5 Management Mistakes to Avoid

It can be stressful to figure out the do’s and don’ts of a supervisory role in your agency – how do you know if you’re on the right track as you lead your team?

During the latest New Supervisors in Government Community of Practice session, we invited Erin Muru, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Director of Human Resources FDIC, Office of Inspector General, to talk about the top five things you should avoid doing as a government supervisor:

1. Don’t Fail to Define Goals for Your Team
   • Muru pointed out that all employees show up each day to fulfill a purpose and help meet your agency’s mission, but that’s difficult to do if there are no benchmarks. “When you can contribute to your boss meeting their goals, that’s usually a good day,” she said. Muru also noted that having goals can help when it comes to giving performance appraisals and feedback.
2. Don’t Avoid Giving Feedback
   • Muru first acknowledged that you won’t always get it right when it comes to feedback, and it’s definitely a skill you must practice. “Give yourself grace and time to figure out what works best for your team,” she said. One of the important things to remember is that feedback doesn’t always have to be negative. “Feedback can let people know that the work they’re doing matters.”
3. Don’t Avoid Constructive Conversations/Conflict
   • Letting things fester can kill team morale. When it comes to getting constructive conversations right, Muru suggested practicing what you need to say with a colleague to get perspective on the effectiveness of your message. A bullet point list has also helped Muru when she has to address conflict to ensure she’s covering what needs to be said.
4. Don’t Avoid Delegating
   • If you’re taking on all the tasks, you’re telling your organization that there only needs to be one person doing the job, and that’s not the message you want to send, Muru explained. “You need to delegate to not only develop your employees and help them learn, but also let them know what to do if you’re out of the office. Taking on everything yourself is not sustainable.”
5. Don’t Forget to Be an Active Listener
   • Muru recommended getting in the trenches with your team to show your support. “It’s important to be online and right there when they need you,” she said. “Showing that support and cheering them on has paid me big dividends over the years.”

For more detailed information on these management mistakes, check out the full session below. Also, don’t forget to register for the next New Supervisors in Government Community of Practice on July 29, “The Do’s and Don’ts of Delegation.”