The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.
Les Brown
Some companies just promote their people to supervisors because (1) they need to have the position filled immediately because management tells them to; (2) in some start-up companies they have to promote people to supervisors because the workforce headcount is growing way too fast due to mass hiring; and (3) some promised their long-time employees that promotion for quite some time. What is your reason to promote your people to supervisors? If you have the same reasons as stated above, how do you know that the people you are promoting are just after the position or title and not the responsibilities that go along with being a leader? Believe it or not, this does happen. Some people are just after the authority they will have but not the responsibility. Some like the power of 'being the boss' and having a team of people under his or her wing but does not understand that like what Spiderman's uncle said “with great power comes great responsibility”. When I facilitate my leadership and management programs, I cannot help but state that famous quote from the Spiderman movie. When you think about it – it is true. Being in leadership position, you do have great responsibilities not only with the top management but most of all, with your team. The people given to you to handle. You are responsible for not only yourself but most of all for them. If you cannot handle that, then I will tell you now that you are not fit for the supervisory position. With that thought in mind, then how do you choose your supervisors? Do they undergo several interviews? Do they go through some form of supervisory-situation exams? Or do you just tell them then and there that they are now supervisors? I hope you answered “Yes” to the first and second ones and the last a “No”. Believe it or not, the last one does happen in some companies. If you said “yes” to the interviews, then comes my next question. What questions do you ask them exactly? What are their responses? Below are some common questions you ask during the interview and some answers that will make you decide if the person is right for the job because he wants the responsibilities of being a leader and not just being called a leader-on-paper.
Question: Why did you apply for the position?
Response: “I have been in the company for 5 years and have been around long enough to know how things are done here as well as the processes and procedures....”
Impression: Some candidates think that just because they have been in the company for a long period of time that this is enough reason to qualify him or her for a supervisory position. Although tenure is sometimes one of the requirements or qualification needed for the position, this does not mean that this will guarantee that you get the promotion. Tenure does not mean you deserve to be a supervisor. I remember an interview I handled before where the guy who has been with the company for so many years thought it not fair that a new guy who has been in the company for a couple of years got to be supervisor and he did not.
Question: Why do you want to be a supervisor?
Response: “I am organized, always punctual and have excellent people skills and have demonstrated these in my day-to-day interaction with my co-workers and customers...”
Impression: Some candidates has practiced giving general skills as their answer to this question that they fail to think of situations where they have demonstrated these skills effectively, including what was the end result when they did demonstrate such a skill. You, as an interviewer know that you are looking for situations where they rose above to the occasion and demonstrated a leadership skill that made an impact to those involve including your candidate.
Question: Once you are a supervisor, what do you think you can contribute to the department?
Response: “I can contribute new ideas to improve the processes and procedures the department currently have in place....”
Impression: If a candidate does give this answer, he or she has to be prepared to justify it. This kind of an answer is again considered a general answer. If the candidate cannot give specifics to this answer like what new ideas in what area and how are these ideas better than the ones in place and who benefits from it, then the candidate is not going to get the position. If however, the candidate does give you specifics, make sure you give follow-up questions and make him or her elaborate on it further.
March: Part 2
Les Brown
Some companies just promote their people to supervisors because (1) they need to have the position filled immediately because management tells them to; (2) in some start-up companies they have to promote people to supervisors because the workforce headcount is growing way too fast due to mass hiring; and (3) some promised their long-time employees that promotion for quite some time. What is your reason to promote your people to supervisors? If you have the same reasons as stated above, how do you know that the people you are promoting are just after the position or title and not the responsibilities that go along with being a leader? Believe it or not, this does happen. Some people are just after the authority they will have but not the responsibility. Some like the power of 'being the boss' and having a team of people under his or her wing but does not understand that like what Spiderman's uncle said “with great power comes great responsibility”. When I facilitate my leadership and management programs, I cannot help but state that famous quote from the Spiderman movie. When you think about it – it is true. Being in leadership position, you do have great responsibilities not only with the top management but most of all, with your team. The people given to you to handle. You are responsible for not only yourself but most of all for them. If you cannot handle that, then I will tell you now that you are not fit for the supervisory position. With that thought in mind, then how do you choose your supervisors? Do they undergo several interviews? Do they go through some form of supervisory-situation exams? Or do you just tell them then and there that they are now supervisors? I hope you answered “Yes” to the first and second ones and the last a “No”. Believe it or not, the last one does happen in some companies. If you said “yes” to the interviews, then comes my next question. What questions do you ask them exactly? What are their responses? Below are some common questions you ask during the interview and some answers that will make you decide if the person is right for the job because he wants the responsibilities of being a leader and not just being called a leader-on-paper.
Question: Why did you apply for the position?
Response: “I have been in the company for 5 years and have been around long enough to know how things are done here as well as the processes and procedures....”
Impression: Some candidates think that just because they have been in the company for a long period of time that this is enough reason to qualify him or her for a supervisory position. Although tenure is sometimes one of the requirements or qualification needed for the position, this does not mean that this will guarantee that you get the promotion. Tenure does not mean you deserve to be a supervisor. I remember an interview I handled before where the guy who has been with the company for so many years thought it not fair that a new guy who has been in the company for a couple of years got to be supervisor and he did not.
Question: Why do you want to be a supervisor?
Response: “I am organized, always punctual and have excellent people skills and have demonstrated these in my day-to-day interaction with my co-workers and customers...”
Impression: Some candidates has practiced giving general skills as their answer to this question that they fail to think of situations where they have demonstrated these skills effectively, including what was the end result when they did demonstrate such a skill. You, as an interviewer know that you are looking for situations where they rose above to the occasion and demonstrated a leadership skill that made an impact to those involve including your candidate.
Question: Once you are a supervisor, what do you think you can contribute to the department?
Response: “I can contribute new ideas to improve the processes and procedures the department currently have in place....”
Impression: If a candidate does give this answer, he or she has to be prepared to justify it. This kind of an answer is again considered a general answer. If the candidate cannot give specifics to this answer like what new ideas in what area and how are these ideas better than the ones in place and who benefits from it, then the candidate is not going to get the position. If however, the candidate does give you specifics, make sure you give follow-up questions and make him or her elaborate on it further.
March: Part 2