re: Tips on being a supervisor/manager/leader

Direct approach. Mean what you say, say what you mean. I'm military though so our tact is different than a civvies approach to a subject.

Leadership is simply providing direction, purpose, motivation. If you can get someone to complete a crap task for you and their proud to do it, that's when you'll know your leadership style is effective.

Also, ask the veterans of your group for advice. Don't tell them this is how it must be. If you can develop a team concept and have everyone buy into that team idea by applying everyone's ideas in little ways to develop your concept, you'll be more successful and your team will definitely be stronger than most others.

Rely on the experts you have. You realize you have people in the job that know the day to day better than you and have been doing the job much longer. Use their input as much as possible.

Really the number one thing I can think of

Let them run it and be the mouth piece with upper management. Ask questions when needed and try to learn and look after them.

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You manage things. You lead people.

Praise in public, coach in private. Recognize your top performers, eliminate your bottom 10 %. Cut the dead weight.

Build trust, build loyalty, build unity. Eliminate "I" from your vocabulary and replace with "We."

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This is solid right here.

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This. Leaders are born, not made.

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Truth


One little trick is to periodically ask the older guy's opinions on how to do things. It opens dialogue. Doesn't matter if you know what you are doing already, asking them will make them feel like more a part of a team

Not that there isn't great advice already but just like job skills, management skills are learnable.

Most people don't realize that managing is a total different skill set than having the technical ability to do the job. Many times being a technician in a job will hinder management of a project because you keep putting yourself down in the trenches. That's not management.

Sure leaders are born but more often than not, they are created on purpose.

It just takes a helluva lot longer if you try to learn management by seeing what works and what doesn't than seeking to educate yourself.

What does work is getting your team to give their discretionary effort. To do a little bit more because they want to. That separates the top teams from the "I put in my 8 hours and I'm outta here!" The job has to be done right. To the quality standards sought. Not to the time put in. Big difference.

Get yourself to Barnes & Nobles and find the books that interest you. Read & apply. Educate yourself on management & leadership. It's the lifetime pursuit of perfection.

I was about 23 when I got thrust into the same type of scenario. I'm 26 now, but I came to find out that if you're good at your job people will respect you. I had a moment within the first week that people looked in awe at, and that pretty much set the bar pretty high and people started to look to me pretty quickly. Get one of those moments and you'll be set.


Or, and this is really shitty, but single out 1 or 2 of them and treat them like shite while treating the others like kings. It sucks, but it works. People have a hive mind about that sort of thing and will rally against the weak one making you look strong and competent, even though you're a douche.

Don't be afraid to ask them some questions about the business or how they like certain things done. Let them have some input and they will like you a ton more and won't think you're this young spoiled college kid who didn't "put in the work" to get there. Don't be the "bossy know-it-all".

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About 8 months ago, I got promoted within my department at work to be a Group Leader(drafting metal buildings). Its basically a management position where I oversee 6 people out of 26.

The thing is I feel like I've failed miserably at this. I'm only 24 and I have guys under me thats been doing this 30+ years to my 2 years. So, I can understand why I'm not respected in that regard.

I was wondering if there were any tips or mental exercises that I could do to boost my confidence and become a better LEADER and help my group become more efficient and produce quality work.

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I'm in a similar position (about half the time in job and half of the staff) at 24 and I often feel the same way as you. I try to be positive and appreciative, and I try to avoid micromanaging while providing enough direction to make sure we're meeting standards. I know what I've admired in previous managers and I know what I've been put off by in previous managers, and most of the time I just hope I'm doing more of the former.