It may not be as much of a mystery as “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” but debating the differences between the definition of “supervisor” and the definition of “manager” can generate as much, if not more, discussion! Here we take a look at the similarities—and very important differences—between the two roles to… Read more »
Chances are you’ve heard the term “emotional intelligence.” As the name suggests, it’s a term referring to individuals’—generally employees’—ability to monitor and manage their emotions in a professional way when interacting with others. Clearly, it’s also a competency that employers tend to value in their employees. Emotional intelligence in leadership is critical. Emotional intelligence (also… Read more »
First-line managers have a critical role in helping companies effectively meet organizational goals and objectives. They are the individuals on the ground who have the strongest relationship with employees. They’re also the ones responsible for overseeing employees who get the work done. Their role is a critical one. If they are not effective, they… Read more »
Managers and supervisors are responsible for overseeing employees. The employees they oversee are their direct reports. The greater the number of direct reports they have the broader their span of control becomes. Having more direct reports is not necessarily better. When it comes to span of control there is a “sweet spot” that represents the… Read more »
Bad leaders can damage even the best organization. But what makes a leader “bad”? In many cases, it’s simply a factor of great employees being promoted into leadership positions without the background or experience required to help them excel in those positions. That’s a common situation facing many organizations. Unfortunately, while it’s good to promote… Read more »
Most of us have worked at a company with a difficult employee—or several difficult employees. They’re not hard to spot. While difficult employees may be good, even great, at certain aspects of their job, they also exhibit negative behaviors. They often: Don’t get along well with others. Create conflict that leads to low morale and… Read more »
Most organizations have leaders. Unfortunately, many don’t have effective leaders. The vast majority of leaders aren’t trained to be leaders! Even those who may have pursued a business degree were likely overwhelmed by theory, not practical advice and opportunities for application. Unfortunately, in many job settings, skilled individual contributors tend to be promoted into leadership… Read more »
It’s long been said that the greatest impact on an employee’s decision to stay with or leave, an organization is dependent on who they report to. Good supervisor qualities are a “must-have” for any organization. Unfortunately, all too often organizations promote employees who have been strong individual contributors without thoroughly assessing whether they have good… Read more »
The task to begin finding and implementing leadership training for your supervisors and managers may not be as daunting as some would have you believe — unless the initiative came from
How Do Leadership Problems Creep into Organizations? Leaders are often promoted based on their job and technical skills, not their leadership potential. Supervisors and managers often