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Anyone here a supervisor?
I have to supervise a lot of people on different teams that work with children.
These people work in the kids' homes on the evenings, and get very close to parents
I find that I have a few who don't like being told what to do, and get resentful of me directing them or needing to do certain things - especially when last year most of these teams were unsupervised and one of the therapists was in charge of the home programs
Some of the parents either pick up on this, or therapists complain to the parents! Since the therapists have been close to the family, I find the parents side wth them and it makes things difficult.
How do I handle:
A. People who hate being supervised (and its always the ones who need it the most. The ones who seek my guidance all the time can do this in their sleep!!!!)
B. Handle these boundary issues?
I have a supervisor that I speak with but he is new to all of this.
I try not to be a hardass, and err on the side of niceness, but I am NO pushover. I communicate what needs to be done, and am persistent, but I always keep things neutral and pleasant. So its not like they take advantage - I try to empower them by welcoming their input and assisting in the guidance of the programs.
I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm afraid this will reflect negatively on me and my performance to my supervisor and director of my program..
Please don't quote - thanks!
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Posted 4/28/09 6:11 AM  |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
What behavior are you trying to change in your employees? In other words what is it that you are trying to supervise?
Do you have your manager's support?
I just handled a verbal warning at work because an employee of ours complained to the customer about working overtime & not getting comped for it from the company (it's not true, she actually gets a bonus based on her billed time).
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| Posted 4/28/09 6:20 AM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by nrthshgrl
What behavior are you trying to change in your employees? In other words what is it that you are trying to supervise?
Do you have your manager's support?
I just handled a verbal warning at work because an employee of ours complained to the customer about working overtime & not getting comped for it from the company (it's not true, she actually gets a bonus based on her billed time).
These therapists need to implement very specific things - behavior plans and teaching - to kids with severe autism when I am not there, and collect data. I keep reading notes that things aren't going well (tantrums, behavior issues, not learning) and then they aren't following specific protocols. When they are told that behaviors are occuring because of this, they get p*ssy. But not to my face. I tell them to please let me know if there are any issues, problems, etc - but they are afraid of telling me I guess....
My manager right now is struggling with handling a huge workload... its not that I don't have his support - its that he is new to this. And many of these therapists never had supervsion before, so there is some ego-bruising here as well, I'm sure.
this whole year has been very challenging and depressing me because there are a million pieces all over the place, and I am tryng to help gather them all.
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| Posted 4/28/09 7:03 AM |
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CookiePuss
Cake from Outer Space!
Member since 5/05 14021 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by lipglossjunky73
These therapists need to implement very specific things - behavior plans and teaching - to kids with severe autism when I am not there, and collect data. I keep reading notes that things aren't going well (tantrums, behavior issues, not learning) and then they aren't following specific protocols. When they are told that behaviors are occuring because of this, they get p*ssy. But not to my face. I tell them to please let me know if there are any issues, problems, etc - but they are afraid of telling me I guess....
When I worked for a company that did this type of service and the supervisor was having some problems, she implemented a workshop to go over the program that they were using. Let's say it's ABA, she had them come in for training and basically did a refresher on the basics of ABA and would have some role playing of the common problems that kept coming up. Can you do something like that during the next break or at night?
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| Posted 4/28/09 8:32 AM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Morgan! My colleague and I just developed this exact set of trainings to address these issues. Good thinking. We have done these but unfortunately not everyone is signing up despite them being mandatory, and knowing how to do ABA and following someone else's direction when doing it are two different things. Actually, knowing how to do it has some therapists believe they know everything, so why do I have this supervisor all of a sudden?
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| Posted 4/28/09 8:48 AM |
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CookiePuss
Cake from Outer Space!
Member since 5/05 14021 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
When does the 12 month program end? Maybe those teachers should be told that they might not be asked back if they don't attend.
Can you sit in on sessions? I'm not sure that would be the best idea for the child but it may help in the long run, especially if the teacher is complaining about the child's behavior.
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| Posted 4/28/09 9:01 AM |
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MrsFab
this is bliss.......
Member since 10/08 1234 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
its very difficult for people to go from unsupervised to supervised- in my first job- I came in as a manager to someone who had been unsupervised for almost 10 years. It was a process.
Is there a way to offer rewards to your staff for jobs well done- like employee of the week and give them a starbucks gift card ($5)? I found that rewards and recognition of good behavior went a long way to building a relationship with my employees. Also can you accompany them and give them pointers but also point out the good things they are doing.
You of course have to point out if someone is doing something wrong- but you can do it in a friendly way and give suggestions rather than coming off as the mean boss- its a fine line
good luck!
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| Posted 4/28/09 9:27 AM |
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Little-J-Mommy
I'm a Big Brother
Member since 5/06 8041 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by lipglossjunky73
We have done these but unfortunately not everyone is signing up despite them being mandatory,
If it's truly mandatory...the agency should be backing you up on this and letting all their staff know that they will not be given any additional cases/clients until the training is complete. In addition to the actual training I would definitely cover protocol and the reasons why those interventions are in place. It may help in their understanding of why they need to do certain things. (even if they don't think it's necessary, maybe from a law standpoint you can stress how without proper documentation and protocol, they could be held personally liable and their license/cert could be jeopardized)
As far as supervision goes...I know how hard it can be to try to supervise people who have either been doing this a long time or are older than you, especially if it was never required before. It can be very challenging to say the least.
I would probably take the approach of "I know it's annoying/extra work/time consuming/etc, but it really needs to be done like xyz. I really appreciate your cooperation on this. I'll let the agency know what an asset you are"
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| Posted 4/28/09 9:42 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by Little-J-Mommy
Posted by lipglossjunky73
We have done these but unfortunately not everyone is signing up despite them being mandatory,
If it's truly mandatory...the agency should be backing you up on this and letting all their staff know that they will not be given any additional cases/clients until the training is complete. In addition to the actual training I would definitely cover protocol and the reasons why those interventions are in place. It may help in their understanding of why they need to do certain things. (even if they don't think it's necessary, maybe from a law standpoint you can stress how without proper documentation and protocol, they could be held personally liable and their license/cert could be jeopardized)
As far as supervision goes...I know how hard it can be to try to supervise people who have either been doing this a long time or are older than you, especially if it was never required before. It can be very challenging to say the least.
I would probably take the approach of "I know it's annoying/extra work/time consuming/etc, but it really needs to be done like xyz. I really appreciate your cooperation on this. I'll let the agency know what an asset you are"
I agree with Deb.
Also what would go a longer way is to have the parents in for a mini-training course on what they should expect from their therapists & why it is essential.
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| Posted 4/28/09 10:22 AM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by shamrock124
When does the 12 month program end? Maybe those teachers should be told that they might not be asked back if they don't attend.
Can you sit in on sessions? I'm not sure that would be the best idea for the child but it may help in the long run, especially if the teacher is complaining about the child's behavior.
Thats what I do - that's the supervision part of it.... I see what they are doing wrong, and try to let them know after the session in a very informative way (not - you did this wrong, but - in the situation when John does.... this is what needs to be done:.....)
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| Posted 4/28/09 10:23 AM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Posted by nrthshgrl
Posted by Little-J-Mommy
Posted by lipglossjunky73
We have done these but unfortunately not everyone is signing up despite them being mandatory,
If it's truly mandatory...the agency should be backing you up on this and letting all their staff know that they will not be given any additional cases/clients until the training is complete. In addition to the actual training I would definitely cover protocol and the reasons why those interventions are in place. It may help in their understanding of why they need to do certain things. (even if they don't think it's necessary, maybe from a law standpoint you can stress how without proper documentation and protocol, they could be held personally liable and their license/cert could be jeopardized)
As far as supervision goes...I know how hard it can be to try to supervise people who have either been doing this a long time or are older than you, especially if it was never required before. It can be very challenging to say the least.
I would probably take the approach of "I know it's annoying/extra work/time consuming/etc, but it really needs to be done like xyz. I really appreciate your cooperation on this. I'll let the agency know what an asset you are"
I agree with Deb.
Also what would go a longer way is to have the parents in for a mini-training course on what they should expect from their therapists & why it is essential.
Ladies - I agree with you 100%. This frustrates me more than you ever know, and i have driven home crying because of it. I am in the front lines here - and all the things you guys said SHOULD be happening and i say it all the time, but the agency loses track of all the therapists, what they have attended, etc. It is part of my job to make sure all this happens, and then all the complaints start coming in and I look like the bad guy. I am trying to get the agency to back me up, but lets just say there are a few weak links here. It is very very very very frustrating. I am so glad to hear other people saying this because I think - maybe I'm the only one who thinks things should happen differently - but hearing you guys from the outside makes me feel better, and worse at the same time because the frustration and stress is so difficult to deal with and then to do my job effectively by putting all that aside takes up so much of my energy....
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| Posted 4/28/09 10:26 AM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
I know this is not helpful, but this is a huge reason I gave up my supervisory role (I was in charge of a program for people with TBI) and asked to just come back as a Service Coordinator after I had my son in December.
I never had the support of the agency and it took months and months for me to get the approval from the higher ups to fire another staff who was neglecting her clients and causing all kinds of problems in general.
The people I was in charge of, while all great people, never were really supervised either and some of them were okay with it, but others took it personally when I had to correct them on things.
It always was my head on the platter when my staff weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing, and I constantly got stuck doing a lot of their work. I found I was a miserable person and taking it home with me which is so not healthy.
You couldn't pay me enough to step back into that role anymore.
 to you because I certainly can relate to what you are going through having been there myself.
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| Posted 4/28/09 7:19 PM |
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Oh, I forgot to add as well that my supervisors were business men...............who didn't really know jack about how the program was supposed to run. They just saw the clients as $$$$ signs which also made my job extremely hard.
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| Posted 4/28/09 7:23 PM |
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groovypeg
:)
Member since 5/05 2423 total posts
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Re: Anyone here a supervisor?
Hey former office wife (yeah it's Eric. Jo left this open on my laptop)
Are their policies in place for videotaping sessions?
This is always a good way for additional data collection as well as to ensure people are on their game.
You can use it for conducting IOA if it will make it easier on staff
Also check out:
JOURNAL OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 2006, 39, 215–226 NUMBER 2 (SUMMER 2006)
It's an interesting read on staff behavior.
Later kid,
E
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| Posted 4/29/09 6:34 AM |
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