Supervisory Leadership

When I did the original study on which my next book is based, I spent full workdays with folks who’d been identified as great supervisors. I call them Three Star Supervisory Leaders because they were rated as excellent by three groups: their bosses, their peers and their subordinates.

We usually went to lunch together. Many times other less experienced supervisors came along to ask about a problem with a subordinate. One night when this happened, I sat back, as usual, to watch the master work and take a few notes.

The Three Star Supervisory Leader started out by asking questions to help understand the problem. Suddenly, it hit me. I’d heard those same questions in the same order before.

When the day was over, I couldn’t wait to get back to my hotel room and check my notes. I was right. I’d sat through several, similar sessions where a less experienced supervisor asked a Three Star Supervisory Leader about a situation with a subordinate.

Every time the Three Star Supervisory Leader analyzed the situation by asking the same basic questions in the same order. First there were questions about ability issues, after that there were questions about willingness issues.

The first group of questions was always about the subordinate’s ability to do the job. The reason is simple. If your subordinate isn't able to do what you want, there's no point in ordering him or her to do it.

Instead, solve the underlying problem. The problem might be knowledge or skills. The problem might be resources. Whatever it is, solve the ability problem before you hold your subordinate responsible for performance.

Willingness to perform is usually global. The people who pitch in do so most of the time and on most of the work they have to do. Folks with motivation problems tend to have them everywhere and all the time.

But what if your subordinate is usually motivated, but seems to have a problem in this one area? Then you've most likely got a confidence problem. Build your subordinate's confidence with lots of small successes.

This sequence works for Three Star Supervisory Leaders and it can work for you. Make sure you know about your subordinate's ability to do what you want before you hold them accountable for specific performance.

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