Thought of the Week - 3/02/09

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” -- William Jennings Bryan

According to Rising Sun’s 10 Keys of Effective Supervision™, effective supervisors encourage employees to both learn from and be challenged by their work. This can be accomplished by helping to create a “learning community” and by helping employees to define and achieve both individual and organizational goals and objectives. Supervision in this case is focused on the present and the future accomplishments, not solely on past mistakes. Creating and maintaining a coaching environment not only allows for, but encourages wise risk taking, as well seeing mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn and develop.

Challenge:

On way to help employees achieve their destiny is to help them to find opportunities to step outside of their normal comfort zone. Try utilizing “self-managed” work groups (also referred to as “self-directed,” “self-regulating,” and/or “semiautonomous” work groups). Self-managed work groups differ from the traditional team approach by involving employees in the process from beginning to end. Employees are encouraged to speak openly, think outside of the box, tap into their creative energy, and apply their expertise. If established correctly, the work group functions without fear of retribution by management or other group members, and a sense of ownership by the employees prevails.

Additional Resources:

“Increased Productivity through Self-Managed Work Groups”
http://www.risingsunconsultants.com/images/white_papers/PDFs/SelfManagedWorkGroups.pdf