Ten Steps To Effective Leadership

Many people end up in a supervisory position or SOHO ownership almost by default. In today's workplace, if someone stays on their job long enough, they will probably be promoted as others, more senior to them or higher up the chain of responsibility, leave for other opportunities.

The prevalence of this type of promotion can lead to people with little or no leadership skills being promoted into positions of responsibility.

This type of promotion can have many unexpected and negative effects on the current work force if the newly promoted supervisor is lacking basic leadership talent. Since a supervisor's skill level is visible immediately to those under their stewardship, a lack of leadership aptitude can be catastrophic to the productivity of those now working for the new supervisor.

To help the inexperienced supervisor overcome some of the most common mistakes, the following list has been created from problems culled from a diverse field of industries. By simply avoiding these common errors of the newly promoted supervisors, a person's chances of becoming an effective manager and leader will be greatly enhanced.

  • Don't attempt to be buddies with your employees. The distinction between supervisor and friend needs to be clear-cut and meaningful.

  • Never hesitate to roll up your sleeves to help, if the situation warrants your participation.

  • Ivory tower managers usually are doomed to fail. Make sure not to isolate yourself from those that you directly supervise.

  • No one can know everything, but as a supervisor you need to learn as much as is humanly possible about your department's area of responsibility. Your employees will respect the fact that you know what their job really entails.

  • The ability to treat all of your subordinates fairly will be a critical factor in your success as a supervisor; never play favorites. Always give credit to an employee who is due recognition; never take credit for someone else's initiative.

  • Always take advantage of any opportunity to improve yourself as a supervisor. Seminars, adult education classes, professional certifications, online learning and a myriad of other sources exist just for this purpose.

  • To become adept at conflict resolution is an area the new supervisor must master to be successful. Never loose sight of the fact that there are always two sides to every story. Never make a decision based on just part of the story and you will earn the respect of your employees, even if the resulting decision isn't in their favor.

  • The ability to set meaningful goals will help steer your employees towards the objective you are trying to reach. Realistic goals, with the appropriate tools to reach them, will make everyone feel a part of the department's success.

  • Always solicit input from all of your employees as you plan new strategies to meet today's ever-changing marketplace demands. As long as your employees feel like they have had meaningful input in creating new plans, tweaking old ones and implementing changes, any such endeavor will be more likely to succeed.

  • You are a supervisor, not God! Make sure that you always follow the Golden Rule and your employees will follow.

    • © 2004 ODEC

    Mike Burstein has been helping the SOHO and Small Business community grow & prosper for over 20 years by solving start up problems, creating best practices, automating their offices, getting free publicity and dramatically increasing traffic and sales.

    In The News:

    pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part Two)

    In Part One, I described the importance of establishing deep,... Read More

    Asking for Help

    For many of us, asking for help is a difficult... Read More

    People or Objects? - - You Decide

    "How you think determines how you act. How you... Read More

    Mr. Shoaffs Simple Strategies to Success

    (Excerpted from the Jim Rohn Sampler single CD)My first mentor,... Read More

    Celebrating Successes: The Power Of Compliments

    Years ago, when I was new in management circles, a... Read More

    Leadership Success and its Greatest Barrier: the Law of Administrivia

    Years ago, a very wise, and often cynical boss of... Read More

    Top 25 Leadership Quotations

    Ponder what it takes to be a true leader with... Read More

    BIG-3 Leadership!

    "Do what you do so well that they will want... Read More

    Weakness, Struggle, Fear, Knowledge, Growth, Courage, Leader

    Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most remarkable men in... Read More

    Five Things Smart Leaders Do to Lower The Barriers To Change

    Smart leaders understand that they don't "make" a change happen.... Read More

    The Three Factors of Leadership Motivation

    Leaders do nothing more important than get results. But you... Read More

    C4 Leadership: Taking Your Leadership (and your Life) from Good...To Explosive!

    Chances are if you're interested in this post, you're looking... Read More

    How To Get To Know A Disabled Person

    When you first meet someone who is blind, deaf, or... Read More

    E=MC - Is It In Me?

    How many times have you seen the E = MC2... Read More

    5 Human Capital Asset Enrichment Strategies for Leaders!

    Here's a really simple way to think about the ins... Read More

    Lead People...Manage Things

    Master The Five Key Facets of High Performance LeadershipMany people... Read More

    Reveal the Leader Within

    A Leader is not a certain type of person or... Read More

    Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 1, General Strategies for Unproductive Behavior

    It happens easily. You're conducting a meeting and suddenly a... Read More

    Effective Leaders are (#1) Conceptual

    SEE INTO THE FUTURE CREATIVELY AND PRACTICALITY: Planning day-to-day is... Read More

    The Synergy Effect

    Have you ever considered that everything you want in life... Read More

    Strengthening Leadership Development with Employees

    Within every business lies a network of people who are... Read More

    Real Charisma, Clinton Style

    What exactly is Charisma? Most would agree that it is... Read More

    Who Is Randy Gage and Why Is He One of My Mentors and Heroes?

    Who is Randy Gage? I first read about him in... Read More

    On Being A Born Leader

    "Leaders are born, not made." Right? Let me ask you... Read More

    Leadership Like Water-Water Canoeing

    Although world business is undergoing historic changes, the prevailing view... Read More

    The Three Essential Attributes of a Leader: (Part 2) Bringing Others to the Vision

    We need to engage our listeners and transform them into... Read More

    10 Attributes of Effective Strategic Leaders!

    Did you know that people who lead strategically resemble fine-tuned... Read More

    Women in Leadership - How to Get Promoted

    It is often much harder for women to get promoted... Read More

    Get What You Want - Negotiating Skills for the Timid!

    OK, I know this title sounds self-serving and hard nosed,... Read More

    Would Socrates Be A Celebrity Today?

    Last week, as I was standing in the checkout line... Read More

    Leadership and The Dirty Work

    The airline, Jet Blue, has been featured in many magazines... Read More

    Make The Elephant Jump -- Leading With A Kind Heart

    Leadership is not about getting people to do what they... Read More

    Rationalize Success Away

    I was invited to do a Leadership workshop at a... Read More