A Tricky Supervision Challenge
A Tricky Supervision Challenge
Laurie Weiss, Ph.D.
Many managers believe that treating their team members as
responsible adults will assure excellent results. The truth is
that while this usually is effective, some people need much
firmer limits than others to perform their jobs.
When I give her a direction, she says she understands, but then
she acts as if she can do just as she pleases. Ellen, the
manager of a rehabilitation hospital unit was discussing her
frustration in supervising one of her social workers. Ellen
would much rather help Angelique be successful at her job than
to fire her, but things have not been going well.
Angelique has been on the unit for a year and a half, but Ellen
has only been supervising her directly for a few months. Ellen