| |
Working
With Your Supervisor |
 |
| Whatever
Your Supervisor Wants Done Gets Priority - You
may think you have more important things to do first,
but unless you obtain permission it is usually unwise
to put any other project ahead of a specific assignment
from your own supervisor. As a rule, your boss has
good reasons for wanting a job done now, and it
is apt to have a great deal more bearing upon your
performance rating than less conspicuous projects
that may appear more urgent. *Note: Engineer W.
J. King authored The Unwritten Laws of Engineering
in 1944 and James Skakoon updated them in 1994.
King observed that the chief obstacles to the success
of individual engineers were of a personal and administrative
rather than a technical nature. Engineers would
get into more trouble by violating the unwritten
laws of professional conduct rather than by committing
technical sins against the well-documented laws
of science. He wrote the "Unwritten Laws" to serve
as guide for engineers as they progress through
their careers. Several more Unwritten Laws are described
in this module to complement the material. You can
purchase your own copy on ASME.org. |
|
| |
There
is an old saying that you can't choose your family.
In many respects, the same can be said about your supervisor.
During the interviewing process your future supervisor
was assessing your potential as an engineer and your
ability to help the company. Your goal during the interview
was to impress the interviewer because you wanted the
job. But in trying to sell yourself, did you make any
effort to determine what it would be like to work for
this person?
If you are like most people the answer is no. You won't
really know what type of management style your supervisor
utilizes until you start the job. Some supervisors assign
the task, provide the direction and let their subordinates
determine the best way to approach the project. There
are others that not only assign the task but also tell
you exactly how to solve the problem. That means you
must adapt to that style regardless of your supervisor's
management techniques.
Remember that your direct supervisor has control over
your immediate future. Your supervisor provides you
with your initial training, decides on your job assignments,
determines if you are meeting expectations, assesses
your performance and decides on your salary increase.
|
