Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 1: Self ManagementInstructor’s Guide
Activity 2: Transition from Worker to SupervisorPurpose: To identify the challenges of transitioning from a worker to a supervisor position. The activity also focuses on the attributes of a “good” supervisor and methods for establishing appropriate boundaries.
Time: 90 min
Objectives: Through this activity, the supervisor will:
- Identify how the role of a supervisor is different from a worker
- Identify barriers and opportunities for success as a supervisor
- Review workers, supervisors, and administrators expectations
Materials: (change below as needed)
- Participant Workbook
- Flip chart and markers
- Projector
- PowerPoint file
Sequence: (of topics/exercises) / Time
Why did you become a supervisor? / 10 minutes
Transitioning skills and behaviors / 10 minutes
How do you think you are viewed / 10 minutes
Group exercise – supervisor role models / 30 minutes
Review of slides 4-11 / 20 minutes
Four levels of Learning / 10 minutes
Method / Script / Tips/Notes
Why did you become a supervisor? (10 minutes)
Welcome Participants back from break. Remind them to be on time when returning from breaks and lunch to stay on schedule.
Say:
/ “To get us started, we’re going to look at some of the challenges and strategies of moving from worker to supervisorAsk:
/ Why did you want to become a supervisor?(Gather reasons from the class. Chart responses and tape to the wall for future reference)
Expected answers:
- Strong attraction to managerial position
- Lack of preferable alternatives
- Feeling burned out as a case worker
- Move up the ladder
- Like to coach and develop others
- Think I could do it better
- Money
“What was I thinking?”
Any “oh no!” momentsMajority have neither great incentive or disincentive to take the job
Ask:
Key Points / Knowing what you know about supervision, what makes you qualified to be a supervisor?
- Some understanding of being a supervisor is gained as a consequence of being a supervisee
- Research has shown that supervisors site good role models as a source of learning their job. Still, most supervisors do not feel adequately prepared for the job.
- The skills of managing are different from the skills of doing.
- Casework training may be helpful in managing the interpersonal aspects of supervision, but…
- Transitioning requires shifting to a different mindset and set of skills for organizing, coordinating, directing, assigning, etc.
Transitioning skills and behaviors (10 minutes)
Slide #`1
Ask: /
What tools will you draw on to be successful?
Slide #`2
Say: /
Transitioning is a challenge. Just because someone is a good student, will that make her a good teacher? Does a good caseworker make a good supervisor? What are some of the differences?
Do/Ask: / Draw a “T” on the flipchart.
- Write “tasks/skills/behaviors” at the top
- On one side of the T, write “Worker.”
- On the other side, write “Supervisor.”
/ Worker: youth care skills
Supervisor: organizing, coordinating, decision making (mgmt / supervisory skills)
- The qualities of a good worker are sometimes the opposite of a good supervisor
- The skills of managing are different from the skills of doing.
Say:
/ As a supervisor, you have entered a new occupation, not just a new position. It comes with its own set of job expectations, specifications, and precedents. It will come with a period of personal and professional growth, as well as other ups, downs, and changes. / If appropriate, refer to reasons for becoming a supervisor. Identify skills needed.Slide #3 /
Becoming a supervisor means going from the top of your game, to starting all over again.
How do you think you are viewed? (10 minutes)
Ask:
/ Which shifts stand out as the easiest/most difficult in your experience so far as a supervisor? Why?Say:
Ask:/
- The transition from worker to supervisor is filled with many challenges. One of those is working with what used to be peers, but are now direct reports.
- As a supervisor, how do you think you are viewed by your peers? (Chart answers)
- How do you think you are viewed by other supervisors?
“One of them”
congratulated,
crazy, guarded
New kid on the block, inexperienced, untested
Say:
/ Is this what you signed up for? Probably not. Are you feeling inadequate, confused, overworked?Say:
/ Workers who become supervisors for the first time often react similarly. They may vow never to do what their supervisors did or, alternatively, seek to emulate previous supervisors.The fallacy of either premise is that the new supervisor has immediately forgotten one of the first lessons of casework—each person is an individual with unique needs and qualities. Hence, eachworker requires a somewhat different supervisory approach. There are numerous issues that new supervisors may face. Some are common to all, and others are related to how supervisors move into their position.
As a new supervisor, it is critical to get to know your workers. Successful workers develop trust and relationships with clients…do the same with your workers…and do it with respect.
Group exercise – Supervisor Role Models (30 minutes)
/
- Who were your supervisor role models?
- Tell about the best supervisor you ever had?
- What did they do well? What helpful behaviors did they use?
After posting, look for common themes among the groups. Emphasize the best and worst behaviors
Review slides 4-11 (25 minutes)
Slide #4
/ Right from the start, there a number of positive aspects to your new position that you can use./ Remind learners to use the skill that made them successful as workers…
assessment
organizational
Technical
What made them do well in the past can be useful for the future.
Slide #5
Key Points /
When moving from a peer to a supervisory relationship, new supervisors must be:
- Clear about how they expect the relationships to remain the same and how they will change
- Clear about what is needed from the unit
- Clear about what they are prepared to offer in return.
- Most new supervisors do not take the time to work through such transition issues. Rather, they attempt to carry out the supervisory role while maintaining previous patterns of peer interaction.
Slide #6 /
Key Points
/ When workers are promoted to supervisors, they become part of management.New and even experienced supervisors may over-align themselves with their workers. The possible consequences of this include producing poor quality work, the administration viewing the supervisor as not being a team player, or a loss of confidence in the new supervisor.
Slide #7
/ / Do this early on after being promotedKey Points
/ When you become a new supervisor, it is critical to understand the needs of your manager. Identify and clarify expectations.Bring those back to your team, so everyone is clear about what needs to happen, what information you need, and everybody’s role in contributing.
Slide #8
Say:
Ask: /When gaps in age or work experience exist, it is best to acknowledge the differences with staff. Encourage staff to express feelings and thoughts about being supervised by a manager who is younger or less experienced.
What are the challenges when both supervisor and staff are inexperienced?
- Higher risk for children and families
- Extra time needed for both supervisor and worker
Slide #9
/Key Points
/ One of the first, critical steps for a new supervisor is to conduct an accurate initial assessment of individual and unit functioning, strengths, and needs.- In certain ways, this is similar to a casework assessment with children and families.
- In this instance, assessment means determining what workers need in the supervisory relationship to be able to do their job. Some workers require more feedback than others, while some need more information.
- If the supervisor believes the individual "should" need these things, it is of secondary importance. Meeting these needs is the key to influencing worker behavior, and influencing worker behavior is the key to effective supervision.
- In addition, workers who have not had their professional needs met will require consistent and persistent attention before patterns of behavior and feelings change.
Participant’s Guide /
- One of the ways to assess your workers, is identify their level of competency
- Review next page with class.
- Have class complete the page.
Hand out- Level of Worker Competency Sheets
The assessment process also considers the reaction of individual staff to a new supervisor. Workers naturally feel vulnerable when a new supervisor enters the unit. The predictable pattern of interaction with the previous supervisor, no matter how ineffective, is being replaced.
Instructor should relate material to both the new worker and supervisor in addition to their own experience.
Whether promoted or newly hired, people need to learn many new and different things. Putting those “things” in to practice takes time, and the role of the supervisor changes over time.
Exercise:
Have each group review the following scenarios and decide what level of learning the person is in?
1. Darien is an employee with three years experience and was transferred in to your unit. He seems like a very capable, intelligent worker who is current on information and attends to details. His learning style is very task-oriented and very analytical. You have noticed that he does not come to you to ask a lot of questions and seems to want to work on his own. When you interact with him, he is pleasant and eager to work. Darien told you in confidence he is not sure if he wants to be a supervisor. You have noticed he enjoys the computer work and being in the office. So far, he is always up to date on his contacts and administrative case management activities. He is interested in engaging children and families and is developing creative skills in case planning. (Skilled)
2. Staff person Wanda has been in DYFS for 11 years. Wanda is thoughtful, logical and a natural leader. Even though she is relatively new to your unit, you have noticed other workers already go to her for advice and guidance. Wanda is a helpful problem solver who has a lot of knowledge about abuse and neglect issues. Her strengths are about New Jersey regulations, policies and practices. Wanda is good at working with families. They seem to listen to her and carry out their case plan activities in a positive way. Her paperwork is on time and complete. Wanda comes to you to conference cases when she has questions. She makes the job look easy (Competent)
3. Supervisor Anne was promoted to an intake supervisor after passing the exam six months ago. Joan, a worker with two years experience came to talk with her about a new case and some alternatives for handling the situation.
Anne immediately started to make decisions in an authoritarian manner. She started to bark orders and yell at Joan to complete several tasks without providing reasons or directions. After a minute of listening, Joan did not agree with Anne’s decisions, and started to yell back. The two of them had a heated discussion. (Novice)
4. Supervisor Joe has been in his role for less than two years. When his workers come to him, Joe works hard at listening, asking questions, taking notes, and helping workers decide on which direction to take. He feels this is something he can improve upon. He is well respected by his workers, and other supervisors in the office. The biggest complaint about Joe is that he schedules conferences, and fails to keep appointments. To tackle that, Joe asked each of his workers to hold him accountable for failed appointments. Three missed conferences and he buys everyone in the unit lunch. (Beginner)
Slide #10
/ / Instructor can read through points and elaborate as neededDepending on time, have participants rank as most critical to success
Slide #11
/ / Instructor can read through points and elaborate as neededDepending on time, have participants rank as most critical to success
Key Points
/- The picture of the good supervisor based on the research is primarily from findings regarding supervisees. It is the one most supervisees prefer, find satisfactory, respond to positively and like and trust.
- Good supervisors are accessible, available and able. They are fair, consistent in discipline, have good human relation skills and organizational-managerial skills.
Key Points
/- It is important to note to participants that for a supervisor to be collaborative, the supervisee must be someone he can collaborate with.
- By modeling collaborative behaviors, collaborative supervisors will tend to have collaborative supervisees.
- Coercive behavior of supervisors can come from challenging or resisting supervisees
V2: 1/2013Module 1 Activity 2Page 1 of 1