Direct Supervision

“The ideal management style is internally consistent,” Speckmann says. “It builds trust. What really throws people off is when you have a moody manager—the kind where you look at them every morning and say, ‘Gosh, I wonder what kind of a mood they are in.’ With that kind of manager, employees may not approach them. They’ll wait for a happy day to tell them about a problem. And you can’t afford that.”

Inefficient or inept supervisors don’t get the best work from   their employees, and in fact can actually inadvertently prevent their staffers from getting work done—by not giving sufficient training, for example, or by managing workflow poorly. The result is often frustration and stagnation on both sides. The best supervisors are those who remove roadblocks for the people who depend on them.

“Good managers know that what they need to do is give people resources and get out of their way,” Farrar says.

When the employees respond by performing well, the supervisor should make sure higher-ups are aware of their achievements. “Supervisors who take an active interest in the careers of their people also help retain them,” Kenney says. “There’s nothing worse than a boss who takes credit for work that was done by somebody else. So to the extent that you are advocating for your people, that tends to keep them loyal.”

Speckmann points out that the supervisory strategies that work now may need adjustment a few months down the road. “We can count on the fact that people change and the job changes and companies change,” he says. “As we are evolving along in our work relationship, I need to constantly keep an eye on how those change elements are going to affect you or your performance.”

For example, when employees first join a company, they may be inexperienced and require training. As time goes by, they may wish to rise in the organization or to explore a different set of job responsibilities. Or they may plateau and become bored—requiring coaching and intervention.

Realistically speaking, employees’ personal lives are a factor, too. Wise supervisors recognize that and try to understand employees’ mindsets. “Let’s say that you’ve been working for me for a while and have just gotten married,” Speckmann says. “Maybe you are not going to work 70 hours a week anymore. Or maybe you are having your first or second child. How might that affect the types of commitments you are going to make? I’m . . . talking to a person whose values and priorities have changed.”