1) Fundamental Skills of Managing People
This module, together with Fundamental Skills of Communicating with People
forms the foundation for the entire Supervision Series. The key points of
Fundamental Skills of Managing People include maintaining employee self-esteem,
focusing on behavior, developing effective listening skills, and encouraging
employee participation.
2) Fundamental Skills of Communicating with People
This second fundamental module explores the skills of active listening, and
teaches the importance of giving clear and precise messages, recognizing
non-verbal clues, as well as probing and confirming employees’ understanding
to overcome barriers to understanding.
3) Getting Employee Commitment to the Plan
This unit gives supervisors an understanding of and practice in skills that
are critical to meeting the objectives of upper management strategies. The
material explains the necessity of establishing clear, specific and measurable
objectives and illustrates the important steps leading toward firm employee
agreement with and commitment to organizational plans.
4) Giving Orders and Instructions
There is a step-by-step effective manner in which to give orders and instructions.
This module outlines those steps, including a clear explanation of what is
required, mutual agreement between supervisor and employee about goals, followed
by confirmation from the employee.
5) Assessing Employee Performance
Begin by establishing objective performance standards, add employee self-evaluation
and this module will show supervisors how performance assessment can be a
positive learning experience for all involved.
6) Coaching for Improved Performance
In this unit, assessing performance is the initial step. The next phase includes
identification of those areas that need improvement. Combine this with a
demonstration of skills that can encourage that improvement and the result
is a critical element of feedback for the employee and a rewarding experience
of the supervisor.
7) Improving Employee Work Habits
Absenteeism … excessive lateness… drug and alcohol abuse … these
are the issues that face many supervisors daily. Rules, regulations and procedures
define the environmental order of an organization. This module provides the
practice in disciplinary measures that supervisors need to recognize and correct
poor work habits.
8) Dealing with Employee Response to Controls
Developing and setting effective controls are core tasks for supervisors. In
addition to addressing the how-to’s of this task, this module explains
ways to deal with those employees who react to controls with hostility, apathy
and/or evasion.
9) Delegating Effectively
Supervisors must understand that effective delegation is often required in
order to accomplish goals and objectives. Knowing when to delegate, what
to delegate, and how to use delegation as a motivational tool are study and
practice portions of this module.
10) Dealing with Employee Complaints
Supervisors are often the first contact an employee makes when he or she has
a complaint. This unit teaches how to use a complaint session to identify
underlying problems and misunderstandings and, with the help of the employee,
to move toward resolution of the problem.
11) Dealing with Employee Conflict
Conflicts are an inevitable part of every organization. If a supervisor understands
this fact and can identify the main sources of employee conflict, he or she
can learn how to use the conflict to diagnose problems and become skilled
at resolving the conflicts as they arise.
12) Implementing Change
Supervisors are usually the final key to implementation of change within the
organization. Dealing within the “comfort-level” of employees
and involving them in detailed discussions (especially allowing time for
their questions and concerns) will go a long way towards the desired result
of positive acceptance. Supervisors watch and practice these skills in Implementing
Change.
13) Using Positive Discipline
Too many supervisors may find “positive discipline” to be a contradictory
phrase … that is, until they have experienced this module. They’ll
learn that administering discipline so that an employee’s self-esteem
remains intact and the unacceptable behavior is eliminated can be done.
14) Terminating an Employee
The one situation most likely to set off a supervisor’s stress indicator
is … terminating an employee. Any person who will face this situation
will appreciate learning how to effectively terminate an employee. This module
will minimize the stress of the situation when it occurs, and will allow the
supervisor to follow required procedures and handle the overall situation in
a more confident manner.
15) Motivating the Productive Employee
This module is designed to help supervisors learn to recognize the specific
factors which motivate each employee, and then put this information to use.
Video behavior models, followed by participant practice sessions, cover the
following: recognizing the employee’s positive accomplishments, asking
the employee methods to increase personal productivity, reacting to suggestions,
agreeing on a plan of activity, and reviewing results of the plan.
16) Positive Reinforcement for Improved Employee Performance
This module is designed to help supervisors learn to give positive reinforcement
to each individual with a frequency that is appropriate to bring about improved
performance. A system of implementing positive reinforcement is provided
and practiced.
17 ) Communicating with Your Boss
A good working relationship between boss and subordinate is important in every
organization. This module is designed to improve communications between the
boss and the employee, improve the employee’s productivity, reduce
stress in the workplace, and to enhance the employee’s opportunity
for promotion.
Bennie Harris
Director of Industrial Training
Workforce Development Center
1220 State Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
336-356-5304
harrisb@surry.edu
Renee Hutchins
Coordinator, Division Services
336-386-3211
hutchinsr@surry.edu
