"Case in PointFrustrations of a New Supervisor

Steve was leaving the supervisors' meeting when his work coach, Fran, caught up with him and asked, "Do you have time for a quick break?"

When they were settled in the break room, Fran said, "Is something bothering you, Steve? I noticed you were unusually quiet in today's meeting."

Steve sighed, "I've been a supervisor now for almost a year, but sometimes I don't think the older managers believe I can do the job."

"As I recall, you got a very good performance review last month with only a few suggestions for improvement." Fran responded. "What happened to cause your current feelings?"

"I like to get input from my employees about ways we can do our work better," Steve explained. "But when I share those ideas with other supervisors, they often say things like, 'It's probably not a good time to make changes since we are on such a tight schedule.' Or, 'My employees don't say much, so I think they are pretty satisfied with the way we are doing things now.' Sometimes I get so frustrated I just want to go ahead and make the change with my employees and show the other supervisors it can work."

"It's often easier for experienced managers to keep doing things the way they've always been done rather than trying to make changes. And, they may not try to get the type of input from their employees that you do," responded Fran. "You're a younger supervisor and closer to the age of many of the employees you work with. Also, your team members know you just moved up from an employee position, so they may believe you have a better understanding of their experiences."

"I really am enjoying my new work," said Steve. "Moving into a management job certainly isn't easy, and I know I have a lot to learn. I do try to listen carefully to the more experienced supervisors. But I also believe I have some good ideas and want to share them as well. I would be happy with constructive criticism, but usually it seems like outright rejection. It is so frustrating."

"I can see how that would be frustrating for you. Let's talk about ways you might gain their support."

Do you think other managers are evaluating all alternatives when they advise Steve that it isn't the right time to make changes? Why or why not?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Other managers may not be evaluating all alternatives when they advise Steve that it isnt the right ... View the full answer