by Peter A. Arthur-Smith

“People normally don’t wish to be supervised. They prefer to be led.”

Back in the days one hundred years ago when Henry Ford was building his Model T production lines; he wasn’t interested in hiring people, he just desired pairs of hands. They belonged to grunts that were just dragged in from the cornfields, where he would pay them enough that they would think twice before going back to those cornfields. He was among those of that time who felt that pairs-of-hands had to be “supervised.” Before that time, we usually only had owners and helpers…those that upheld wealthy households and their farming communities.

Supervisor, manager and executive were terms that evolved during Frederick Taylor’s time a century ago and beyond as he beseeched industrial revolutionary ventures to become more cost-efficient. We’ve been stuck with his efficiency syndrome ever since, even though effectiveness-think with its innovation and inventiveness produces much more wealth in the long run. The reason our economies struggle so much today, with its cost cutting, squeezing everything, and minimizing quality, is because we’re obsessed with efficiency. Efficiency is pursued by Wall Street, shareholders and executives to maximize their wealth rather than make life more elegant and enjoyable for the rest of us. Effectiveness-think creates a much better deal, although by definition it requires more brainwork…something we often struggle with!

As you have noticed, even though we’re now one hundred years on, with computers, international travel, sophisticated medicines, enjoyable restaurants and burgeoning AI; we’re still stuck with the role of super-visors. They are required to oversee the pairs-of-hands at their disposal to ensure maximum profits are squeezed through them. Except for old-fashioned governments, institutions and workplaces, supervisors are gradually being replaced by Team Leaders. Use of the term supervisor is usually an indication of how far your organization has progressed since the industrial revolution.

The reality in today’s modern society is that people only need supervision – close guidance and observation – at the very outset of a new task or role. Once they have the hang of it, they would far rather be entrusted and empowered to move ahead. Think of it in terms of your young kids, nieces or nephews learning to tie their shoe laces for the first time. Sure, some require a little more supervision than others to make the grade. However, once they’ve successfully grasped the idea, you can leave them alone from there on.  The same applies to workplace “newbies” in their newly hired roles.

They need some early teaching and supervision to ensure they benefit from your wisdom and experience, but then they should be trusted to proceed on a daily basis. Only if they find themselves in difficulty, new “territory,” or an emergency might they need to be “supervised” once more. Hence organizations that still utilize the supervisor-term are signaling to their people that they cannot be trusted. Pretty much the only time where people need ongoing supervision is where they are basically incompetent, in emergency situations –where people’s minds can freeze, or on the battlefield. In the latter case, troops are usually so scared that their minds shut down; consequently they need that Corporal, Sergeant or Officer to order them over the top.

In our day and age, people are generally better educated than Ford’s cornfield workers. Even today’s teachers are more likely to coach and educate their students through a variety of projects. In their classrooms students get to work as pairs or teams to solve learning challenges or discover optimum ways of doing things.

Colleges and universities take a similar approach. So you can imagine the shock and disappointment when graduates are faced with workplace supervisors, who require knowing what their workers are doing every hour of every day! Workplace contributors, which are what their people should be known as rather than as employees, would instead prefer to have the possibility of a Team Leader available to discuss their new or challenging assignments when required. Otherwise, they expect to be trusted and engaged enough to meet only once a week with that leader. It’s enough.

Team leaders know that their people will stop thinking for themselves if they have them reporting to them every hour of every day. Besides, they typically have enough on their plate envisioning the next phase of operations and thinking through likely tools, resources and practices required to proceed. They can then talk through their ideas with their team members – or Teamers – in advance of implementation along the way. That way teamers become involved and feel valued. Beyond that, they can also discuss whether their teamers feel the need to work individually, in pairs, or as a team to meet intended objectives. (Note: Pairing is a particularly good way of meeting objectives in today’s world – think pilots, surgeons, police patrols, ambulance crews, and parents!)

Once teamers are poised to move forward, team leaders should be talking with colleagues, their own leader, and other related entities on ways to smooth their team’s journey toward its desired destination. Team leaders should also be keeping an eye on priorities and obstacles/opportunities to allow momentum to flourish as much as possible. So you now note that there are lots of things team leaders should be doing to pave the way toward future success without spending time looking over their people’s shoulders all the time.

If you spoon feed your people, they will either leave or act like youngsters where someone does the thinking for them. There are lots of people like that out there; they’re still attached to their mother’s apron strings.

So, either aim to be a true team leader, where there’s plenty of “think-time” to be done to prepare the way for your team – even more so if it’s in hybrid mode – or accept that you’re not cut out to be modern day team leader. If you wish to supervise, either join the military on the battlefield, join a government department, or find an old fashioned institution or manufacturing company where you can live in the past. Alternatively, join the local fire brigade or police precinct where they have to deal with emergencies every day!