SUPERVISION ISSUES

Supervision can also be defined as administration, command, giving directions and being responsible for the outcome. This term is mostly used to refer to people who wield certain powers e.g , teachers, administrators, managers,police,student leaders e.t.c

            Supervision issues therefore involve the problems, responsibilities, which are expected of those in positions of power. Some of these issues are intellect as well as education backgrounds of both those in power and those governed, issues involving remunerations and benefits, technology, competition, public expectations and communication breakdown. These issues vary with the kind of business that a supervisor is involved in or is supervising.

In the book, Supervision; A Redefinition by Thomas J. Sergiovanni and Robert J. Starratt, McGraw-Hill supervisory issues are put into context and enumerated in a way that try to put to an end the altercation between the superiors and the juniors in all genres of life may it be in school , business or the disciplined forces. The writers have  cleverly attempted to outlay where differences between the two occur, they say that in supervision , the seniors take an approach that is extremely draconian in the name of maintaining and ensuring that the juniors respect them, this drives a wedge between the two groups since the juniors start fearing the seniors or the supervisors, they are spotted doing some things in private, hold discussions in low tones and keep quite immediately they spot the superior, this is the genesis is a common phenomena in many organizations all over the world.

 In the blogsite http://www.sustainabilityaleadershipissue.blogspot.com, a blogger MaryAnn Doyle explains that sources of conflict in work places that is between the administrators and the ordinary staff and in schools that is between teachers and students, students and their leaders  are common and have a common denominator-autocracy.

Several other supervisory issues earlier mentioned include remuneration, the superiors usually do not pay much attention to it, the juniors also shy off from discussing the issue with the superiors, it is only discussed in grapevine and when this happens only the hawk eyed and owl eared supervisors get to know that a crisis is in the offing.

 Technology has been embraced by many firms and organizations it has indeed assisted many of them achieve and meet many targets, however, the same has also been used to drive a wedge between the superiors and juniors, the juniors use it to spread malicious gossip and hate messages about their superiors and members of their families, sometimes they can also use technology to sabotage them. On the other hand, superiors use it to stalk and spy on the juniors, computer experts have come up with soft wares that enable people in power to filter all the information that is being used by the juniors

 Communication is very important in any organization, it is the cornerstone of any business, well organized firms have elaborate and extremely good communication channels between the superiors and the juniors, managers organize forums where the junior officers table their grievances without fear of victimization. All goes well in companies where executives open the doors wide for their juniors.

Discipline and respect more so self respect among the employees is also another issue that is contentious issue in many firms, administrators who have do not respect their juniors face a myriad of problems with them, again superiors who do not respect themselves face the same predicament. Self disrespecting bosses are a cause of embarrassment to the whole company, they openly flirt with their juniors, have relationships with them and pick quarrels with their ‘competitions’ in the firm, the decisions they make are irrational and incoherent, they demand for respect rather than deserve it. Good managers should be in incredible position to handle indiscipline among the juniors.

 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

The supervisory issues mentioned above are synonymous with all organizations. Supervisory issues can make or break an organization. The working environment , the productivity of al the staff is determined by how the issues they have I mind have been handled. Doyle, the blogger says that competent managers and  overseers should identify the issues impinging on their juniors in as much as if they do not do that , the issues will rise to them and the end result will not be a laughing matter.

Some of the solutions suggested for supervisory issues include;

1. Identify the supervisory issues affecting you (manager) and your juniors –The way to identify this is by holding frequent deliberations with the staff either in formal meetings or on a one on one with them, this can only be done if you have build a good rapport with them.
2. Enhancement of communication channels-Though this is an extension of the point above, it is very important for any good manager to ensure that there is no communication barrier in the firm or organization, also it should be noted that any junior staff is extremely important, that staff who is considered to be less important could be what the firm badly needs to keep going.
3. Ensure that any grievance raised by any person is taken care of , if it is not possible to fulfill the demand then an explanation should be made without any hesitation.
4. Team building is important- let it be realized that enmity in places of work in not uncommon, competition may be the root of the enmity, however once the competitors are put in circumstances where they need not compete intellectually e.g in a football match, they may realize that working together is more beneficial than fighting with one another all the time.    
5. Regular training of employees and motivation could also be another important point in resolving supervisory issues.

Supervisory issues eat into many firms as not many supervisors have elaborate ways of resolving them. Many superiors leave them to pile up. This is a recipe for downfall; sustainable solutions like the ones suggested above should be put into place.

 References;

 MaryAnn Doyle(2008)blogger, available at
http://www.sustainabilityaleadershipissue.blogspot.com      

  Thomas J. Sergiovanni and Robert J. Starrat (1970) Supervision :A Redefinition ,

 McGraw Hill Press, New York

 Sustainable corporate management,(2008 )available at

www.sofi-software.com/sofi/software0/sustainability-man0/