Taking on the Challenge of Supervising
2 MIN
When Yan Liu became a supervisor she questioned whether she was qualified. Here’s what it took to give her the skills and confidence she needed to succeed.
Out of Her Comfort Zone
Yan Liu never planned on becoming a supervisor. She joined a division of Molex 11 years ago, providing engineering support for the glue segment of a technology manufacturing process. The business, located in Zhuhai, China, provides optical solutions to customers in telecommunications, datacom, data centers and other demanding industries.
During her first nine years at the facility, Yan was driven by her natural curiosity and developed herself by learning as much as possible. She became a subject matter expert in adhesive chemistry. Her comfort zone was technical problem-solving, not developing people.
Finding a Support System
Not every high-performing employee is suited to be a supervisor. But Yan’s supervisor noticed her sense of urgency, accountability, desire to optimize and ability to help those around her learn and improve. He thought she could create added value by leading others.
At first, Yan questioned if she had the necessary abilities to lead a team. “I felt tremendous pressure to perform with such an important responsibility. There was so much I didn’t know yet,” Yan said. “But that pressure quickly converted to motivation, and I began seeking out any resources that could help me.” She worked with her supervisor, Human Resources and other colleagues to learn more about supervisor responsibilities, and how to apply Principle Based Management™. The more she learned and practiced, the more her confidence increased.
"I began seeking out any resources that could help me.”
Applying the Five Dimensions
As a new supervisor, Yan initially focused on coaching technical skills and problem-solving. But during an open conversation with her supervisor, she received the feedback that this was only one piece of helping her employees maximize their contributions. She needed to look at her responsibilities across all five dimensions of Principle Based Management.
Yan began learning more about the individuals on her team. She asked questions to better understand their ideas and what motivates them. In her new role, she quickly learned the importance of mutual benefit. Yan helped connect team members with changing needs and how they could contribute by proactively supporting internal customers.
Now, Yan has been a supervisor for more than two years. Her development and leadership are examples of why it’s important to continually self-actualize and listen when others see something in you that you might not see in yourself. Her story is also a reminder to continually explore how you can create the most value by being in the right role with the right responsibilities.
Give it a Try
The power of these principles happens through application. There’s no substitute for learning as you apply.
- Have a conversation with your supervisor or another coworker who knows you well. Ask them what qualities or skills they think you have that apply to supervising. What are the potential gaps you would need to fill?
- When Yan first became a supervisor, which of the five dimensions did she apply?
- After the conversation with her supervisor, which additional dimensions did she apply?
- What did you learn or connect with from Yan’s story?
- What resources, training or opportunities would help you take the next step toward better understanding supervising at Koch?