Recently, I’ve been mentoring “Jim,” a new supervisor who reports to me. Jim is my first “baby supervisor” to break in, so to speak, and the experience has been challenging for me. I want him to succeed and thrive, but I’m not always sure how to help him because my own inexperience is getting in the way. I first became a supervisor ten years ago, but I’ve been a second-line manager with three supervisors reporting to me for only two years. Up until now, I’ve been fortunate that my direct report supervisors have all been seasoned.
A couple of days ago, I was counseling Jim about staying too late at the office. He’s always been a hard worker, but since his promotion earlier this year I’ve noticed that he’s been staying later and later every night. I wasn’t sure why. His group’s paperwork is always done well and on time. He’s getting the job done. So why the long hours? What has been causing him to stay so late?
Jim’s response?
“I feel like I’m not getting anything accomplished.”
Jim’s response struck a nerve in me, because I still feel the same way every day. I am a productivity junkie. I’ve read everything I can get my hands on about goal setting, planning, and following through. Yet at the end of every day, I feel like a total failure.
Jim is experiencing now what I’ve been going through for almost ten years. My job changed, but my personal narrative didn’t. I like to plan, organize, and get my things done. My job is to help others plan, organize, and get THEIR things done.
The adjustment from being an employee to being a leader is hard. I think it’s even harder for a productivity junkie.
In my definition, a leader’s job is to help employees get their jobs done. Unfortunately, when put into practice, that tactic means the employees are largely in charge of me. As a leader, I can set the overall agenda, the tone of the workplace, and even make the rules. The employees set my schedule, though, because I have to help them deal with the obstacles that life throws in our way.
So what sage wisdom did I impart to Jim?
I suggested that he try some of the things I do: get to the office, make a plan, and set a goal. When interruptions happen, he needs to make the best decisions possible based on the situation at hand. Then he should keep track of everything else he does during the day and write it down. That way, when the end of the day comes and his original plan is shot, he can at least see everything that he and his group accomplished.
Sage wisdom, indeed. So why can’t I follow my own advice?
Are you a supervisor? How do you balance your own need to feel productive with the needs of your employees?
–Monica