Following is my response to a reader who is struggling with adjusting to a job with high stress levels, and thinking about changing jobs. In this particular case, other opportunities exist which have lower levels of responsibility, but which have the potential for growth.

Part of the concern is supervisory ability and the lack of training for that type job. It is a prime example of the age-old practice of giving an exceptionally good employee a supervisory job, just because they are good at some tasks. Many times no additional training is provided. And the employee, fearing job loss, accepts a job; he/she may not be qualified for, or for which he/she lacks the right personality type.

As is the case in many small companies and even some government jobs, responsibilities are continually dumped on employees who work hard and perform very well. So long as the employee continues to handle the workload, the employer has no reason to hire additional help. Here is my response:

Reading the list of jobs of responsibilities you have at work, I can understand your elevated stress level. In some cases having a large workload can be a blessing when you need things to occupy your mind. However, that changes when you not only have a large workload, but it is also interfering with other parts of your life. Either letting work consume all your waking hours, or putting in hours that preclude your spending time with family, can lead to disaster. This applies to your job, home life, health, and overall effectiveness in dealing with the ups and downs of everyday life.

We always hear that life is too short to work at a job we do not enjoy, but I suspect the majority of the work force falls into that category. Yet, many people have little or no choice, without making major changes in their lives, while others don’t have the faith in their abilities to pursue a change. I guess I have been in both situations and found there are no easy answers.

That being said, before you make any decision about changing jobs, think about what will make you happy in a job. If you like the responsibility, and the challenge of getting work done through others, then you may be supervisor material. If you like working alone, and not having responsibility for others, then supervising may not be right for you. But if you feel supervising is something you like, then lack of faith in your skills may be holding you back.

For instance, you seem to feel less than adequate as a supervisor. Your lack of the “gift of gab” seems to concern you. However, small talk is not a function of a supervisor, unless it contributes to success. Each morning, a quick inquiry into each employee’s well being is sufficient along with a little time, each day to listen to concerns about job related problems that require your intervention. Remember though, you do not have to provide solutions to every problem.

Many times the employee knows the solution, but just needs your validation. Ask them what they feel is the solution, tell them you will give thought to their suggestion, and then get back with them after you have had time to think over what they offered. A good supervisor or manager allows her/his employees to work on their own with as little or as much attention as necessary to get the job done. In your situation, if your employees are knowledgeable in their jobs, you don’t have to hover over them. In fact hovering or micromanaging is one of the banes to productive and efficient job performance.

Micromanaging can stifle creativity, innovation, and effective problem avoidance and correction. Knowledgeable employees empowered with the freedom to determine the easiest and most effective solutions, can boost the performance of your department. Think about it this way: who knows better, than the employee doing the job, how to simplify it to the easiest and most effective level? Just be there to give guidance, keep work on schedule, and ensure that inappropriate shortcuts aren’t part of their solution.

In the past, I have subscribed to supervisory training weekly or monthly newsletters. They can be expensive but they also provide a wealth of information. Some of the information may be immediately useful, and some may be good reference material for later use. Most of these newsletters already are punched so that you can save them in a notebook or binder of some sort.

There are seminars and training sessions for developing one’s supervisory skills, if that is something that interests you. Some are also online, providing training modules that you can take at your own pace, tailored to fit your needs. You might look at the information at this link[i] to get some idea about what is available. You’ll have to scroll down to the supervisory training section, since their web has a large page. Technical schools and many colleges have non-degree courses that can improve your supervisory skills.

If you’re still not sure about your skills, ask your supervisor or manager. Let her/him appraise your strengths and weaknesses. If your boss identifies areas where you need improvement, you can also ask if your peers have some of the same improvement needs. If so, suggesting on-site group training to help improve overall performance may get a positive response. If your employer is interested in growing your skills and those of the rest of the supervisory staff, you will get free education that will remain with you for life.

Hopefully this will help you think about what direction you want for your career. This hardly scratches the surface of supervising or determining career goals. Unfortunately, neither is taught in most schools until you get to college, and even then, the training may only be rudimentary.

The important thing to remember is you must make the decisions concerning your career. It may take courage to face reality and the need for change. But sometimes you need only apply a little initiative to make a giant improvement in your skills and potential to find and keep a job that fills your dreams. Whatever, your choices and decisions, break each into manageable segments and cling to your dreams.

© 2005 by David Posival, all rights reserved.

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