The power and influence of Middle Managers or Supervisors
Over the years working and consulting in a wide variety of business’, health and education settings I have noticed a common trend…
…the selection of supervisors or middle managers from the existing employee pool.
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For some workplaces this is a smart choice. 
You know the person, their work history, and their technical skills and as the senior manager or company owner you generally like them.
And it saves a truckload of recruitment time, costs and fees.
So what’s wrong with this common practice?
Well it depends.
Often the successful employee displays all the seemingly right characteristics, reliability, dependability, “happy to go the extra mile”, and deference to their superiors!
But what happens when they have to supervise and direct their former colleagues?
Did they suddenly get an usb stick full of management and leadership skills to download into their brain?
Did that person immediately demonstrate new behaviours, negotiation skills, creative and collaborative thinking, and ability to motivate their team?
Probably not.
They usually struggle big time with the change.
Seemingly calm upon the surface but like a duck paddling furiously under the water.
No idea how to manage and lead their people.
Shelf life, around two years if you’re lucky.
Some people may think “when they resign or burnout I’ll just promote someone else”.
But what’s the real issue here for your company?
Its culture destroying.
Supervisors or Managers who are thrown into the deep end of the pool without a buoyancy vest usually sink.
And they will take down the rest of the workforce with them.
It’s usually an slow insidious slide, grumblings from workers, dissatisfaction how there being treated or spoken to, with resulting decrease in productivity, accidents real or concocted, sabotage of company assets, absenteeism and an unhappy workplace.
Why would any CEO or business owner want that?
So what can you do?
Invest in them.
Train, educate, coach and mentor them!
A one off induction just won’t cut it.
It takes time, practice and a willingness to master new skills.
If you have ever been motivated by a inspirational person at any time in your life, be it a footy coach, church leader, school teacher or the old guy/gal next door, then you know how it effects you and your environment around you.
In a great way!
So why not get your newly appointed logistics middle manager on the leadership bus?
The ROI will be worth every cent!
Functioning teams, increased productivity, less absenteeism and WorkCover claims, and a place employees want to continue working for.
Sounds good hey!
Learning new stuff everyday,
Chris Richardson
www.productiveminds.com.au
Chris Richardson works with Managers and Supervisors of Supply Chain Companies.
He provides people management training and mentoring to help leaders manage change, manage work stress and inspire creative problem solving in their teams.
The end result is that absenteeism is reduced, productivity increases, complaints minimised and WorkCover costs get slashed.
This frees up Managers to focus on the business of customer service and create new business opportunities.
Contact Chris on 613 99742824 or chris@productiveminds.com.au or visit www.productiveminds.com.au
Chris Richardson works with Managers and Supervisors of Supply Chain Companies.
He provides people management training and mentoring to help leaders manage change, manage work stress and inspire creative problem solving in their teams.
The end result is that absenteeism is reduced, productivity increases, complaints minimised and WorkCover costs get slashed.
This frees up Managers to focus on the business of customer service and create new business opportunities.
Contact Chris on 613 99742824 or chris@productiveminds.com.au or visit www.productiveminds.com.au
