Readers' Comments
Total Comments: 29
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Page 3 of 4
A Modest Proposal For Improving Federal Supervision
Total Comments: 29
Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
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March 20, 2010
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Managing People
Fed
Tue May 19, 2009 11:04 AM
Post Reply
I have read the article and the 18 comments. I will add my 2c
Foremost, a supervisor of people must have good people skills. This means working with people to do a better job and to get ahead if wanted. It does not mean documenting negative items although that is needed on certain occasions. positive motivation is much better than negative motivation. It also works in most instances. It is also much harder to do well.
Contrary to what some say, good technical skill is absolutely necessary. This means that a good worker cannot be a good manager after 5 years because that worker does not have the technical skill to review my cases, which are not difficult, much less a higher graded worker. That manager cannot resolve disputes between taxpayer and worker properly. Most important, that manager cannot help the worker because that manager does not have the skill to do so.
I worked for a bad manager, with lots of time in, and a good manager. Morale increased with the good man.
Re: Managing People
Singer and Distiller
Wed May 20, 2009 6:27 AM
It is a painful truth that if any employee files a complaint or grievance that employee is going to be told what was done wrong during the rating period. Otherwise, all grievances and appeals would be won by the employee.
Performance Appraisals
Army
Wed May 20, 2009 2:49 PM
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This article is informative and provides readers with clear options and ideas for improving performance management. Thank you Mr. Kunreuther.
When improvement is not possible
DOT
Thu May 21, 2009 8:30 AM
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The key to competent management is selecting qualified candidates. To select a supervisor or manager based on the fact that they couldn't do the job as Air Traffic Controller therefore we need a place for them is a recipe for failure. In my experience many Air Traffic supervisors are not held accountable for their actions. FAA management likes to say " we do the right thing even when no one is watching." To that I say you (the FAA) haven't been paying attention.
What about subordinate employees?
DCMA
Thu May 21, 2009 9:48 AM
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I've never been a supervisor & don't want to be one, so in a sense I have no dog in this fight. But wouldn't we have better supervisors if they had better employees to supervise? Seriously - it's recognized in other endeavors that the "head" is, most of the time, only as good as the people who report to him or her. Everyone has their own horror story about the bad supervisor they once had; for those of us worker bees, don't you think every supervisor can tell you a story about the bad subordinate they were once stuck with? Bottom line: most of us try to do the best we can with the resources & circumstances we are given; that applies to supervisors as well as non-supervisors. Show some respect for the efforts our fellow feds put forth, even if the results are sometimes disappointing.
On target!
NAVSTA Great Lakes
Thu May 21, 2009 8:10 PM
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There are many supervisors within the government system who embrace their abilities to engage employees, but lack the support of human resources to “do the right thing”. Too much weight is placed on superficial nonsense, rather than ensuring the employees are invested in a process. Let’s ensure the workforce has the tackle to fish rather than focusing on the plate presentation.
Org. Mgmt. Restructuring One Cause
NAVFAC 2 USACE
Fri May 29, 2009 12:51 PM
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Robby K,
Glad to see you read/post on these comments! I wonder how many authors do this? One thing I have learned is that many unintended consequences occur when a organizational change occurs. Take for example the overwhelming trent to trim the size of management and its effect on the skill sets needed for success. Many supervisors are now "working supervisors" - so a focus on technical competence results. Becoming "Flatter" - cutting middle level managers = less time to "train" supervisors on non-technical skill sets, mentoring dissapeared, and a lot less time spent is on tactical implementation of strategic issues (eg. training). Higher Managers - having to pick up the slack for disappearing middle managers to resolve supervisory level issues - means little time to plan and act strategically (such as instituting good appraisal and training programs for supervisors & managers). This is just one factor of many in supervisory system failure. [BTW - Liked your thoughts.]
supervisory catch-22
noaa
Sun May 31, 2009 4:44 PM
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i have encountered many "supervisor profiles" regrettably some (including my current supervisor) base their decisions primarily on the concept of CYA or risk aversion what makes them look best. this is especially so for those close to retirement. hence, their actions too often reflect not what is professionally, morally or even legally correct, rather; they focus on 1) insuring that anything that may adversely impact their credibility (job) as a manager be buried under the carpet hoping it will burn itself out, 2) doing whatever possible to insure it doesnt reach the ears/eyes of second line boss and (thus an absence of accountability) 3) shooting the messenger (discredit the whistleblower) in case the problem is not extinguished or does reach ears of second or third line boss. the result in my office is that problems will slow burn until they ignite and/or "explode upon impact " this has seriously eroded morale and worker efficiency...and
could ultimately result in loss of life