Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar on Supervising Undergraduate Students.

Download the Quick Guide to Supervising Undergraduate Students (PDF) for a comprehensive look at the best practices for supervising undergraduates, from posting the job description to planning the transition to hiring a new student employee.

During our webinar, we asked which resources you think supervisors of students should be aware of. Take a look at the resources list to see what others in the Community of Supervisors recommended.

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Q&A

We received a lot of questions during the live webinar that we were unable to answer due to time. Below are our answers to the most commonly received questions, as well as links to helpful resources to get you started.

What are some best practices for having ongoing check-ins? 

Once you’ve committed to having ongoing check-ins with your student employee, refer to the Quick Guide to Ongoing Check-Ins for information on how you can conduct the check-in to help the student learn on the job. The Quick Guide to Goal Setting and Quick Guide to Feedback will also help you prepare to have these check-ins by understanding how to set meaningful goals and have effective feedback conversations

Students are all so different. How can I give each one the feedback they need?

There is no perfect way to give feedback -- the most important part is committing to it. Feedback best practices will work for everyone. Once you’ve committed to having the feedback conversations, remember to stay focused on the employee’s goals and make sure they have an opportunity to apply the feedback in their role again. See the Quick Guide to Feedback for more ideas on how to deliver effective feedback. If your feedback conversations don’t seem to be effective, revisit the “Get Ready” or “Get Set” steps of the framework presented in the Quick Guide. Learning to give feedback takes practice - keep trying!

What are some strategies for providing feedback for large numbers of students?

Establishing psychological safety is important whether you supervise 5 or 50 students. Once you establish this, figure out what would work for your team. Some supervisors give feedback in larger groups and use the opportunity to hear from students and let them connect with each other about their “highs” and “lows” of their work. We recommend saving critical feedback for your one-on-one conversations while surfacing broader issues as a group and focusing on lessons learned and how the students can move forward. 

How can you create a culture of learning for student employees while also getting the work done?

An excellent way to establish a culture of learning is to admit your own mistakes. This will help normalize that it’s okay to make mistakes and to learn from them. It’s also important to not lower your expectations for your student employees, but instead, explicitly communicate your expectations and coach them to meet your standards. Let them know that it’s okay to not know the answer and ask questions. 

How do I refer a student to campus resources without invading their privacy? 

During onboarding, you can let your student employees know about the resources available to them, either through a handout or an email. This way, you’re giving them the resources before any potential problems arise.

Upcoming programs and events: 

Next Supervisory Development Webinar: Driving Results through Others

April 21, 2020

This April we will be releasing a full module on Driving Results through Others, which will teach you how to plan, prioritize, focus and manage execution through your team to drive results. Keep an eye on your inbox at the beginning of April for an invitation to the webinar and more information about the module.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar The Art of Influence.

Download the Quick Guide to Influencing (PDF) for a comprehensive look at the principles of influence, the key influencing skills, and how to apply them.

During our webinar, we received more questions than we had time for - we’re working on answering them, and will be in touch soon with more details.

Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time.

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Upcoming programs and events: 

Next Supervisory Development Webinar: Supervising Undergraduate Student Employees

February 18, 2020

Over 2000 supervisors at the University oversee the work of undergraduate student employees. With undergraduate positions come many supervisory opportunities and challenges. Join us for this webinar which will discuss supervisory best practices through the lens of a supervisor of undergraduate students. Registration information will be coming soon.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

The webinar recording is now available for you to review. The recording is also available as a podcast. Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time.

Take a minute to remind yourself of our key takeaways from the webinar:

• You define the behavior you want to cultivate on your team
• You drive accountability for that behavior through action or inaction
• You have options to consider when certain actions aren’t working 

During the webinar, we ran out of time to address some of the questions that we received and also to connect you to some of the resources that you might find helpful. We themed some of the questions for you here:

What's the best way for a supervisor to start holding staff accountable if you've fallen into the "let it slide"?

If you have fallen into the practice of letting expectations slide, you’ll need to take a few steps to begin to change this culture on your team. Once you have figured out what your expectations are, communicate them to your team. Make sure to explain why the new expectations are in place- ultimately to steer the team in a better direction. Remember to give people a transition period to make mistakes and get used to the new approach. During this time, it’s important to catch people doing things right and communicate their positive consequences (remember: accountability is not always negative!). As your team gets used to the new expectations, remember to follow through with your accountability decisions and communicate the consequences to your team. Setting clear expectations, communicating them, and following through are three crucial steps to establishing a culture of accountability. 

Do you have suggestions on how to best handle an employee that is defiant when you put forward expectations?

If an employee is resistant to your expectations, take time to think through the third and fourth steps in the cycle below: Assess and Follow through. It’s important that your direct report understands the consequences of their behaviors and that you have a clear idea of how you will follow through and communicate this to your direct report.

The accountability cycle is outlined in the image below, where we showcase each stage along with the resources that you might find helpful:

Resources that align with the four steps of accountability are listed below and are linked on the webinar recording page:

1. Define
   • Quick Guide to Goal Setting
   • Quick Guide to Feedback
2. Communicate
   • Quick Guide to Coaching
   • Quick Guide to Managing Emotions
3. Assess 
   • ActionSheet (accountability ladder)
   • Quick Guide to Building Work Stress Resilience
4. Follow-through
   • Quick Guide to Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities
   • Quick Guide to Seeking Solutions

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Upcoming programs and events:
Next Supervisory Development Webinar

December 11, 2019

Watch your email for topic and registration information mid-November.

Additional information on Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms. If you have any questions, email us at [email protected].

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar Smart Hiring, Successful Onboarding.
 

Upcoming programs and events: 

Next Supervisory Development Webinar on Accountability

October 22, 2019

Doing the bare minimum possible or going above and beyond? Showing a lack of initiative or really owning the projects, processes, and results? The difference between these two scenarios is quite significant. How to encourage people to really own their decisions and stop tolerating poor performance? Join our October webinar to learn more about best practices and tips on fostering a culture of accountability. Watch your email for the invitation to register in early October.

Get Ready for the Employee Engagement Survey

The Employee Engagement Survey will take place this fall beginning October 14. You can prepare for the survey now by reminding your team of how you support employee engagement and why it is important to all of you. Find resources and helpful information at  ee.ltd.umn.edu. 

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

Thank you for registering for the Delegate to Achieve and Empower webinar. Your completion has been recorded.

Download the Quick Guide to Delegation (PDF) for a comprehensive summary all the critical steps of the delegation process which were outlined in the webinar.

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Have a question? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar Delegate to Achieve and Empower.

Download the Quick Guide to Delegation (PDF) for a comprehensive summary all the critical steps of the delegation process which were outlined in the webinar.

Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time.

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Upcoming programs and events: 

Next Supervisory Development Webinar: Hiring and Onboarding New Employees

August 20, 2019

Nearly 1-in-3 new hires leave an organization, voluntarily or involuntarily, before the end of their first year and some decide this within the first month! Join us for the webinar that will dive into the ways you can improve your hiring process and make sure you set up your employee to for a good start.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar Rethinking Rewards and Compensation.

Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time. 

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Upcoming programs and events:

Supervisory Development Course: Delegation 101

June 25, 2019

Explore the key concepts behind delegation in our next webinar. Look for more information in the coming weeks and on supervising.umn.edu.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

You are registered for the Introduction to 2020 Performance Management webinar which starts tomorrow at noon. 

Use this link to join the webinar on April 30th at noon:

https://z.umn.edu/2020PM_WebEx

WebEx event number: 745 462 582

Audio: for audio, please listen using your computer's VOIP audio.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact Leadership and Talent Development at [email protected].

Have a great day!

Thank you for registering for the Introduction to 2020 Performance Management webinar! 

Use this link to join the webinar on April 30th at noon:

• https://z.umn.edu/2020PM_WebEx
• WebEx event number: 745 462 582
• Audio: for audio, please listen using your computer's VOIP audio.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact Leadership and Talent Development at [email protected].

Have a great day!

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar Performance Management Reality Check.

The webinar recording is also available in podcast format, so you can listen on-the-go. In addition, the panel discussion and Q&A section of the webinar is available as a stand-alone podcast episode.

Additional Performance Management resources:

• A Quick Guide to Goal Setting (PDF)
• Goal Setting Template (MS Word)
• A Quick Guide to Ongoing Check-Ins (PDF)
• Check-In Template (MS Word)
• A Quick Guide to Performance Evaluation (PDF)
• U of M Leadership Competency Model (PDF)

Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time. The evaluation is a crucial element in developing materials that will serve our supervisors best. 

Upcoming programs and events:

Supervisory Development Course: Rewards and Compensation

April, 2019

Explore the key concepts in Rewards and Compensation and hear from the experts on thinking through your compensation strategy. Look for more information in the coming weeks and on supervising.umn.edu. 

Panel Discussion: Academic Leadership Development

March 26, 2:30-4:30

Coffman Memorial Union

The Employee Engagement survey is conducted every two years; the next will be in the fall of 2019. In the meantime, watch for panel discussions, webinars, and supervisor trainings—to help you sustain and improve employee engagement throughout the University. Register here.

Thank you for registering for the Performance Management Reality Check webinar!

The Performance Management Reality Check webinar will focus on addressing current challenges in performance management at the UMN. For a deeper look at the Performance Management model, watch our Managing & Evaluating Performance webinar or listen to the podcast version.

Use this link to join the webinar on February 27th at noon:

https://z.umn.edu/SDC-PM_WebEx

WebEx event number: 749 219 492

Audio: for audio, please listen using your computer's VOIP audio.

If you have any questions about this session, please contact Leadership and Talent Development at [email protected].

Have a great day!

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar on Selection and Hiring.

This webinar is a part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. For example, a three-minute "Selection and Hiring Overview" video highlights the common pitfalls of selection and hiring, as well as best practices for finding the most qualified candidate. Other videos and quick guides explore the process of analyzing the needs of the position, preparing for interviews, and making a hiring decision. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting the Selection and Hiring module on supervising.umn.edu:

• Analyzing the Needs of the Position (PDF)
• Analyzing the Needs of the Position Worksheet (MS Word)
• Preparing for an Interview (PDF)
• Interview Guide (Google Doc)
• Interview Template (MS Word)
• Making a Hiring Decision (PDF)

Unfortunately, we ran out of time to answer your questions during the live webinar. Look for an email after the holidays with a link to the Selection and Hiring Q&A page.

We need your feedback!

Due to a glitch with WebEx, many of our webinar participants were not directed to the evaluation when the webinar ended.  Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time. The evaluation is a crucial element in developing materials that will serve our supervisors best. 

Upcoming programs and events:

Panel Discussion: Academic Leadership Development

January 29 2:30-4:30

Coffman Memorial Union

The Employee Engagement survey is conducted every two years; the next will be in the fall of 2019. In the meantime, watch for panel discussions, webinars, and supervisor trainings—to help you sustain and improve employee engagement throughout the University. Save the date for an event on January 29 for more stories of leaders around our campuses that have taken action. 

Supervisory Development Course: Talent and Performance Management

February 2019

Performance reviews are often viewed as difficult by both supervisors and employees. If you manage others, it means reviewing goals that might be out-of-date, preparing for hours, figuring out how to give feedback in a way that’s productive, and helping people set goals. Look for an invitation to register in the coming weeks.

*Final Offering* Leadership Essentials Spring 2019 Cohort

March 18, 25; April 1 and 8

This 4-day in-person program is built in partnership with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS) and is geared toward new supervisors who want to become more confident in leading people, building and managing high-performing teams, and achieving results. Register by March 11.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

Thank you for your interest in the Supervisory Development webinar on Employee Engagement in Action.

Depending on the issue you are trying to address through action planning, there are various Supervisory Development resources for improving employee engagement. For your convenience, we have referenced them by each engagement driver in the Action Library.

Please take a moment to share your feedback on the webinar and let us know what worked and what we can improve for next time.

This webinar and these materials are part of the Supervisory Development course which contains various online resources that let you expand your knowledge when it’s convenient for you. Get tips, review videos, and practice the skills you’ve learned through online exercises at your own pace. Be sure to explore these resources by visiting supervising.umn.edu.

Upcoming programs and events:

Supervisory Development Course: Selection and Hiring

December 11, 2018

Explore the best practices in Selection and Hiring and how to avoid common pitfalls in the process. Register early and look for more information in the coming weeks and on supervising.umn.edu. 

Panel Discussion: Academic Leadership Development

January 29 2:30-4:30

Coffman Memorial Union

The Employee Engagement survey is conducted every two years; the next will be in the fall of 2019. In the meantime, watch for panel discussions, webinars, and supervisor trainings—to help you sustain and improve employee engagement throughout the University. Save the date for an event on January 29 for more stories of leaders around our campuses that have taken action. 

*Final Offering* Leadership Essentials Spring 2019 Cohort

March 18, 25; April 1 and 8

This 4-day in-person program is built in partnership with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS) and is geared toward new supervisors who want to become more confident in leading people, building and managing high-performing teams, and achieving results. Register by March 11.

Additional information on these and other Leadership and Talent Development programs is available at z.umn.edu/ltdprograms.

Actively manage workload so that it is distributed equitably, aligns with goals and priorities, and allows for improvements in the way work is done.

• Have a discussion about how to more effectively and efficiently distribute the workload amongst the team. Consider if there are any roles or responsibilities that could be adjusted to improve workflow. See the Quick Guide to Facilitating a Discussion or the Quick Guide to Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities for more information.
• Examine the way work is done to identify opportunities to redesign processes, change technologies, simplify procedures, and eliminate repetitiveness. Involve employees in this process.
• Meet with other leaders to share and discuss workflow procedures and ways to help employees get the support needed.
• At staff meetings, regularly discuss changes to work processes and procedures that directly or indirectly impact the way employees work. Don’t forget to explain reasons behind decisions when changes have been made. See Establishing Clear Decision-Making Processes quick guide or when onboarding new employees see the Quick Guide to Planning New Employee Onboarding for more information.
• Establish a working group that is tasked with identifying ways in which the work could be better organized and/or managed. Have this working group present its recommendations at your regular staff meetings. Watch the Building Teams video to learn more about how to establish this group.
• Address recurring issues by soliciting input from others about the source of the problem. Gather input from employees as well as peers. Be sure to take action on the input that is gathered and communicate the changes that you make to relevant groups. See the Quick Guide to Facilitating a Discussion for more information.

Ensure everyone has the skills, training, information, and resources needed to succeed.

• During regular one-on-one meetings, ask colleagues if there are any information bottlenecks within the team. If there are, raise this with relevant colleagues, explaining the impact of withholding information from others.
• Seek input on where and when employees have difficulty accessing information or resources. Then, identify creative ways to alleviate these issues and help others do their work more efficiently. See the Employee Engagement Cycle: Input quick guide for more information.
• Construct an inventory of information, tools and resources (e.g. names of key contacts for department tasks) that staff members need to perform their jobs. Discuss this list with staff members to ensure it is accurate and complete. Rank resources in order of importance and determine the feasibility of adding/changing/replacing inadequate resources. When onboarding new employees see Quick Guide to Planning New Employee Onboarding for more information.
• Periodically (e.g., monthly, quarterly) hold joint meetings with the work groups, teams, or leaders you work with most often. Use this forum to clarify information or address any resource issues or concerns. Watch the Managing Team Dynamics video to help keep the team productive.
• Establish a working group that is tasked with identifying ways in which the work could be better organized and/or managed. Have this working group present its recommendations at your regular staff meetings. Watch the Building Teams video to learn more about how to establish this group.
• Ensure that your colleagues understand standard operating procedures for any tools and equipment they use. This will help to differentiate frustrations with tools and equipment that arise from misuse, rather than failure or fault with the tools and equipment itself.

Expect and support cooperation and the sharing of ideas within and across the organization.

• Encourage and support individuals who you see attempting to demonstrate collaborative team behaviors, especially when their attempts are less than successful. Comment on their need to continue promoting collaborative working relationships for the benefit of the team. See the Establishing Norms and Expectations quick guide for more information.
• Meet with team leaders or employee representatives from other groups to discuss improving collaboration between groups, identify ways to work more efficiently, and share internal best practices. See the Defining a Clear Purpose for Team Success quick guide for more information.
• Identify groups that employees perceive as "hard to work with," explore to understand why this is the case, determine the impact, and approach the leaders of these groups (if appropriate). See the Conflict Sources quick guide for more information.
• Discuss and agree upon a set of behaviors to guide team member interactions, shared decision making, and shared goal achievement. Ensure that all team members have a clear understanding of what the behaviors mean in their day-to-day jobs. Watch the Managing Conflict webinar recording for more information.
• Promote a more collegial atmosphere both within and across teams/groups. Meet offsite on occasion to establish team cohesion. Also consider social activities outside of work or involving employees in community activities.
• Communicate your team’s goals and objectives to the teams that you provide support for and those that support you. Establish formal cross-group teams with the responsibility of identifying ways to increase levels of collaboration, efficiencies, and share best practices. Watch the Leading Teams webinar recording for more information.

Define roles, responsibilities, and  performance expectations and provide regular feedback.

• Schedule regular meetings with your direct reports throughout the year to discuss progress on previously identified goals, provide feedback on recent work, and to clarify expectations for future work. See the Quick Guide to Ongoing Check-Ins for more information or when onboarding new employees see Organizational Culture and Onboarding and Planning New Employee Onboarding guides for more information.
• Meet with the entire team to clarify and reinforce individual and group performance expectations. Be sure expectations align with organizational goals and objectives and that they are specific, measurable, and attainable. See the Defining a Clear Purpose for Team Success quick guide for more information.
• Seek team member input for opportunities for team training. An opportunity for training can be any process or procedure where each team member has a different way of completing the task or a process or procedure where team members vary greatly in how well they perform. See the Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities quick guide for more information.
• During a team meeting, raise the topic of feedback and ask for colleague ideas about ground rules to set when providing feedback to each other. Record these ground rules and hold team members accountable for following these rules. See the Quick Guide to Feedback and the Quick Guide to Establishing Norms and Expectations for more information.
• Promote development by providing constructive feedback. Deliver feedback when the employee is in a comfortable environment and has had the opportunity to reflect on how they can change their behavior in future scenarios. See the Quick Guide to Feedback for more information.
• When providing feedback on an individual’s behavior, be specific about the behavior and explain why a behavior is effective or ineffective. Provide enough information so that the individual can understand the positive or negative impact that their behavior made. See the Quick Guide to Feedback for more information.

Ensure that everyone has the  autonomy they need to accomplish their work and the empowerment to make decisions.

• Provide greater autonomy to employees by examining the way work is done. This will help to identify opportunities to redesign processes, change technologies, simplify procedures, eliminate repetitiveness, and change authority structures. See the Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities quick guide for more information.
• Assess your openness to ideas. Recall a situation where you were not open to an employee’s suggestion, analyze why you took that position, and evaluate the outcome of that decision. Take a moment to think about what might have happened had you agreed with that employee’s suggestion. Evaluate whether you routinely encourage or discourage your employees to provide input. See the Employee Engagement Drivers and Self-Reflection Questions quick guide for more information.
• Allow selected colleagues to "test" increased authority by asking a colleague to represent you at a meeting or work with you on a project. See the Assessing Performance, Potential and Readiness quick guide for more information.
• Clarify and come to agreement with team members on the types of decisions they have the authority to make without team leader/management approval. See the Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities and Establishing Clear Decision-Making Processes quick guides for more information.
• Establish a formal and/or informal employee suggestion program. Consider the most meaningful way to recognize creative and innovative ideas.
• Develop an agenda to proactively seek team members’ ideas. Reserve time in meetings for brainstorming. Ask for feedback and comment on all ideas - including your own. Make sure your questions are open-ended to draw out full responses. Watch the Leading Teams webinar recording for more information.

Interact respectfully and consistently recognize good work and meaningful contributions.

• Publicly recognize/reward employees or teams whose behaviors exemplify your unit’s core set of values. Always check in with colleagues to ensure they understand specifically what the praise and recognition is for– this is crucial to help colleagues and the whole team understands what good performance looks like. See the Employee Engagement Drivers and Self-Reflection Questions for a deeper understanding.
• If possible, grant employee requests for time off, unless there is critical work that needs to be done and can’t be assigned to others.
• Act as a role model for treating all others with respect; reflect on interactions to make sure you treat all employees with the same level of respect.
• Meet with employees, both individually and in groups, to understand their perception around whether their organization has care/concern for its employees. Collect details from them in regards to what ways they feel valued as employees and what causes them the most concern. See the Employee Engagement Cycle: Discussion quick guide for more information.
• Evaluate and seek input on the inclusivity of your unit’s norms and processes. Are there any team members that feel unable to fully engage because they have different values, customs, or needs? Try to identify two things that you can do to make your work environment more inclusive and respectful. See the Employee Engagement Cycle: Input or the Quick Guide to Organizational Culture and Onboarding for more information.
• Encourage your employees to regularly engage in University or unit sponsored U of M Wellbeing Program (e.g. earn wellness points visit the farmer’s market, attend financial literacy programs, etc.).

Communicate openly and honestly to build trust and confidence in leadership.

• Adopt and communicate to employees an "open door policy." Make yourself available by being visible and rarely "holed away." Consider maintaining regular "office hours" when you can be reached if you are frequently offsite or away in meetings.
• Determine and use the most appropriate communications channel for each message. Face-to-face meetings are most appropriate to announce sensitive organizational issues such as colleague / management changes. Written communications are appropriate for more routine office announcements. Be sure to communicate in a timely manner.
  Invite a member of the senior leadership team to join a regular colleague meeting to discuss company goals, objectives, and values. Ask them to share some of their personal history with and perspective on the unit, the strengths of the senior management team, and current challenges.
• Encourage senior managers to interact with your colleagues informally. For example, have leaders walk around the department to informally greet colleagues, acknowledge accomplishments, and thank them for their efforts. See Quick Guide to Conflict: Building Trust for more information.
• Learn from employees what commitments or expectations they feel leaders have not met. Is it possible that leaders took action on a commitment but failed to communicate the message to employees? If you are not aware of the status on a given commitment, seek out the information. See the Quick Guide to Feedback for more information.
• Seek feedback from employees regularly to understand what is working well and what needs improvement. Act on suggestions or honestly explain why you can’t act on their suggestions. See the Quick Guide to Feedback for more information. When onboarding new employees see Planning New Employee Onboarding quick guide.

Set and encourage high expectations for the quality of work, including demonstrating a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

• Communicate successes and accomplishments, but don’t focus exclusively on them. Focus on work well done, behaviors you want to see more of, innovations, stakeholders that have been well served. See the Establishing Norms and Expectations quick guide for more information.
• Emphasize the importance of delivering high impact, high quality scholarship and service to all stakeholders. When setting goals, clearly define your expectations for excellence. See the Quick Guide to Goal Setting for more information.
• Invite and encourage discussions to identify stakeholder expectations around teaching, research, and outreach and administration that we provide in our department.
• Identify frustrating processes and procedures employees and/or stakeholders encounter and streamline and simplify, if possible.
• Create evaluations for all services delivered and assess data and make adjustments to ensure continuous improvement for department. Address quality issues and subpar performance in a timely manner. Watch the Feedback and Coaching webinar recording for more information.
• Ask employees what processes need improvement and ask for their ideas for effective and efficient solutions. Use your influence, access to relationships and positional power to remove barriers and effect change. See the Quick Guide to Conflict Sources for more information.