Team Supervisor

Team Supervisor

Student:5572

Anna Catherina Magrietha Roodt

ID No: 8204280084088

Cell: 0798805026

Email: [email protected]

Address: 12 Churchill str

Duncanville

Vereeniging

1939

Team Supervisor

Introduction

Unimpeachably, when people join forces and set to work effectively as a team, they stand a chance of drawing an entire spectrum of ideas and various experiences that result into innovative solutions. As a team supervisor in any given workforce, it is fundamental that one should be able to bring forth and sustain a sense of peer support, collaboration and affiliation for your members. Moreover, leadership calls for the creation of a compelling vision of the future, communicating that vision and helping people understand and commit to it.

This paper is bent on exploring the following aspects which every effective team leader should be well versed with:

· Planning, Organizing and Allocating work

· Managing interpersonal team processes to achieve required outputs

· Evaluating the achievement of work unit objective

Planning, Organizing and Allocating Work

Planning

Planning is a crucial management function that necessitates the conceptualization of one or more elaborate plan to accomplish optimum balance of demands or needs with the available resources. I believe that as a team supervisor it is important to plan because:

a) Planning keys out the objectives or goals to be achieved

b) Planning excogitates the strategies that can be used in achieving the objectives

c) Planning puts into a systematic order the means required to meet the goals.

d) Through the planning process, the team supervisor can direct, implement and keep tabs on all the steps in their proper chronological sequence.

Planning can be carried out at the micro and macro levels. Below is a brief discussion which gives an insight into the types of planning that can be used in an organizational framework:

1.1.2 Write down in your own words your understanding of strategic, tactical and operational planning.

1. Strategic planning . This gives an overview of the teams` vision, goals and values. It forms the foundational basis of the team and thus it prescribes the decisions that the team supervisor makes.

2. Tactical planning . This describes the maneuvers that a team supervisor can use in achieving goals or ambitions delineated in the strategic plan. Through it, the team supervisor can dissect the general mission statements of the team into smaller components. Budgeting, resources, marketing and meeting particular goals with fixed deadlines are some of the elements that are shared by most tactical plans.

3. Operational planning . This concerns itself with the day to day activities of the team. It depicts the roadmap to accomplish the tactical goals within a reasonable timeframe. Additionally, this plan is specific to a high degree and it stresses on the short-term goals of the team. Operational plans furcate into ongoing or single use plans. Single use plans are meant for activities which have a single occurrence whereas ongoing plans are suited for multiple settings with an ongoing basis. Operational plans are made on an ad-hoc basis but they can be recapitulated and altered as required.

The success of a team supervisor is not only circumscribed in planning but in efficacious communication as well. Through strong team communication skills, better workforce relationships can be built; the sharing of new practices and ideas can also be facilitated and the team members can benefit through counseling and coaching.

1.2.1 Write down all the communication methods you can think of.

Communication methods fall into the following main categories:

· Written communication: this is any form of interaction in which written words are used to communicate a message. Through written communication, a team supervisor can relay information pertaining to the expectations, legalities and developments to the team members. Examples of this form of communication include: letters, emails, instant messaging, memos, and text messaging among others.

· Verbal communication: this form of communication facilitates the sharing of information between two or more individuals by using speech. Arguably, verbal communication is nonpareil when it comes to giving instructions, direction or correction to a group. Furthermore, it is of immense importance when it comes to setting the boundaries and guidelines in team dynamics that will allow the group to attain its intended goals.

· Non-verbal communication: this incorporates the tone of the voice, facial expressions, kinesics, proxemics and the pitch of the voice. These non-verbal signals bespeak additional information in the course of verbal communication.

The Planning Process

As has been said, through planning the supervisor can be able to meet the demands or needs with the available resources. Thus, the planning process is a series of steps that can be used by the supervisor in an effort to accomplish the goals and objectives set out for their particular team or department. The planning process follows the following sequence:

Forecasting

Failure on the part of the team supervisor to underscore the importance of forecasting can be detrimental to a team. Forecasts should be a dynamic part of the business strategy even though it is not always accurate. Through forecasting, the supervisor can be able to speculate what will happen on the future. By doing so the team supervisor will be able to visualize conditions under which the team will be operating in future. Assumptions for the future are pivoted on past occurrences and any new information or fact that is currently available to the supervisor. Forecasting is categorized into:

i. Mechanical projection. Here the supervisor works on the presumption that what happened in the past will recur without any changes. Courtesy of this, the supervisor generates synthetic data that might be inaccurate.

ii. Analytical projection. Here the supervisor first studies the foresight and the hindsight of trends before proceeding to analyze the effect of altering circumstances on future events.

iii. Prediction of human behavior. Here the supervisor is faced with the task of determining why people behave the way they do and assessing the possible implications of their behavior. It is thus the most unpredictable aspect of any projection.

Illustration Exercise

The price of the BMT HRM Certificate was R5500.00 last year. This year the price is R6600.00. The escalation in price was 20%. This is calculated as follows:

R6600-R5500=R1100

a) If you use the method of Mechanical projection, what will the price be in the following year?

Since under mechanical projection the presumption is that what happened in the past will recur without any changes, the price of the BMT HRM Certificate will be R7920.00

b) If you heard on the news that the government is going to regulate educational prices and that the HRM Certificate’s price cannot exceed R7500. What do you think the price of the HRM Certificate will be the following year? Motivate your answer.

Citing a possible increase in the production costs, the price of the certificates will not stagnate at R6600.00. Instead, the BMT HRM Certificates will go for R7260.00. At this price, the producers will be able to make some profit and at the same time comply with the government rules.

Setting Objectives

Objectives are statements of measurable improvements, in results, that must be fulfilled within a specific time frame. Among the responsibilities of a team supervisor is setting and sharing the team`s and individual goals with the team members. A good objective ought to be specific, achievable, relevant, time-bound and measurable. Moreover, it should be assessed on a regular basis to determine whether it has been met or not. Objectives constitute the following components:

· A statement of intention

· A measurement criteria

Illustration Exercise

Citing question 1.3.3 in Chapter One, an example of an objective for the advertising department can be as follows:

Increasing 3rd quarter magazine sales in South Africa by 10% from male shoppers aged 19-29

Programming

After forecasting and successfully setting objectives, the supervisor needs to formulate a program for the team or department. Programming is establishing a plan of action which is focalized on executing the team`s objectives. Moreover, it provides detailed information on the nature of work to be done, by whom and the resources that will be required to accomplish that work. In order to come up with a successful program, the supervisor needs to utilize the following steps:

i. Determine the main steps or actions. This can be done through brain-storming and seeking opinion from the team members

ii. Analyze each of the action steps obtained from stage I above and prioritize on the most important ones.

iii. Allocate responsibilities so that each member will be aware of their responsibility.

Budgeting

It is possible to make a budget for an individual, team, family or business. A budget is an approximation of the expenses and revenue over a particularized future period of time. It is therefore a document whereby resources required to achieve objectives are located. Budgeting plays a chief role in the survival and growth of an organization. In addition, a budget can be used as tool of measuring performance. For successful budgeting:

i. Firstly, determine all the resources (money, time, personnel and equipment) that are available.

ii. Stipulate a course or plan of action on how these resources can be put to best use.

Scheduling

This is the second last step in the planning process. After successfully determining the tasks that need to be performed and arranging them in terms of their urgency; the supervisor has to allocate sufficient time for each task. The relevance of scheduling in an organization is that it allows the supervisor to be able to precisely predict when the task will be completed, the resources needed to complete it and possibly when these resources will be required. Through scheduling, the team supervisor can objectively co-ordinate the team members.

Select the final

This is the terminal stage in the planning process. At this juncture, the supervisor is required to assess the plan in its entirety and ascertain that everything that is necessary has been incorporated. Furthermore, the supervisor should review the policies and procedures as these might predetermine some solutions to the problems. Procedures will help you achieve your objectives through applying standardized methods.

Overcoming planning problems

To pursue efficient planning, it is a fundamental pre-requisite that the supervisor should be cognizant of the problems that might occur during the planning process. Below are pointers which can help in eliminating issues which might be encountered during planning:

· Allow for subordinates to participate in the planning process.

· Communicate clearly all the advantages and keep subordinates informed.

· Ensure that they know what is expected of them.

· Lead them from their comfort zones into the challenges of the unknown.

· Show them that the unknown promises new and exciting challenges.

· Let them experience the planned change through the benefits that it holds.

· Use the energy, generated to resist change, in the process of getting people involved in changing their environment for the better.

Organizing

Organizing takes places when a social unit of individuals that is integrated and managed agrees to pursue a collective set of goals. Through organizing, a management structure can be formed which in turn determines the relationships between the various activities and the team members. Moreover, the management structure dissevers and allocates roles and responsibilities. It therefore follows that, the team members should exhibit a high level of responsibility and accountability.

Developing an organizational structure

With regards to developing an organizational structure, the role of a team supervisor is limited to identifying and grouping the work in their respective teams, sections or departments. Developing organizational structures is within the jurisdiction of senior management. The two types or organizational structures that are commonly used are:

i. Formal Organization Structure. The formal organization structure holds the company together; it ensures that the different departments and sections work together as a unit and in harmony. It ensures that all employees achieve the same objectives.

ii. Informal Organization Structure. This is normally the structure that accommodates the social contact between workers. It is done informally and develops spontaneously in groups of people with the same interests.

Delegating

Delegation occurs when a team leader or supervisor assigns a responsibility to a team member to carry out a specific activity. It is the heart and soul of management leadership. Courtesy of delegation, a team member is empowered to make personal decisions on how to best accomplish a given activity. Delegating is a crucial part of a supervisor’s work. Some of the advantages of delegation are:

· Gives you additional time and allows you to control your time.

· You can now focus on those aspects of your job that only you are qualified to do.

· You can now also properly plan and anticipate problems.

· It motivates employees.

· It increases their self-worth.

· It increases their skills and knowledge.

Managing diversity

Diversity comes into existence when the team members bring on-board their own experiences and backgrounds to the organization. In order to effectively manage diversity, the supervisor needs to harmonize these experiences and resources for the benefit of the team. A successful team supervisor can construct a culture of permissiveness through training, conflict management strategies and enlightening the team members of the importance of tolerance.

Co-ordination

One of the most stimulating tasks for a team supervisor is achieving successful co-ordination within the team. Co-ordination is used where two or more people need to work together to achieve the same goal. Some of the methods for achieving co-ordination are:

i. Mutual adjustment. This is majorly facilitated by the interpersonal interactions between the supervisor and the team members and also amongst the team members themselves.

ii. Rules or procedures. These are useful when certain activities are recurring. Thus, they depict a course of action that the team members should follow if a specific activity arises.

iii. Direct supervision. : This is achieved when one person co-ordinates the work of the team members by giving them instructions and monitoring the results.

Allocating work

Work in progress refers to all the activities that are partly finished. A team supervisor should strive to keep the actual amount of work in progress as minimal as possible. This will help in reducing the amount of resources that are tied up in accomplishing a particular activity. Additionally, this will insure that the budget is met.

Managing interpersonal team processes to achieve required outputs

Team process plays a vital role in the achievement of organizational goals. A united and motivated team which is under good leadership tends to perform better than those that lack in these elements. In this chapter an analysis of how to handle interpersonal team process in order to achieve required outputs is done. It is broken down into the following sections:

· Leading and leadership

· Tracking progress against plan

· Collecting information and reporting it to management

· Analyzing progress reports and taking corrective action

Leading

Leadership is defined as the social influence a person has over a group of people in order to cause them to achieve a specific goal. On the other hand, supervising is when one has been given the responsibility of overseeing subordinates and giving them instructions. However, leaders and supervisors differ in that a supervisor owns the task given and tends to control how it is done while a leader encourages the worker to own the task allocated and the end result. A leader has several responsibilities. Most importantly is that they lead by example. To ensure this they have to work hard and ensure they keep the promises they make. Additionally, they must show concern over the welfare of their subordinates.

Different leaders have different leadership styles. Some may be autocratic where they do not consult their subordinates while making decisions. Some are bureaucratic where they sell their ideas to those they lead by telling them of the benefits of the ideas. Another type of leadership is laissez-faire where the leader leaves his subordinates to do as they please and as a result may be viewed as weak. Lastly, there is democratic leadership where the leader consults his subordinates before making a decision and incorporates their opinions in the decision he makes. One cannot say that a particular leadership style is the best. The type of leadership used depends on the situation at hand.

Illustration Exercise

You have a subordinate that always challenges your way of doing things. You have an important project coming up and your deadline is soon. What kind of leadership style would you use in this situation?

I believe it would be best to use bureaucratic leadership in this scenerio. This is because as the leader you make the decision and then sell it to your subordinates by telling them of the advantages that the idea brings. In addition, bureaucratic leadership incorporates listening to the subordinates and their opinions on a certain decision so that they may feel they were made to be part of the decision making. This causes the employees to feel trusted by their leader. It also enables the meeting of the deadline. Overall, bureaucratic leadership is an effective and highly regulated leadership style.

An effective leader is one who has accepted the goals of the organization and is able to motivate his subordinates to work towards attaining these goals. Thus, from this definition, a supervisor is a leader as he or she has the mandate to supervise subordinates to ensure they work towards attaining the organizational goals.

What are the main aspects of leadership? They are authority and power. All leaders have authority. This gives them the right to enforce actions and punish wrong doing. Authority is granted by the management of an organization. Another aspect of leadership is power. However, unlike authority which is given, power is earned. Power can be defined as the ability to influence others. It can be monetary power, coercive power which is gained through fear, referent power due to respect of the leader by subordinates, expert power which is given to a leader due to his expertise in the field and lastly, reward power.

Among the responsibilities of a person in authority is decision making. Decision making is a cognitive process that results in choosing a course of action over others. It involves several steps as demonstrated in the illustration below:

You decide you want to study. You can study distance education or enroll for full time studies.

I would undertake the following steps in making my decision:

1. Establish aims. I would ask myself the objectives of what I am going to study and which of my choices meet my objectives.

2. Establish the success criteria of the decision. A decision has to meet certain criteria to be termed successful. These include the resources I have, the procedure that needs to be followed and my restrictions. When the decision meets these specifications, it can be said to be effective.

3. Generating alternatives. I will collect information on studying and find all the possible ways in which I can pursue my studies. In addition. I will incorporate the opinions of others. The alternatives are distance education or enrolling for fulltime studies.

4. Evaluating alternatives. I will analyze my alternatives. What are the advantages and disadvantages of distance education and enrolling full time? What impact will each of these bring and how serious is the impact? Furthermore, can I minimize the negative effects of this impact?

5. Implementing and evaluating decisions. Finally, from analyzing the alternatives, I will finally choose one of them and follow the steps to implementing it. These are, identifying an institution of learning which best meets my criteria and acquiring all resources needed by the institution to enroll me as a student. After implementing my decision, I will keep evaluating it to see if it actually meets the standards I set.

Another major responsibility of a person of authority is ensuring good performance of the team. The best way to motivate someone is by exploiting their needs. These may range from basic needs such as food to more complex ones such as self-esteem and self-actualization. In order to motivate subordinates, the supervisor ought to respect and recognize the worker’s efforts and most importantly lead by example.

Among the needs that people have is esteem. Esteem is a vital need in workers which affects their level of competence. Esteem may be your view of yourself or the view others have of you. As a supervisor it is important you elevate the level of esteem in your subordinates to ensure good performance at work. This can be done by giving recognition and praise where it is due. It may be it in effort or in achievement. In addition, it is important to show the workers that their views matter.

Tracking progress against the plan

In order to track progress against the plan, it is important to have a control procedure. Control procedures allow an organization to ensure achievement of their goals by ensuring correct use of its resources and the quality of work produced by its employees. A supervisor can control his team either through personal control where he personally checks the work of the subordinates or through control by exception where the supervisor allows the worker to perform at standard but report to him regularly.

Control is implemented through several activities.

· Developing performance standards which are achievable and flexible to incorporate change

· Measuring of performance to evaluate the results and achievement of the objectives.

· Determine deviations and explain why they occur

· Correcting performance to prevent future occurrences of deviations.

In order to demonstrate the importance of a control procedure, below is an illustration exercise containing the plan that I made showing the deviations that occurred and corrective actions I took to ensure the plans succeed.

My friends and I planned to go on vacation. The time frame within which the vacation was to take place was 4days. It was to take place within the first third of the year. In the initial process of planning, we did the following:

· Prepared a budget for the vacation

· Set the date for the journey

· Identified a suitable location within our price range

· Identified and booked our accommodation

· Identified scenic sites and resort which we could visit during the vacation

· Established a schedule to be used during our vacation

· Acquired a means of transport

Problems that occurred during the planning

· Collision of our schedules made it difficult to identify a suitable date in which we would go on vacation

· As we picked chose to travel over the Easter weekend it was difficult to acquire suitable accommodation as many people had chosen to go on vacation at the same time

· Cost of accommodation was above budget

Corrective actions taken to solve above problems

· We identified the Easter holiday whereby none of us had any obligations

· We increased the capital allocated towards acquiring accommodation using our salaries

· Instead of looking for a hotel we resorted to hiring out a house which was in the location we wanted to have our vacation in.

Collecting information and reporting it to management

Information can be defined as knowledge acquired through study, experience o or instruction. Information can be gathered from files and communication records of the organization, media, conducting interviews, survey questionnaires and direct observation. From the information gathered, a supervisor needs to prepare a progress report in an organized fashion and incorporating all important knowledge gathered. Furthermore, the progress report should include the current status, the achievements of the work unit and the problems encountered while trying to achieve these goals. Lastly, the information gathered must be readied for a presentation and a report prepared on it.

Evaluating the achievement of work unit objective

Analyzing progress reports and the need for taking corrective action

I feel that analyzing the progress reports documented by supervisors is very important for any organization. They inform the management of the steps made towards the achievement of the organizational goals and the problems that were encountered while these steps were being taken. This helps the management to identify the problems the organization may be facing and take the necessary steps towards solving them and ensuring that they do no impede future achievements of the organization.

Below is a mind map evaluating achievement of work unit objectives

Merging fiscal and performance outcomes and noting results

Communicating results

Evaluating achievement of work unit objectives