Talking Stick - March/April 2016 - 43

but for the most part centered on
the topics of communication, trust,
clear expectations, and support.
These results shouldn't be surprising,
as communication is key to any
successful relationship including that
of the supervisor and supervisee. The
ability to communicate expectations
clearly, provide positive and
constructive feedback, and clearly state
the vision is imperative in creating
an environment in which employees
feel supported and free to be active
contributors to the department.
"When staff feel supported and cared
for by you, they will be loyal to you,
the department, and the institution,"
says Chandra Myrick, the director of
the residential student experience at
Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Communication and trust tend
to work in tandem. Supervisors want
to be able to trust that those who
they supervise are doing the job they

have been hired to do. Conversely,
supervisees want to be able to trust in
the competence and decision-making
skills of their supervisor. Sutton writes
that when a supervisor is incompetent
or indecisive, it is the direct result of
a lack of confidence in their role or
the inability to navigate their work
setting. Confidence cultivates respect.
"Respect is earned when staff trust
in our word, as supervisors, and trust
that we will do what we say we will
do," notes Sarah Shields, a residence
hall assistant director at New York
University. When our supervisors are
not confident or are indecisive, we
begin to question their judgment and
ability to lead. Whether you are leading
a community, students, professionals,
a department, or a new initiative,
leadership is a vital skill for achieving
success in housing and residence life.
Developing and setting clear
expectations continues to be one of the

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best ways to solidify a good working
relationship with a supervisee. In
housing and residence life, expectations
can be unrealistic, based on a cynical,
archaic notion of being all things to
everyone by "fulfilling all duties as
assigned." This nebulous idea often
results in supervisees being unclear
about how to meet expectations and
how to define or measure their success.
Not having clear expectations is like
changing the rules of the game in the
middle of a play. Supervisees want to
know where the bar is so they can meet
it or exceed it. It is mutually beneficial
that expectations are clear, concise,
and outlined in the beginning of an
onboarding or training process. Most
importantly, supervisors have to be
diligent about consistently holding
staff accountable for meeting the
expectations that have been set. In
good practice, consider abandoning the
stereotypical line item list of dos and
don'ts and replace it with a conversation

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MARCH + APRIL 2016

43
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Talking Stick - March/April 2016

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