Managers and supervisors are important for a business because they help it stay productive and meet its organizational goals. They’re often in charge of creating pleasant and effective work environments. It can be helpful for these professionals to understand what they can do to handle their responsibilities efficiently. In this article, we list the responsibilities of these professionals and discuss nine strategies to help you excel as a manager or supervisor.
What are the responsibilities of a manager or supervisor?
Managers and supervisors both shape the culture of their workplaces and the work environment their teams experience. They fulfill administrative roles and require a range of skills to lead effectively. These professionals also provide instructions to employees and oversee their work. Additional responsibilities of managers and supervisors include:
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Hiring and staffing
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Training new staff members
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Guiding existing employees
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Communicating organizational needs
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Resolving problems
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Conducting performance evaluations
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Monitoring expenses and budgets
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Setting professional goals
9 strategies for excelling as a manager or supervisor
Here are nine strategies you can practice if you want to excel as a manager or supervisor:
1. Develop your communication skills
Managers and supervisors often use their communication skills to help employees feel comfortable at work and become more knowledgeable about their responsibilities. Managers and supervisors may develop these skills as they get to know their team better and understand each employee’s preferred method of communication. You can work on your communication skills by following these tips:
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Use your listening skills to create a caring, understanding workplace environment.
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Give criticism and negative feedback in a sensitive manner.
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Consider your nonverbal communication, such as body language.
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Check that employees understand what you discussed after providing new information.
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Actively listen to employees by waiting until they’ve finished talking before saying something.
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Use polite, straightforward language to ensure you communicate ideas accurately.
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Isolate important messages into separate statements to make sure your message is clear.
2. Manage progress
Driving the pace of projects and assignments is often a leader’s most important responsibility. Supervisors and managers may evaluate their own progress while monitoring the performance of their teams. Below are some tips for managing progress:
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Understand the difference between important and urgent tasks to prioritize effectively.
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Define your productivity deliverables and take action for success.
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Use your goals to set daily priorities for yourself and your team.
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Learn to set boundaries to help you focus at work.
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Review your team’s work regularly.
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Teach your team to monitor their own progress.
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Set up meetings with employees to learn about their progress.
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Develop strategies to help employees build their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
3. Use effective leadership skills
Effective leaders often exhibit recognizable character traits and skills. They’re typically passionate, dedicated, empathetic, and supportive. They value contributions from their employees and are solution-driven. Here are some tips for practicing effective leadership skills:
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Learn about your leadership strategy and examine what works well.
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Provide direction instead of commands to build a positive relationship with your employees.
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Delegate tasks to employees to complete more work.
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Allow open communication with your employees to help them improve their skills and allow them to discuss their concerns.
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Lead by example.
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Be clear about your expectations to ensure your team understands how they can succeed at work.
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Cultivate trust between you and your team.
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Make sure employees have the right resources.
4. Manage relationships
As a supervisor, it’s important to manage relationships with your coworkers. This can foster a sense of community in the workplace and help employees collaborate. Positive professional relationships may improve engagement and productivity. Some tips to manage work relationships include:
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Check-in with your staff regularly.
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Make agreements about what kind of environment you expect in the workplace.
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Work together to create a positive workplace environment.
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Treat everyone fairly.
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Implement and communicate your company’s policies.
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Encourage staff to communicate with you if they have any issues to solve.
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Express a willingness to listen to suggestions and comments.
5. Practice positive methods to inspire and lead
You can practice positive methods to guide your team and improve their performance. Companies may experience high levels of productivity when managers and supervisors engage and inspire their employees. Effective leaders often model the culture and values of the organization, so their teams do the same. Here are some suggestions for leading and inspiring your team:
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Discover what employees need and expect from you.
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Conduct evaluations that improve employee performance and attitude.
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Learn how to motivate employees to dedicate themselves to their work.
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Provide helpful criticism to support employees in improving their skills.
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Praise employees often.
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Explain how your team’s contributions help the company advance.
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Understand the attitudes and behaviors of employees.
6. Solve behavioral problems
Supervisors and managers are usually responsible for regulating the behaviors and attitudes of their teams in the workplace. They may focus on solving several types of problems, such as conflicts between employees, performance issues, harassment, or discrimination. You can solve behavioral problems by following these tips:
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Encourage employees to be positive to avoid negativity in the workplace.
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Work together to find a solution during an employee conflict.
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Look for ways to support employees and help them feel capable.
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Consult the human resources department for help with employee behavior management.
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Give employees time to correct any mistakes.
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Document the details of any issues to help you solve similar problems in the future.
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Set performance targets.
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Restructure a team’s responsibilities and roles to ensure employees are performing tasks they can do successfully.
7. Direct the creative process
Supervisors and managers often attempt to take command of the creative process to inspire innovation. Challenging traditional work methods can allow employees to present unique approaches that help a business reduce costs and find alternative sources of revenue. Creativity may result in new opportunities for growth and innovation within your organization. Here are some suggestions for directing creative processes:
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Make generating ideas part of every employee’s job description.
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Try innovative ways to find a solution to your problems.
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Evaluate whether your work environment encourages innovation.
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Invite employees to share their ideas.
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Create an inclusive environment to ensure all employees feel welcome to express their ideas.
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Allow employees to create their own work process.
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Encourage your team to reflect on the methods they use to complete projects.
8. Boost enthusiasm, productivity and commitment
Managers and supervisors often want to improve their employee’s enthusiasm for and commitment to their projects or assignments. This can improve workplace morale and help staff follow a schedule. Here are a few tips for increasing the drive and productivity of your team:
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Consider why and how you deliver praise.
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Provide incentives to encourage creativity and growth.
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Assess an employee’s skills and give them assignments you predict them to excel at.
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Seek ways to make repetitive tasks more engaging.
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Reduce distractions by allowing employees to work in a location in which they can focus.
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Use technology to automate tasks.
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Provide opportunities for employees to develop their skills.
9. Maintain a work-life balance
Balancing work responsibilities and personal interests can help you excel in your leadership position. The ability to care for yourself may build your emotional resilience and is important for your personal development. Effective leaders can manage their time to better take care of and inspire their employees. Engaging in self-care can help you cultivate your mind and emotions, helping you to feel confident in the workplace. To maintain a balance between your personal and professional life, you can:
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Evaluate your personal and professional priorities.
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Create a schedule and use a calendar.
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Incorporate enjoyable activities into your life.
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Take breaks to allow yourself to reflect and rest.
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Address your physical, emotional, and mental needs.
I hope you find this article helpful.
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