The Gift of Feedback - How to Give & How to Receive

Feedback is important – it improves performance, develops talent, aligns expectations, solves problems, guides promotion and pay, and boosts the bottom line.

Sadly, the process of giving feedback has been pushed to the corner, addressed only a couple of times each year during the performance review. We save up all of our comments and document all of the things we note, no doubt in part because the process is unnerving and feared. This is a shame because giving and receiving feedback is some of the most important communication.

The good news is that feedback is something you can practice. Given the right way with the right intentions, you can build your confidence. Quality feedback exchanges also build trust between the giver and the receiver.

GIVING FEEDBACK

1. Make it a Positive Process and Experience – the purpose for giving feedback is to improve the situation or performance. Your delivery will set the receiver’s mind and attitude, influencing how your message is taken and the willingness on the part of the receiver to change. People react to a negative interaction six times more strongly than they react to a positive interaction, according to a study published by Professor Andrew Miner. Consider starting the conversation with “let me give you some feedback” which lets the person prepare emotionally.
2. Choose What to Correct – you need to weigh the tradeoffs involved in giving negative feedback. If an error is so minor that the value of correction doesn’t overcome the potential emotional result, consider keeping it to yourself.
3. Make It Regular – feedback requires constant attention. When something needs to be said, say it. You will increase their confidence because they will know right away where they stand. Feedback given on a regular basis leads to no surprises during the formal review sessions.
4. Criticize in Private – establish a safe place to talk where you won’t be interrupted or overheard.
5. Use “I” Statements – give the feedback from your perspective to avoid labeling the person.
6. Limit Your Focus – a session should discuss no more than two issues. Any more than that risks making the person feel demoralized or attacked. Be sure to stick to behaviors that the person can actually change or influence.
7. Talk About Positives Too – a good rule is to start off with something positive to help put the person at ease. Frame it so that the person can “see” what success looks like. Be careful not sandwich the constructive feedback between too many positives, which will water down the feedback.
8. Provide Specific Suggestions – make sure you both know what needs to be done to improve the situation. Your message should be that you care and you want to help the person grow and develop.
9. Ask Questions – give the other person a chance to process what you’ve said, and to give you their side of the story.
10. Follow Up – the whole purpose of feedback is to improve performance. Measure success and make adjustments as you go.

RECEIVING FEEDBACK

Improving the skills of the feedback giver won’t accomplish much if the receiver isn’t able to absorb what is said. The receiver controls whether feedback is let in or kept out, and decides whether or not to change. A critical performance review, a well-intended suggestion, or an oblique comment can spark an emotional reaction.

Developing your feedback receiving skill will help you identify and manage the emotions triggered by the feedback and extract value from criticism even when it’s poorly delivered. It may seem like there are a thousand ways feedback can push your buttons. In fact, there are only three:

Truth triggers are set off by the content of the feedback. When assessments or advice seem off base, unhelpful, or simply untrue, you feel indignant, wronged and exasperated.

Relationship triggers are tripped by your view of the person giving the feedback. What you believe about the giver and how you feel about your previous interactions will color how you take the message.

Identity triggers are all about how you view yourself. Whether the feedback is right or wrong, wise or witless, it can be devastating if it causes your sense of who you are to come undone. In such moments you’ll struggle with feeling overwhelmed, defensive or off-balance.

Recognizing when your response to the feedback is out of proportion to the delivery or content is something you can learn, and you can build your skill in finding the gift despite the package. Try to understand the other person’s point of view, and experiment with different ways of doing things. Be prepared to discard critiques that are genuinely not helpful or misguided. Use these steps to keep from throwing away valuable feedback, or acting on comments that are damaging:

1. Know Your Tendencies – consider the following questions: do you defend yourself on the facts, argue about the delivery method, or strike back? Do you smile on the outside but seethe on the inside? Do you get teary or filled with indignation? Does the hurt ease over time? Do you reject feedback right away, and then reconsider? Do you accept it first, and then later decide it’s not valid? Do you agree with it, but have trouble changing?
2. Separate the “What” from the “Who” – both in the case of the person giving the feedback and in making the feedback about who you are instead of what you are doing.
3. Treat it as Coaching – feeling judged is likely to set off your identity triggers and can drown out the opportunity to learn. Work to hear feedback as potentially valuable advice from a fresh perspective, rather than an indictment of what you’ve done in the past.
4. Open the Gift – before you accept or reject it, do some analysis to better understand it. What does it really mean? Exactly what prompted the feedback and what should you do differently and why? Further discussion could clarify.
5. Ask for Just One Thing – feedback is less likely to set off emotional triggers if you request and direct it. Find opportunities to get bite-sized pieces of coaching from a variety of people.
6. Experiment Small – after you’ve received feedback, it may be difficult to figure out which bits will help and which ones won’t. Design small experiments to find out. If it works, great, if it doesn’t you can try again, tweak your approach, or end the experiment.

Research has shown that those who intentionally seek feedback tend to get higher performance ratings. Why? Mainly because someone who seeks is more likely to take what is said to heart and genuinely improve. Also since you ask for feedback, you not only find out how others see you, you also influence how they see you. Seeking constructive criticism communicates humility, respect, passion for excellence, and confidence – all at once.

Building Teams That Work

Some time or another, you will be asked to either work on a team or build a team of your own.  Just bringing people together and assigning them a task isn’t enough to build a cohesive team. A team that works well is one that is productive and efficient – and the members enjoy their work on the team. The team has a clear sense of direction, an understanding of each person’s role within the team, and ways to resolve conflicts as they occur. A good team is a mix of skills and interests, not dominated by the most verbal, outspoken, or popular personalities. You as a manager have several things to consider in developing and leading teams that work.

1. Set clear goals and a purpose for the team. Talk to the team about their performance goals and how the team is a part of the company’s success. Purposes and goals can change over time, so remember to revisit these.
2. Clarify the individuals’ roles in achieving the goals and purpose. Be as specific as possible – assigning tasks and communicating expected results.
3. Plan for conflicts and how you will resolve them. Conflict, when handled well, can actually produce constructive ideas and draw the team members closer together. Let the conflicts come to the surface and deal with them quickly. Each team will have a different approach to resolving disagreements, below are some tips:
1. Make sure each team member has a chance to explain the problem as they see it.
2. Encourage employees to solve problems themselves so that you aren't always in the middle. However, if they can’t resolve it, or it keeps coming back, make sure they know that you are available to coach them through a problem-solving framework.
4. Remember your leadership role. While ownership of the work is healthy for all team members, avoid being “just one of the team.” You are the one accountable for the team’s results. Hold each employee responsible for meeting goals and for solving problems. Let your team know that you are their greatest supporter by removing obstacles and supporting them when issues arise.
5. Establish ground rules. Let your team know how you like to operate. Are you a solution-oriented manager, who requires that everyone contributes ideas for a solution? Do you prefer to do a root-cause analysis first to better understand the problem before moving on to finding a solution? The important thing is that your team knows your preferred style.

The-4 Player Model

David Kanto and William Lehr designed a communication model for family systems in 1975. This model was adapted by Deborah Ancona and William Isaacs of MIT’s Sloan School of Management to teams in organizations. There are four acts that are essential building blocks of team behavior. In appropriate sequence, these acts help the team consider a wide range of alternatives, examine each, refine and elaborate with ideas from inside and outside the team, choose an alternative, and act.

Move – this act establishes a direction and sets the team in motion.  Example: “Let’s build Product X.  Product X is the best Idea out there.”

Follow – this act provides support for the move and serves the function of completion. Example: “I agree with the arguments you’ve made. Product X is the way to go.”

Oppose – the oppose act questions the move that has been initiated. Example: “The data don’t support your claims. We’ll be in real trouble if we go with Product X.”

Bystand – this provides perspective and invites the team to be more reflective. A bystander may bring in more data, an historic perspective, or some insight about the operation or team. Example: “We tried some of these same ideas two years ago and they didn’t work. What do we think has changed?”

Managing Yourself

Managing yourself is about managing personal feelings, personal attitudes, personality preferences and personal behaviors to bring out the best in yourself and others. A quarterback on any given play may have personal feelings about their receiver, but he still must throw to that person to win the play.

First, you must set high standards for yourself and those around you; and you must hold people accountable. Second, you must develop your emotional intelligence skills. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your own emotions, understand how they affect you, and manage your responses with tact. It also involves your perception of others, allowing you to manage relationships more effectively.

To do the best job of managing yourself and role-modeling for others, you need to be:
• Competent in your job
• Committed to the organization and its people
• Trustworthy, reliable and honest
• Fair
• Respectful to everyone, every time
• Aware of and avoid under- or over-managing
• In control of your behavior and not let personal feelings dominate your actions
• Confident that others will be responsible and intelligent

Managers that are truly effective recognize that individuals and work teams need to be experts in their jobs and that people are our best resource. Managers who lead engaged employees:
• Understand themselves and others
• Learn personality preferences or styles and use the knowledge wisely
• Manage their own behavior
• Recognize that effective leadership requires behaviors that they may find uncomfortable or difficult
• Remember that leadership is about getting others to do the right things in the right ways

Some things to keep in mind:
1. Monitor your work hours
2. Recognize your own signs of stress
3. Get a mentor or coach
4. Learn to delegate
5. Communicate as much as you can
6. Recognize what’s important from what’s urgent – fix the system, not the problem
7. Recognize accomplishments

Effective Business Communications

Professional and timely communication in the work place is essential. The business setting requires special considerations when communicating effectively, as relationships are formed that allow the company to function as a team and work in harmony. Communication fuels the decision-making process, the flow of information, and the analysis necessary to run the company.

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca

Weak communication skills can create problems for you and your team, causing you to look sloppy or unprofessional; others to fail to notice you; conflicts to arise; gaps in the flow of information; and employees to be demotivated. A few things to keep in mind while you are practicing communication are:

Write the way you speak.  Business communications do not need to be formal and stuffy in order to communicate effectively.  In fact, most readers understand what you’re saying more easily when you use a normal and conversational tone.

Take a positive approach.  Readers who are confronted with a negative message tend to become blocked or defensive on an emotional level and often cannot fully absorb the entire message.  It is therefore important to use a positive tone and a positive approach.

Inform your readers what’s in it for them or how they will benefit from the message you’re communicating. If your message contains a call to action, be sure to address it early and then restate later so the receiver is clear.

Write at the reader’s level of understanding.  You won’t impress your readers by using big words. A business communication is, first and foremost, written to communicate.  In order to do that, your readers must understand the message you are sending.

Anticipate questions and answer them right away.  Your reader will benefit from being informed up front, and you’ll save additional correspondence or communications to answer those questions later. 

Be brief and yet concise.  Longer is not necessarily better, as extra text doesn’t necessarily enhance the message and your reader may not finish the correspondence.  Make each word count, so that every sentence is able to convey something meaningful.

Avoid using acronyms and jargon.  Spell out what you mean in clear terms that everyone can understand.

Use diagrams, pictures, bullet points, and lists whenever possible to summarize and illustrate the point.

Use the appropriate communication tool for the activity.  Often, it is easy to hide behind emails or even text messages.  If you have exchanged three emails on the same topic, call or go speak with the person directly.  The dialog will allow you to answer questions, read body language and make sure you are understood.  Know the appropriate etiquette for the tool you are using. Although emails are often informal communication, do not fall into the trap of being unprofessional or sending emails that do not advance the conversation. Also know your audience’s communication preferences and use the tool that best fits their style.

Steps for Communicating

By following the steps below, you can understand the process, become more aware of your role, recognize what you need to do to communicate effectively, anticipate problems before they happen, and improve your overall ability to communicate.

1.       Plan Your Message – take a moment to figure out what you want to say, and why. Be sure to “scrub” your communication of information that isn’t necessary, wasting time and possibly creating confusion.

·         Understand and communicate your objective – why are you communicating?

·         Understand your audience and what they need to know

·         Plan what you are going to say and how

·         Seek feedback

2.       Create a Clear Message – decide exactly how you are going to say your message. Be clear and concise.

·         Understand what you need and want to say

·         Anticipate the receiver’s reaction and address it in your message

·         Choose words and body language that allow the receiver to really hear what you are saying

3.       Choose the Right Channel – you want to be efficient, yet make the most of your opportunity. Consider:

·         The sensitivity and emotional content

·         How easy it is to communicate detail

·         The receiver’s preferences

·         Time constraints

·         The need to ask and answer questions

4.       Receive and Interpret the Response – it can be easy to focus on the message we want to deliver, however you also need to be able to take a step back and let the other person talk. Active listening requires that you give your undivided attention to the speaker:

·         Look at the person

·         Pay attention to their body language

·         Avoid distractions

·         Nod and smile to acknowledge points

·         Think back to what the person has already said

·         Allow the person to speak, without focusing on what you are going to say next

·         Don’t interrupt

5.       Ask for Feedback – seek feedback to make sure that your message was delivered and understood in the manner you intended.

How to Delegate Meaningful Work

          The hallmark of good supervision is effective delegation.  Delegation is when supervisors give responsibility and authority to subordinates to complete a task, and let the subordinates figure out how the task can be accomplished.  Effective delegation develops people who are ultimately more fulfilled and productive.  Supervisors become more fulfilled and productive themselves as they learn to count on their staff and are freed up to attend to more strategic issues.

Delegation is often very difficult for new supervisors.  Many supervisors want to remain comfortable, making the same decisions they have always made.  They believe they can do a better job themselves.  They don’t want to risk losing any of their power and stature.  Often, they don’t want to risk giving authority to subordinates in case they fail and impair the organization. Finally, delegating takes time and effort to prepare the information and communicate desired results. It may seem easier to do it yourself, rather than take the time to show someone else how.

Delegating the tasks you have mastered will free you up for more challenging work that develops you; and will build your employees’ skills and abilities. You want to foster employee involvement and employee empowerment to enable your team members to deliver their best effort at work.  These tips for successful delegation will help you help your employees succeed when they are most empowered. 

Employee - select an appropriate employee, one with the right level of experience and time.  If you select an employee who will need training, be sure to account for this in your presentation of the project or task.

Big Picture - whenever possible, give the person a whole task to do.  (If you can’t give the employee a whole task, make sure they understand the overall purpose of the project or task.  If possible, connect them to the group that is managing or planning the work.  Staff members contribute most effectively when they are aware of the big picture.)

Establish Expectations - make sure the employee understands exactly what you want them to do and when you want it completed.  Ask questions, watch the work performed, provide examples, or have the employee give you feedback to make sure your instructions were understood. Include in your expectations a list of outcomes or ways the task must be completed grouped by importance: “must haves,” “nice-to-haves,” and “non-directed.”

Authority - give authority to match the level of responsibility.  Be sure to let the employee know when they can make decisions and when they need to consult you.  Below is a list of delegation levels with examples of when to use each one:

·         Tell – the delegate has low ability; the project must be done a particular way; surprises are not acceptable

·         Sell – the delegate has moderate ability; the project must be done a specific way

·         Test – you have ideas but are open to other ideas and insights

·         Consult – the delegate has moderately high ability; others might have innovative ideas or know more than you do

·         Delegate – the delegate has high ability; you can define the vision and don’t need to know the how

Checkpoints – identify the key points of the project or dates when you want feedback about progress.  This is the critical path that provides you with the feedback you need without causing you to micromanage your direct report or team.  You need assurance that the delegated task or project is on track.  You also need the opportunity to influence the project’s direction and the team or individual’s decisions.

Closure – after the task or project is completed, meet with the employee to review how the delegation went. 

·         Did you select the right employee?

·         Did the employee have enough authority to keep the project moving? 

·         Were the timelines realistic? 

·         Did the employee have access to tools and training necessary to complete the project? 

·         Were the instructions clear and concise?

When you receive the delegated work back, give yourself enough time to review it thoroughly. If you accept unsatisfactory work, the employee does not learn how to do the job properly. Go over your review with the employee step-by-step, so that they can learn your review process and understand more about the desired results. Of course, if their work is good, make sure to reward the results using your highly-honed feedback skills.

Decision-Making Strategies

Decision making is a process of identifying and evaluating choices.  The three types of decisions we make are: routine, impulsive, and reasoned.  Deciding what to eat for breakfast is a routine decision; deciding to do or buy something at the last minute is considered an impulsive decision; and choosing your career is, hopefully, a reasoned decision.  Below are some tips to refine your reasoned decision-making process.

Decision making has much in common with problem solving.  In problem solving you identify and evaluate solution paths; in decision making you make a similar discovery and evaluation of alternatives.  As you weigh alternatives, use the following suggestions:

·         Consider the outcome each is likely to produce, in both the short term and the long term.

·         Compare alternatives based on how easily you can accomplish each.

·         Evaluate possible negative side effects each may produce.

·         Consider the risk involved in each.

·         Be creative, original; don’t eliminate alternatives because you have not heard or used them before.

A comparison analysis is a great tool to help work out the importance of certain aspects of the decision. It’s a way to compare apples to oranges, so to speak. It helps to prioritize objective data when you have different, subjective options. Selecting between candidates for an open job position is a good example of this tool in action, where you are comparing qualifications, skills, and experience against your desired position.

First, make a list of the aspects you want to compare. Assign each aspect a letter of importance (A is most important / relevant; B is second, and so on).  Try to keep the list to five or fewer options. If you have more than that, some of the aspects may be facets of the same thing, or may not truly be relevant to the decision. In our example, let’s say Computer Skills, Teamwork, Warehouse Experience, Management Experience, and Problem-Solving are the five aspects, in order or importance.

Second, write the options in columns across the top. In our sample, it would be the candidates you are comparing, let’s say Amy, Tom, and Mike.

Third, rank each option according to the aspect on the left. If you have three options, you would assign each option according to the aspect a number one (lowest) through three (highest, or most like). This part is subjective, and that’s ok. You may need to write out your defense of the ranking, or talk it through with someone else. This process will organize your thoughts and help reinforce your ranking.

		Amy	Tom	Mike
Computer Skills	A	3	1	2
Teamwork	B	1	2	3
Warehouse Experience	C	1	2	3
Management Experience	D	3	2	1
Problem-Solving	E	2	3	1

Fourth, give the rankings a weighted score. To assign weight to each aspect, use a multiplier of 1 plus the number of aspects being compared. For example, if there are five aspects, the “A” aspect would have a multiplier of 1.5, the “B” aspect would have a multiplier of 1.4, etc. Multiply the option’s ranking times the multiplier. Total the weighted scores, the option with the highest score would be the one to choose.

		Weight	Amy	Tom	Mike
Computer Skills	A	1.5	4.5	1.5	3
Teamwork	B	1.4	1.4	2.8	4.2
Warehouse Experience	C	1.3	1.3	2.6	3.9
Management Experience	D	1.2	3.6	2.4	1.2
Problem-Solving	E	1.1	2.2	3.3	1.1
Score			13	12.6	13.4

If you disagree with the results, examine your aspects and your rankings to make sure these are an accurate reflection of your priorities. In our sample case, Mike would get the job offer because even though he didn’t score strongest in the first aspect, he scored best overall, with strong teamwork and warehouse experience. 

Another common decision-making tool is the “Pro – Con” approach. A branch-off of that is the Pro – Con – and Fix method. After listing the pros and cons, go through the list of cons and determine which ones can be mitigated, or fixed.  Evaluate each Con to determine if it:

·         truly impacts the result

·         can be combined with another con 

·         can be eliminated, mitigated, or neutralized. Write the “fix” in a column to the right of the Cons.

There are as many methods of reaching a decision as there are decisions to make. Check out the quiz: How Good Are Your Decision-Making Skills to find out how you rate.

Problem Solving

Much of what supervisors do is solve problems and make decisions.  New supervisors, in particular, often solve problems and make decisions by reacting to them.  They are “under the gun”, stressed and very short for time.  Consequently, when they encounter a new problem or decision they must make, they react with a solution that seemed to work before.  It’s easy with this approach to get stuck in a circle of solving the same problem over and over again. 

To prevent this as a new supervisor, get used to an organized approach to problem solving.  Much of your problem-solving confidence will come from having a tried-and-true process to solve problems quickly and effectively. Below are six steps to frame your problem-solving process.

1.        Define the Problem – identify the problem as specifically as possible.  Evaluate the present state and determine how it differs from the goal state.  Writing it down can be very helpful in clarifying and organizing your thoughts. Taking the time during this step will ensure that a) there is a problem; and b) that your solution actually addresses the real problem. So often, when we hear about a potential problem we race to act. A lot of time and resources can be saved by spending time defining the root cause.  

2.        Analyze the Problem – learn as much as you can about it.  It may be necessary to look beyond the obvious, surface situation, stretch your imagination and reach for more creative options.

a.        Interview others who are involved

b.        Be flexible in your analysis

c.        Consider various strands of impact

d.        Brainstorm about all possibilities and implications

e.        Research problems for which you lack complete information

f.         Seek help – consult your coach or mentor, or discuss with your department head

3.        Formulate Possible Solutions – identify a wide range of possible solutions.

a.        Be creative

b.        Consider similar problems and how you have solved them

c.        Use advice from more experienced supervisors

d.        Check for existing company resources regarding the same or similar problems

4.        Evaluate Possible Solutions – weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.  You may use a classic “Pros & Cons” T-diagram to organize your thoughts.

a.        Think through each solution and consider how, when, and where you could accomplish each. 

b.        Consider both immediate and long-term results. 

c.        Mapping your solutions can be helpful at this stage.

5.        Select One Solution – consider compatibility with your priorities, amount of risk, and practicality.

6.        Monitor the Solution – revisit the solution to evaluate the effectiveness.  You may need to tweak the results to get to the goal state.

Keys to Problem Solving

Think aloud – problem solving is a cognitive, mental process.  Thinking aloud or talking yourself through the steps of problem solving is useful.  Hearing yourself think can facilitate the process.  If you are not in a place where you can think aloud, use a word processor on your computer.

Allow time for ideas to “gel” or consolidate.  If time permits, give yourself time for solutions to develop.  Distance from a problem can allow you to clear your mind and get a new perspective.

Talk about the problem – describing the problem to someone else and talking about it can often make a problem become clearer and more defined so that a new solution will surface.

Think maybe your problem-solving skills are already up to the challenge? Take this quiz and find out! How Good Is YourProblem Solving?

What is a Supervisor?

Supervising involves securing, developing, and using essential resources to ensure the company's success. Supervisors are effective if they achieve their goals and efficient if they do it with a minimal amount of resources. One of the company's most important resources is their employees. Supervisors spend a lot of time and effort planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling the work of employees (and other resources, such as equipment and inventory).

Origin of the term “Supervisor” – the term supervisor has its roots in Latin, where it means “looks over.” It was originally applied to the master of a group of artisans.

Characteristics of a Supervisor

The job of supervision is so demanding that companies tend to look for super people to fill the role. Some of the characteristics companies are seeking in their supervisors are:

·         Job knowledge

·         Results orientation

·         Problem-solving

·         Communication

·         Leadership

·         Teach-ability

·         Adaptability to change

·         Ability to build a team

·         Integrity and credibility

·         Tenacity and perseverance

·         Willingness to take initiative

·         Positive attitude

·         Dependability and reliability

·         Demonstrating a customer-service attitude

Five Stages of Transition

Typically, supervisors have greater experience, have held a greater variety of jobs in the company, and have more education than the employees they supervise. The fact that someone is named a supervisor doesn’t mean that a complete change happens overnight. Most often, the transition takes place through five stages:

1.        Taking hold: learning how to run the department, establishing personal credibility, and beginning to build a power base.

2.        Immersion: the supervisor gets to know the real problems of the department and becomes fully informed about the operations there.

3.        Reshaping: the supervisor gradually rebuilds the department to fit their style, making meaningful contributions to operations, and placing an “imprint” on the way of doing things.

4.        Consolidation: the supervisor works to remove deeply rooted problems while perfecting the changes previously made.

5.        Refinement: fine-tuning the operations, consolidating the gains, and seeking new opportunities for making improvements.

Which phase are you in? How do you see yourself transitioning to the next phase?

Henry Fayol, a French industrialist, believed that managerial excellence is a technical ability and can be trained. Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management (1916) still meet the requirements of modern management.

Practical Guidelines

1.        Study the job of supervising and keep learning.

2.        Maintain a focus on your key tasks (planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling) despite daily crises.

3.        Recognize that your job must mesh with the priorities, demands, and goals of the company.

4.        Find ways to involve employees in key tasks and use their input.

5.        Follow the chain of command whenever possible.

6.        Treat employees fairly.

7.        Be patient with your own developmental progress, remembering the stages of transition.

8.        Display integrity, consideration, energy, patience, and flexibility.

9.        Find creative ways to achieve results.

10.     Strive for balance between being employee-centered and task centered, between pressures from higher management and employees, and between your work and your personal life.

For more information about what a supervisor is and their role in management, go to McGraw-Hill’s Higher Ed, Chapter 1: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0073545082/323131/Chapter_1.pdf.