Trick Question

911, what is the address of the emergency?

An agency I interviewed with for a supervisor's position asked me a question that I hadn't heard before. "How do you feel about your employees being better at a task than you are?"

I think my answer surprised the panel, "I expect my employees to be better at a task than I am."

And then I elaborated.

A supervisor is a leader. He needs to be able to do every job of his subordinates, but he doesn't have to be the expert at each job. Leading is about knowing whom to give a job and then letting them do it.

Beyond that, a supervisor who is afraid of employees surpassing his ability will either, consciously or unconsciously, find ways to hold them back. That action is the epitome of a breach of trust in two directions. Holding an employee back from reaching his full potential is not only stealing from the employee, it's stealing from the employer.

As an employee, I have the right to expect an employer (and more specifically, my direct supervisor) to encourage excellence and whenever possible provide the tools to allow me to perform to the best of my abilities. As a supervisor, I owe my subordinates that much.

As an employer, I have the right to expect an employee (and more specifically, those with supervised staff) to pursue excellence and self-improvement. I owe them the support, whenever possible, to promote that.

If, as an employer, I found that a supervisor was intentionally preventing his staff from increasing their value to the company in order to preserve his own ego, there would be counseling and discipline.

What kind of leader do you want to be?

Call me back right away if anything changes.