ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

In her popular book, Being a Supervisor, Gigi Schweikert makes these observations:

"We might not want to admit it, but we are drawn to certain children.  It's not that we don't love them all, but certain ones tend to tug on our hearts, and other children can tug on our patience. But as good teachers, we care for every child and encourage them all to succeed. It's the same with adults, or should be. There are employees we supervise whom we just feel more comfortable with, and working together is easy. There are others who tend to annoy or irritate us, and sometimes that's not even tied to job performance. We might like the company of a marginal performer and feel put off by the overachiever. Either way, its your responsibility to stay connected to each employee and recognize his or her contributions.

"How can you do it? It's hard, and that's why we have the primary caregiver system for children, to make sure no one falls through the cracks, that each child gets time and attention. Do we need a primary caregiving system for adults? Kind of. You have to ensure that every employee receives adequate time and attention from you. That doesn't mean that adults are children and everyone gets equal time. On the contrary, it means that you stay connected to your employees enough to know who needs help, how you can support them, and how you recognize their efforts. Use your influence and power to encourage others, even those who irritate you just a bit."


 

Being a Supervisor: Winning Ways for Early Childhood Professionals

Are you aspiring to become a supervisor in an early childhood program? Have you been in a leadership role for years? Whatever your experience level, this book provides insight, guidance, and exercises to enhance your leadership skills. "Being a Supervisor" focuses on eight concepts that will help you transition from leading children to leading adults. You will:

• Recognize and feel comfortable in your role as a supervisor
• Help adults succeed by expressing clear and reasonable expectations
• Create a culture that encourages input and allows for mistakes
• Motivate your team through delegation
• Communicate honestly and share feedback consistently
• Follow through on all tasks
• Stay connected by knowing and encouraging each employee
• Set a positive tone and be approachable to all staff

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