Center for Disabilities Studies : Community Education : First Line Supervisor Training
First Line Supervisor Training
This seminar series will provide practical information that participants can use right away to enhance their performance and productivity as supervisors. It is designed for both first-time and aspiring supervisors and managers in residential, vocational, day, and community settings. This five-seminar series focuses on knowledge and skill building around critical issues in supervision.
Via large and small group discussion and hands-on activities, participants will learn and practice basic skills and concepts necessary to being a super supervisor. Specifically, participants will gain:
- Greater understanding of their role as supervisors and greater insight into their strengths and talents in making a difference in their workplace.
- Concrete strategies for enhancing their listening and speaking skills with those they supervise.
- Specific techniques for actively coaching and supporting their staff.
- Useful strategies for creating a positive working environment and enhancing relationships with others in the workplace.
- The development of a personal plan of action for implementing the ideas and strategies offered in this seminar series.
As part of the certificate requirements, participants will complete homework assignments which will assist in applying the principles learned in class to issues and circumstances in their professional work. Participants are expected to attend all five sessions.
Putting the Super in Supervision
Session One: More Powerful Than a Locomotive: Uncovering Your Supervisory Potential
This session will emphasize the importance of good supervision in staff retention and quality of services. Participants will discover their preferred style of supervision and the values that guide and motivate them in their work. We will also explore what employees want from their work and from their supervisors. Participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of their role as supervisors and with greater insight into their strengths and talents in making a difference in their workplace.
Session Two: The Footfall of an Ant: Listening with Your Super-Powers
One of the most important skills a successful supervisor can master is the art of listening well. We will identify the barriers that interfere with listening and practice effective ways of overcoming these barriers and becoming an excellent listener. Non-verbal communication and differences in communication across cultures will also be explored. Participants will leave this session with concrete strategies for enhancing their listening and speaking skills with those they supervise.
Session Three: I Want to Be Like Superman When I Grow Up: Coaching for Success
The three tenets of the coaches’ creed are: Let people know what is expected of them; Let them know how they are doing; Provide motivation and inspiration so that they keep on doing it. In this session, we will discuss ways of clearly communicating your expectations and providing specific feedback that will stick. We will also practice several ways of providing praise and motivation so that your supervisees will be flying high. Participants will leave this session will specific techniques for actively coaching and supporting their staff.
Session Four: You Don’t Step on Superman’s Cape: Effective Problem-Solving and Negotiation Skills
The savvy supervisor knows to look for and address problems before they escalate into major crises. They also strive for win-win relationships with those they supervise, their peers and those that supervise them. This session will offer positive strategies for minimizing and managing conflict in both group sessions and one-to-one. We also offer helpful tips on enhancing your relationship with your boss. Participants will leave this session with useful strategies for creating a positive working environment and enhancing relationships with others in the workplace.
Session Five: Calling Justice League of America: The Power of Teamwork
The wise supervisor knows that he or she cannot go it alone. Helping employees to feel part of a team can enhance morale, cooperation, productivity and quality…and can make the supervisor’s job much easier. In this session, we will look at how teams work and make decisions together. We'll review ways to conduct more productive (and mercifully shorter) meetings and we'll discover the wonder of synergy which enables teams to leap tall buildings at a single bound. Participants will end the session by developing and sharing their personal plan of action for implementing the ideas and strategies offered in this seminar series.
Contact Beverly Stapleford at (302) 831-4688 or bstape@udel.edu to learn when this course will be offered.