1. Supervising for Success
University Housing | Residential Programs and Services Professional Staff
Victor K. Wilson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Monday, July 17
East Campus Village, Rooker Hall, Fireside Lounge

2. About Supervision Styles
Supervision styles often based on personal experiences
Supervisors receive little to no training on supervision
Staff members state that quality supervision is one of the most important aspects of employment
One of the most important things new professionals say they need to be successful is “talk time” with supervisor
People supervise the way they want to be supervised

3. My Supervisory Style: 1 - Hire people who want to make a difference for students
Start with what’s the in best interest of students – always
Appreciate the qualities that will be needed to be successful in the given role, not just the qualities you tend to prefer in people
Appreciate how the person will fit in the broader organization. Different can be better but consider different in what ways
Understand where this role fits in the person’s larger career arc – both under-qualified and over-qualified can work in certain cases, but can also bring challenges
Know your non-negotiables (and stick to them)
Remember there are always trade-offs. (Except for us) there are no perfect candidates

4. 2 - Set clear expectations
The supervisory relationship begins long before hiring
Everything counts – the employee is watching and listening and taking cues from the start
Your actions (and those of other colleagues) matter too
Don’t assume – spell it out
More communication is better than less, particularly at the beginning
Need to agree on the outcomes from the start – not necessarily the process or style!
High expectations are OK as long as they are shared. Once the bar is set, can’t keep moving it – unless it’s together
*Without shared expectations, you will never agree on what success looks like – and one or both of you will be constantly disappointed

5. 3 - Challenge and support
Build in challenges to the expectations
Without some challenge, anyone will get bored
Appreciate how involved you need to be – can depend on the individual employee how much / little
Be prepared to jump in at any level
Listen – not everything needs an immediate answer
Be honest and forthright!
Think of supervision as an ongoing conversation – you both have needs and things to share

6. 4 - Create a strong feedback loop
Be consistently available
Create a regular and predictable communications path – employee should know how to interact with you – and has to be with some frequency
Be open to feedback – we’re not right all the time
Provide clear feedback and check-ins on progress – keep it about the outcomes
Understand conflict will happen – try to handle it with grace (if not in the moment, then soon after)
Give some space for flexibility – stuff happens
Don’t have to be friends but you need an empathetic relationship

7. 5 - Focus on the “four corners”
Job description is the best guide for the supervisory relationship
Is this a shared expectation?
Is the work getting done effectively?
Provide clear feedback – documented in writing as needed
Don’t be afraid of the difficult conversation – but focus it on the unmet expectations and solutions for improvement (and not the person/style/process, etc.)
If the expectations need to change, revise the job description

8. 6 - Emphasize staff development
Needs of the organization evolve over time
People change over time
Give some intentionality to the staff member’s learning plan
Utilize the performance review process as well to define growth areas
Can relate to both the job and personal growth
Worth the investment

9. 7 - Prepare staff for the next step – whatever that is for them
People outgrow roles – leaving not always a reflection on you
Not always a good next step in a department / division / organization – sometimes the next step is outside
Help them on their journey – can’t define the destination(s) for them
Ultimately about finding your bliss

10. How my supervision style has evolved
Learning to trust
Don’t hire if you have doubts
Separate the personal from the professional
Meeting people where they are (Millennials, etc.)

11. Predictable supervisory challenges
The “bad attitude” / downer / badmouther
The control and power issues / micromanager / know-it-all
The lazy / absent / under-engaged
The busybody / gossip / pot-stirrer
The schemer / underminer / divider
The roadblock / work-around / “no” person
*All about feeling connected

12. To fulfilled employees…
Outcomes are valuable
Actively contributing to those outcomes
Feel contributions are understood and appreciated (and for some, compensated appropriately)
Feel part of something bigger than themselves
See this role as valuable to their life and/or career
Continuing to grow and learn
*Supervision is important to meeting all of these

13. Supervising for Success
Questions
Supervising for Success