Resource Information for Supervisors & Managers
Strictly Classified
An Informational Bulletin Published by the Personnel Commission
Successful Leadership
“The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines
the success or failure of an organization.”
– Fred Fielder and Martin Chemers in Improving Leadership Effectiveness
Undoubtedly, effective leadership is central to the success of any institution. Supervisors and managers are
charged with the task of overseeing and directing employees. However, in order to be successful supervisors
and managers must do more than simply oversee and direct. A successful supervisor leads by example, setting
the tone for office morale, workplace ethics and values, as well as institutional commitment.
Steps to Successful Leadership
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Live your values— Demonstrate ethical behavior by adhering to established codes of conduct and District
rules. This will foster trust, and inspire others to follow your lead.
Communicate purpose—Understand the District’s mission and establish goals for your department. Communicating the significant role your staff will play in accomplishing department goals will instill employees with a sense of purpose.
Employees should feel important and appreciated—Recognize the contributions of employees by listening
to their ideas and concerns, using common courtesy in everyday interactions, keeping employees up to date
on department changes, and praising employees for work well down.
Model the behavior you expect from your employees—Your attitude and behavior will set a precedent. Set
clear expectations. Be consistent and fair in establishing your expectations, as well as with disciplining and
rewarding employees. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, this will cause distrust and frustration.
Spend time with the people you supervise—Having positive interactions with your staff on a regular basis
will make them feel valued and boost employee morale. Moreover, you will get to know your staff better,
thus allowing you to identify individual employees’ strengths and weaknesses. This serves as an opportunity to provide praise as well as constructive feedback, thus improving office productivity.
Act as though you are part of a team—Let the staff know the success of the department depends on the
contributions of all members. Share any recognition or rewards the department receives with all department members.
Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of the people you supervise—Ultimately, you are accountable for the successes and failures of the department you lead. If you are disappointed in staff performance, you are responsible for implementing the changes needed to make improvements.
MEMBERS OF THE PERSONNEL COMMISSION
James A. Srott, Chair
June 2006
David Iwata
Calvin W. Hall, Ed.D.
Karen Martin, Personnel Director
(213) 891-2333
Practicing consistency, fairness, and adherence to ethical codes and rules, modeling positive behavior, as well
as recognizing the contributions of employees, will improve your ability to lead and effect positive change.
Although there are many variables that can impact a department, ultimately the strength of leadership exhibited by supervisors and managers will determine a department’s ability to succeed.