If you are or hope to be promoted to a supervisory position at work, it is important that you develop strong supervisor skills. There are many ways of doing this, and you may find that utilizing multiple approaches is your best bet for fully developing your potential. Approaches for improving your supervisor skills include reading books and taking management courses, observing and working with your own supervisor, and paying close attention to your interactions with your subordinates. Even if you are not yet in a supervisory position, you can increase your chances of promotion by learning supervisory and management skills as you work in your present job.
Talk to your supervisor about obtaining formal training in supervisory skills. In some companies, employees can take advantage of in-house training programs that have the advantage of also educating you about company-specific policies and procedures. If your company does not automatically provide you with the training needed to learn and improve your supervisor skills, ask if your company will reimburse you for taking a course on your own. Management courses and workshops are frequently taught at industry trade shows, adult education centers, and both online and at traditional colleges and universities. If you cannot easily take a course or workshop, your local library should be able to help you find management books and DVDs that can be of great help to you.
Another key aspect of developing good supervisory skills is to pay careful attention to supervisors and managers whom you believe are doing a good job. By noting what they say and do when working with other employees, you can model your own management behavior on their good example. It is wise to work closely with your own manager, particularly as you settle into your new role, and to regularly ask for feedback on both your performance as well as your approach to dealing with both routine and uncommon challenges.
Once you begin to actively supervise other employees, it pays to engage in regular reflection on your work. If you counsel an employee on a particular matter, keep your approach in mind as you observe the employee's behavior during the next few weeks and months. Although you certainly cannot force an employee to behave in a specific way, if his performance improves, you may want to counsel employees similarly in the future. If the employee's performance does not change or declines, consider what you could have done differently. Through ongoing experience plus self-education, you can improve your supervisor skills such that you may be considered for additional opportunities both within your company and with other employers.
