Find tips to oversee the work of volunteers and practical suggestions to supervise them. Everything from ideas to help you work more efficiently to the latest in research on keeping volunteers happy and productive.

~ November 2006 ~ Topics

What Type of Manager Are You?
Supervisory Skill Self Assessment

Every now and then, we managers need to take a step back to evaluate our performance and think about how we can grow professionally. Mindy Gerwirtz, Ph.D. defines several types of positive and negative management styles in the Fall/September 2006 issue of "REAP the Benefits."

• Affiliative
  
  • Creates harmony
    
  • Builds emotional bonds
    
  • Perceived as collaborative, communicative and team oriented
    
  • Uses a philosophy of "buying into" completing tasks
• Authoritative
  
  • Mobilizes individuals toward a common goal
    
  • Displays self confidence and empathy
    
  • Catalyst for change
• Coaching
  
  • Develops individuals for the future
    
  • Is usually voiced as "try this" and demonstrated as helping others
    
  • Shows empathy
    
  • Produces quick results and motivated, competent employees
    
• Democratic
  
  • Forges consensus through participation
    
  • Collaboration of tasks accomplished by team leadership and communication
    
• Coercive
  
  • Demands immediate compliance
    
  • Maintains constant control of workers
    
  • "Do what I tell you"
• Pacesetting
  
  • Sets high standards for performance
    
  • Constantly expects quick results
    
  • No concern for employee well-being
    
  • "Do as I do, NOW!"

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Supervisory Skill Self Assessment

Once you have identified the type(s) of manager you are, the next step is to assess what knowledge, skills and abilities you need for your job, which ones you have and which ones you will need to acquire.

Think about each skill and how important it is to your job.

Finance	Change Management	Technical
Legal	Stress management	Computer
Motivation	Time Management	Training
Planning	Conflict Resolution	Delegating
Organizing	Communication - Oral	Negotiation
Influencing	Communication – Written	Listening
Problem Solving	Meeting Management	Compromising
Decision Making	Project Management	Political Savvy
Customer Service

Go back and rate how effective you are at each skill and what area(s) you need to improve upon. Design an action plan.

Adapted from Rick Rochetti's Self Assessment of Supervisory Skills, City of Raleigh Capital Leadership Institute.

If you spend some time doing reflective thinking and earnestly follow through, you will be more effective as a leader.

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Washington State University offers a Volunteer Management Certification Program through the Internet. Individuals around the world can earn a certificate in managing or coordinating volunteers, without leaving home. For more information, visit Volunteer Today's Portal site, Internet Resources. Look for the Washington State University listing. There is a hot link to their Web site.