Okay, let’s get back to the basics.
- “Oh, I just got promoted. Honestly, I’m scared and worried because I’ve never managed anyone before.”
- “Our data speaks to this. Engagement level is decent on the executive level, but it drops off for the supervisor level—what is going on?!”
- “Jim, we’ve been talking a lot about how to support our supervisors. This is so very timely!”
Here’s the thing: Leading well is inherently unnatural.
I don’t mean that as discouragement. I mean it as reality. Because to lead well requires something that doesn’t come instinctively to most of us—putting someone else’s growth ahead of our own comfort.
Setting clear expectations? That’s uncomfortable. Holding people accountable? Even harder. Investing in your team’s development when you’re buried in your own work? Unnatural.
But that’s exactly what servant leadership asks of us.
Three Things I Keep Coming Back To
First, supervision isn’t management—it’s investment. The supervisors I see struggling are often the ones trying to control outcomes instead of developing people. The shift from “getting it done” to “growing people who get it done” is massive.
Second, you can’t fake caring. You can’t fake caring. (In case you missed it the first time!) Your team knows whether you’re genuinely invested in their growth or just checking boxes. Servant leadership isn’t a technique; it’s a posture.
Third, no one teaches us this stuff. We promote great individual contributors and expect them to magically become great leaders. Then we wonder why engagement drops at the supervisor level.
That’s why we created the 10 Keys of Effective Supervision—a practical framework rooted in servant leadership that gives new (and experienced) supervisors a roadmap for this unnatural work.
From Supporting Growth to Realigning Your Efforts, these keys aren’t theory. They’re the patterns we see in leaders who are actually making it work.
Onward, servant leaders.
If you’re wrestling with how to develop your supervisors or stepping into leadership yourself, let’s talk. Check out our 10 Keys resource at risingsunconsultants.com/10-keys-book or just hit reply.
