9-1-1 Exceptional Supervisor, Light The Way

QUESTION #
#1 “Sometimes I feel like I have pressure from both sides and I’m not sure what my role is here. It’s frustrating and I’m not sure where I fit!”

#2 “It seems like there are so many different demands from people and for things to get done. How can I look at all this in a more positive light?”

#3 “I’m not sure I am a leader, what does it take to be a great leader?”

#4 “I can see so many things that need to change that often I get overwhelmed. How can I keep from getting disappointed by the people that just don’t care?”

#5 “There is the leader I want to be, then there is the leader that I try to be – but sometimes I just don’t feel adequate. I know a leader needs to be confident, what can I do to appear more confident when I’m not?”

#6 “The Supervisor before me was lazy and useless. People don’t seem to cooperate with me because of him. What can I do to create a new atmosphere between us?”

#7 “How do I establish the line between supervisor and friend?”

#8 “We don’t have enough supervisors and the person who is supposed to be our leader isn’t really connected to us and doesn’t understand our needs. Does having a connected leader make that much difference in an organization?”

#9 “I am exhausting myself with this supervisor position. How can I do everything I need to do and still stay in touch with everyone too?”

#10 “I am a people person and I’m finding that being a supervisor involves a lot of liability and other paperwork things like documentation and laws, stuff I don’t feel prepared to do. What can I do to be better at the management side of being a supervisor?”

#11 “I’m a new supervisor. HELP?”

#12 “I miss the work of call taking and dispatching and am thinking I want to go back but I also feel that wouldn’t be a good choice. Is this normal?”

#13 “What is the most important skill a supervisor can possess?”

#14 “I don’t like confrontation, how do I avoid it?”

#15 “Since I became a supervisor, people have changed the way they treat me and I feel uncomfortable around them now. Is there a way to make things return to normal?”

#16 “What kind of personality must a successful supervisor have?”

#17 “How can I deal with all the wars between different groups?”

#18 “How can I keep from being ‘sucked into’ the friction here?”

#19 “There are some people who just seem to be jealous and do what they can to create grief for me, what can I do about them?”

#20 “A lot of poor management things happened before I came on as supervisor which generated a lot of stress and all around terrible workplace negativity. What can I do about stuff that has happened before? They can’t seem to get past it to change their typical negative patterns.”

#21 “What can I do about bad attitude in people when it happens—not later?”

#22 “Often when I talk to someone I get hit with all types of criticism, blame and feel like I’m the whipping post for everyone who is angry at anyone.”

#23 “Everyone brings petty problems to me, how can I make them solve their own issues instead of asking me to be the referee all the time?”

#24 “Every time we get a new person in here, it’s hard for them to fit in. Are there things I can do to help people become socialized easier?”

#25 “I don’t have the time to baby a new person or make sure they fit in, what steps can I take to help this person want to stay on the job?”

#26 “Our policy and procedures are out of date and we can’t seem to find the time or person to get them current. How important is a policy manual and is it my responsibility anyway?”

#27 “Are there times I should just ‘look the other way’ on occasion? After all this is a hard job and it is understandable that everyone and everything isn’t always perfect or nice or on target. I can’t possibly be the pit bull supervisor who stands guard for everything to be right.”

#28 “What can be done to change the negative atmosphere?”

#29 “Our evaluations often get pushed aside, no time. Can I be legally liable for someone not receiving an evaluation and then making a mistake?”

#30 “How do I know that my people are doing best practices? It seems like they are all doing things different — especially the trainers. What should they have flexibility with and what not?”

#31 “What is the best way to keep current with what is happening? I have heard them talking about supervisors and administration not being in touch or not understanding, not being able to do the work anymore. It seems they lose respect for you if you are too far removed from the work.”

#32 “How important is it to do something about sexual jokes or teasing?”

#33 “What is Micro Managing and how can I avoid ever doing it?”

#34 “Why is it important to delegate when sometimes it’s more trouble?”

#35 “Isn’t negativity just part of the type of work we do?”

#36 “How do I know if our negativity is dangerous or just typical?”

#37 “I have a person who has emotional issues—how can I view this person in a way that may help them and ME because although they cause a lot of chaos they are senior and no one is willing to let them go—no documentation?”

#38 “When does being a supervisor mean that I need to be a mental health counselor? How far do I go when a person has many issues and conflicts?”

#39 “Sometimes being a supervisor sucks. What are some thoughts about leadership I can use when times get tough?”

#40 “The pay at our agency seems to be inadequate. Is this pay low everywhere for this type of work?”

#41 “I’m curious, why is the pay so low for our profession?”

#42 “What can we do as supervisors to increase the pay?”

#43 “What are the common problems you encounter in comm centers when you do consulting work?”

#44 “Our employees feel they are not valued. I think they are but they don’t feel it, what is going on with that?”

#45 “What action steps would you recommend to making positive change?”

#46 “There seems to be little communication in our communications center—does that make sense?”

#47 “Do you or anyone else have an ‘ethics code’ appropriate for us?”

#48 “No one here looks forward to giving or getting evaluations!”

#49 “I am having a hard time fighting the battle to change our evaluations, what can I use to win the administration and city over?”

#50 “What if everyone but the administration agrees about evaluations — we have to get this past the agency people who have set in their minds what the evaluation has to be — it’s a huge burdensome form that is worthless. And supervisors are the ones who have to use these things.”

#51 “Can formal evaluations be destructive?”

#52 “Evaluations seem to be one of the things I have the biggest problem with—what tips might help me make better use of evaluations?”

Sue Pivetta never considered herself a leader, more of a problem solver and action figure.

Wrote the first Comm Center SOP – although described as ‘bleeding to death’ after the Directors edit.

Started the first Telecommunicator Union with the Teamsters – because the civilian Director was negotiating with the city instead of the people (and showed the dispatcher a ‘titty burger’).

Created a monthly newsletter to her crew on what was happening in administration.

First day as a 9-1-1 college instructor, became the Union President – the other one quit!

Upon a soul nudge, became a community ‘mediator’ helping to solve disputes for 15 years.

Wrote The 9-1-1 Puzzle Putting The Pieces Together for NENA – at the frustration of a PHD who wanted the job.

Got her BA at 45 from Antioch University – dispite the fact she was pregnant and didn’t finish high school.

Now, in partial retirement, is the dishwasher ninja at the Senior Center. No work is too small.