The Joy of Supervising

This is directed to all the front line leaders out there. It's a tough job. Having been a supervisor (both in an office environment and in retail) I know how tough it is. You're right there at the front, dealing with customers, team members, and bosses. Right there in the middle. It's a lot of pressure, isn't it?

Today I want to point out some of the joys of supervising. It can be such a tough job that we forget what's good about it. But, it's not all stress. Supervising also provides these joys (and potential joys):

Seeing someone develop their talent beyond their first expectations
Collaborating to solve process problems and making jobs easier
Bringing a smile to a customer's face
Achieving your goals, even when it seemed impossible
Growing as a leader
Learning from mistakes and gaining the ability to smile at them
Making a powerful difference in your organization
Setting a positive example of shared, participative leadership
Holding yourself accountable and getting more done as a result

And there are many more.

Although the job of supervisor is often not what we expected, it delivers powerful opportunities for fulfillment and joy.

What additional supervisory joys can you name?

-- Doug Smith

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