Five steps to high performance as a supervisor

You can't become a top manager by wishing for it. But you can follow these rules for becoming a high-performing manager that employees will want to follow:

Explain your role and responsibilities: First, be sure you understand everything you're accountable for in the workplace. Then communicate those responsibilities clearly to your employees. They need to understand why you're emphasizing certain goals and practices.

Set objectives that don't conflict. Take a good look at what you're asking employees to accomplish in the short term and in the long run. If you push employees to meet weekly goals that undercut long-term growth (selling defective products that need to be replaced later, for example), your organization's revenues will suffer, as will employee's motivation.

Share your decision-making process. Think about how you make decisions. Is your process rational? Can others see what criteria you're using? When employees understand the logic behind your decisions, they'll be able to make better decisions themselves.

Plan your actions. Don't make up your strategy as you go along. Invest time in determining where you and your workforce need to go and how you can get there quickly and efficiently. Plan for setbacks and obstacles so an unexpected failure doesn't cause panic.

Schedule your priorities. A to-do list is only a start. Rank your objectives and assigned clear deadlines for the most important items, and communicate priorities to your entire workforce so your associates can plan their efforts accordingly.

SOURCE: The Motivational Manager, Adapted from the Leadership Articles website