Sheet 33
SUPPORT FOR THE BOSS
1 Good Understanding of the Organization's Mission
An organization's mission is communicated downwards from top management. It is the job of supervisors to pass this information through the ranks, and take responsibility for actively working towards achieving this mission with their staff. As such, it is essential that supervisors remain attentive to and fully understand how this mission serves the public interest, both in spirit and to the letter.
When a supervisor's ideas conflict with instructions that they have received from their immediate boss, it is important that they express these reservations directly. They should try to understand how these instructions relate to the overall mission of the organization. If they simply pass these instructions on because the order has come from above, despite having doubts of their own, it will be extremely difficult to coordinate the interests of the organization as a single homogeneous unit.
With the recent emphasis on specialization, there are an increasing number of officials working independently in so called "specialist posts". In cases such as these it has become increasingly more difficult to ascertain the link between the jobs themselves and the organization's mission. For this reason, it has become all the more important that supervisors, in a go-between position in the organization chart, fully understand the mission and steer this work accordingly.
2 Report to and Consult the Boss Where Appropriate
It is entirely the fault of the supervisor if their immediate boss is unaware of what is happening in operations under their charge. Timely and concise reports on work progress, and consultation over future plans or new issues that may arise are all compulsory parts of the job. It is important that they continually update their boss about the work being undertaken so that they may be in a good position to make sound and appropriate judgments.
3 Provide Ideas and Suggestions to the Boss
Decision making is the main responsibility of the boss. With strong directives and instructions that are based on sound decisions, operations may be carried out effectively and efficiently. Although the boss is the principal decision maker, a satisfactory decision may only be reached if the advice and suggestions of staff who are closer to the ground and have a realistic understanding of actual operations are taken into account. It is important to provide constructive ideas and positive suggestions to the boss in addition to the basic factual information requested.
