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The Forgotten First Year of Supervision

NSPS and Pay-For-Performance

Software Engineer
US Army
Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:20 AM

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The idea of pay-for-performance sounds like a great idea. The only problem with it for the federal workforce: nothing happens to the bad supervisors under the new system. If the supervisor is incapable or unwilling to make fair evaluations of their employees under the current system, what makes anyone think this is going to change when we transition to NSPS? NSPS is always talked about as a "magic pill" that will fix these problems. I don't see it happening. I believe this is the main reason that most of us (competent and hard working) are not embracing the NSPS. The union has a different agenda, to protect the incompetent. I keep waiting for someone to tell the truth on this subject.

Supervisory Certification

Security
DOI USBR
Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:37 AM

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Mr. Kunreuther, I believe you are exactly on the spot. We teach our welders/machinists/electricians/plumbers/pipefitters etc how to be competent before they are called "journey level", and in most cases it's a five year education process, followed by a test.

We should build a system of mentoring/training/counciling/certifying our leadership cadre in like manner.

Law enforcement in the State of Washington requires first level, mid management, executive level certification before, or within a fixed period of time after selection or promotion.

supervisory probationary period

HR specialist
DOI
Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:03 AM

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Your article is on the mark in so many ways. However, I have been approached by management concerning less-than-satisfactory performance by new supervisors. Unfortunately, options were severely limited due to the size of our organization. The new supervisor's former positions had already been filled, and, short of removal, there was no where for them to go. Eventually (as in after a year or so), they were given directed reassignments into non-supervisory positions.

Refreshing

Contract Specialist
DoD
Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:09 AM

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Great article. Refreshing perspective. It couldn't be more true. I'm in a field that requires more advanced training than total training that managers in my agency are required to take thru their careers. They get one 40-hr class once in their entire careers. I have to take 40 hrs of continuing learning every year. What is the government thinking when they don't invest at least that much time in the people who manage us? Yet, consider the money they waste inventing more personnel systems doomed to fail when funding isn't available to support them.

Supervisors

Nameless, Faceless, Hardworking Nobody
DOD
Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:11 AM

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Over the last 25 years I have had some great and some terrible supervisors. It always seemed the terrible ones managed to find a new promotion or a great new job in a great new agency. That always worried me.

As to training them to manage the (dreaded) NSPS...

Maybe NSPS should be implemented from the top down with the executive, then the management, then the supervisors all working their way through a couple years of implementation before sticking it to the average worker. At least each level might have some idea of the isuues and how THEY would like it to be better before the rank and file is stuck.

Leadership training in this command is something of a joke. They pick bright-eyed busy-tailed college grads, put them through a series of classes, and then give them the job without sufficient work experience or developed people skills. Think this does any good for the morale of the long-term employee who has both the people skills AND the experience who was overlooked?

Serious Ommissions from this article

Building Management Specialist
GSA PBS
Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:15 AM

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Why is there no discussion of Motivational Skills? The word 'Leadership' is used here in place of the more appropriate 'Supervision' because there is a world of difference between the two ideas.

A Supervisor is charged with making sure the work gets done. Period. If there's a problem with achieving that end, it's a sure bet that the 'Supervisor' will take the 'stick' to that worker to attempt to get results.

A 'Leader', however, will take a look at the problem and try to ascertain what the cause might actually be. Perhaps the worker is overloaded. Perhaps the worker is undertrained. A 'Leader' would work with the employee to get to the root of the problem and, hopefull, make it possible for the worker to achieve the goal.

Most 'Supervisors' believe that the paycheck is the only motivator and the worker should be happy with that reward but a 'Leader' understands that there is much more to motivating a worker. Motivational skills in a Manager are crucial to good leadership.

360

ENGINEER
ENERGY
Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:19 AM

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We tried the 360 system which includes all supervisors being rated by each employee under them as well as their peers. It was stopped. Too many supervisors were getting poor ratings!

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