Upcoming SuperVision training in 2010

To be scheduled

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What Folks are Saying...

...About SuperVision Training:

I would highly recommend it not only for a supervisor, but an employee as well.
I would definitely recommend it. Great tools.
I will be a strong advocate for this course. Please encourage supervisors to attend.
I feel I can go back to work and use tools and make a difference. There is hope!
So many interesting ideas and topics to think about. Great for new supervisors and old pros. Everyone will learn something from this workshop.
Gets your mind moving!

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Registration Information

If you're interested in signing up for an upcoming SuperVision session, please contact:

Bill Oberg, 402-471-4122
Shannon Moncure, 402-471-3053

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Overview

What?

SuperVision is a three day session for

new / first time supervisors

supervisors seeking improvement

people looking to advance into supervision / management

team leaders

Why?

Demand

Feedback from employees (for example, at the Governor's Annual Summit), and feedback from agencies has spotlighted first line supervisors as a primary improvement opportunity.

Impact

Perhaps the most important factor in an employee's success, retention, and job satisfaction is their relationship with their immediate supervisor. One of the keys to greater successes from our employees is improving the quality of our supervision / leadership.

Imagine...

...a group of approximately 15 participants led by 3 facilitators, introducing and practicing integral supervisory tools (interaction, feedback, coaching, appreciation, etc.)

...balancing theory and reality...highly interactive...and allowing sufficient time for exploration and customization.

How?

SuperVision has been developed as a low-cost/self-service/turn-key alternative for State Agencies...your own people trained to deliver the program...your own opportunities to customize/supplement the material.

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Pre-Session Quiz

(just jot down some answers...but don't worry, we're not taking names and giving grades)

How do you motivate people to succeed?
How do you find the right answer when you don't know the right answer?
How do you get what you want?
How can I be successful?
What are some of the barriers in my way and what do I do about them?
Are you doing things right or doing the right things?

Answers available through SuperVision

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Mission Statement (Permission Statement)

Mission Statements almost always spring from the best of intentions, but are rarely as effective as hoped. Why not convert the Mission Statement into a Permission Statement? It might be more meaningful to employees and the organization.

Permission to...

Think--it's okay to question why we do the things we do.
Reflect--it's okay to take a step back from the "urgent" and spend some time on the "important".
Collaborate--within your group or outside of it...without seeking advance clearance.
Disagree--change and improvement is at best messy, as is rarely unanimous.
Disagree Strongly--it's okay to strongly advocate your position...which also goes along with respecting others who disagree with yours.
Invent--which also means it's okay to make safe mistakes in the effort to improve things.
Decide as best one can--without constant second-guessing from others.
Be Different--often the weirdest people are the ones with the best ideas.

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The "Non" Exit Interview

Why do we wait until an employee is leaving to find out "what went wrong?" Perhaps we should look for opportunities to be preventive rather than reactive?

Possible Questions

(pick your top questions...perhaps give them to people in advance of the conversation)

What is it that first attracted you to working here?
Is it still true?
What do you like about working here?
What would lure you away?
What parts of your job do you particularly enjoy?...why?
If you had to choose among working with people, data, things, or ideas, which mixture would make you the happiest?...why?
What talents do you believe you bring to the job?...and how do you use them?
What makes you unique in this organization?
What parts of your job do you dislike or avoid?...why?
What are you struggling with all the time?
Tell me about an accomplishment of which you are particularly proud.
Are you challenged in your day-to-day work?
Are you recognized for your accomplishments?
Are your talents and skills matched to your career goals?
Is there training you would like to go to?
Do you get regular feedback on how you're doing from your customers, co-workers, supervisor?
If there was one thing you'd like to see changed around here, what would it be?
What would make your life easier?
What are your most important values...and which values are met and not met at work?
Let's make this reciprocal...what questions would you bounce back to me or ask of me?

Consider Your Responses...

avoid "That's unrealistic" messages
consider what can you say "yes" to

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New Employee Orientation

An excellent way to improve your new employee orientation is to hold a team meeting...

Sit everyone in a circle (preferable without tables).
Grab some old scratch paper (clean on one side)...give everyone a piece and a marker, and have them write their name on it (in large letters)...and just lay the piece of paper out in front of them.
Ask the question: What's one thing you like about working here? Ask for everyone to volunteer just one thing...take volunteers, don't put people on the spot by calling on them or forcing them to answer.
Ask the question: What does success look like to us? Again, encourage everyone to volunteer one thing...either a word, phrase, or short description.
Ask the question: One thing ___________ (new employee's name here) could do to make us more successful would be to ___________. Again, encourage everyone to volunteer one thing...either a word, phrase, or short description.

Consider what opportunities this can open...

	opportunity to maintain or enhance self-esteem.
	opportunity to listen and respond with empathy.
	opportunity to ask for help and encourage involvement.
	opportunity to share thoughts, feelings, and rationale.
	opportunity to provide support without removing responsibility.
	opportunity to Build Teamwork.

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Give 'Em What They Want

One school of thought says the way to succeed can be distilled to this easy-to-remember phrase...

Give 'em what they want...

And what do they want?...

They want the 3 C's-->

an opportunity to Collaborate

an opportunity to make Choices

and a Chance to make a difference

Another school of thought says defining success is simple: Forget most everything else...just make your boss successful, and make your employees successful. You will be guaranteed success.

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Feedback Model

"How did that feel?"

"What was one thing that went well for you?"

"What one thing would you do differently next time?"

"Are you ready for some feedback?"

"I liked (or thought it was effective) when you did ______. It worked for me because _______."

"Another way to do that might be to _______, which might have the effect of _______."

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Ask Yourself

Organizations are learning that job applicants are now interviewing them, rather than vice versa. To attract top candidates, we shouldn't wait for job applicants to ask...

We should be asking ourselves these questions...

What's it like to work here?
What's the reputation of your organization?
What's really important here?
Do you think others like working here?
What is your management style?
What happened to the last person in this job?
Why is this job open?
What is the biggest difficulty I would face in this job?

Are you ready with answers to these questions?

You might practice your answers with a coach. Ask...

"What did my answers sound like?"
"Am I presenting a positive and optimistic picture?"
"Would I choose to come to work here after hearing my answers?"
"Am I promising things I can't deliver?"

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100 Ways of Saying, "Thank You!"

Just say it--every chance you get.
Say it by showing your enthusiasm...
...and by encouraging others.
Say it with excitement.
Say it by asking their opinion...
...by asking for their advice...
...by learning from those around you...
...by sharing information...
...by listening.
Say it by putting a commendation in the newsletter.
By keeping other departments informed of the status of your department.
Say it by making sure employees have the proper training to do their jobs.
Say it by passing on dates of on-site training courses.
Route technical journals and newspaper articles pertaining to business through your department.
Say it by helping with career planning.
Share information on conferences and seminars.
Recognize achievements outside of work...
...even on the baseball field.
Praise community service.
Say it by knowing your employees...
...knowing their likes and dislikes...
...as well as their strengths
Say it by showing a personal interest.
Say it by asking about their family...
...by knowing a spouse's name...
...and children's names.
Remember birthdays...
...and company anniversaries.
Say it with a challenge.
Discuss goals...
...set these goals...
...and achieve them.
Say it with a handwritten note.
Draft a letter for upper management to sign and send.
Say it in front of a co-worker.
Send thank you notes to those outside your department that help make your area run smoothly.
Say it by telling others.
Tell the boss.
Say it with a "Way to Go!" nomination for your department.
Say it with a "Way to Go!" nomination from another department.
Send flowers...
...or balloons...
...a card...
...a cookie.
Share letters of thanks and commendation.
Relay thanks to an employee from a third party.
If appropriate, send a thank you note home.
Show how your department is essential to the function of the company as a whole...
...to the industry as a whole.
Say it with department recognition...
...involve the entire department.
Say it by making department meetings into special occasions.
Get the department together over a coffee break...
...or lunch.
Occasionally bring the donuts.
Welcome back an employee who has been away and take the time to bring them up to date.
Say it personally...
...over lunch...
...or coffee.
Encourage employees to further their education.
Help them find educational opportunities.
Give employees the information they need to know.
Allow employees to perform their jobs with creativity and imagination...
...let them be inventive.
Let yourself be inventive.
Say it with high safety standards.
Say it with cleanliness.
Invite questions...
...and give thoughtful answers...
...or help in the discovery of those answers.
Involve employees in the planning.
Let someone else lead the meeting.
Give a special assignment with prestige.
LISTEN.
Read company publications...
Inform others about what you have learned.
Share what you hear in meetings that you attend.
Say it by making a production.
Say it with a memorable flourish.
Create opportunities for employee contact with management...
...make it informal...
...or formal...
...and functional.
Allow employees to make presentations to upper management...
...coach them.
Ask upper management for a group pep-talk...
...or simply a visit.
Say it with respect...
...and compassion...
...and support.
Say it with a smile...
...or a pat on the back.
Say it with constructive criticism.
Make a hero of people who decline to say "that's not my job."
Help out--even if it is not in your job description...
Say it with humor...
...by making the job fun...
...by making the day interesting.
Empower.
Say it with sincerity.

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