Successful Foremen . . .
- look out for the safety of their crew members.
- establish high standards for quality and set a good example.
- remain positive; show strength when under pressure.
- take time to teach crew members what they need to know.
- listen more than they talk — and work hard to become excellent communicators.
- are always prepared — with the right tools, knowledge, information, supplies, and equipment.
- set reasonable and consistent standards and limits — and enforce them consistently.
- seek high productivity by building a team effort and a team spirit.
- always seek opportunities to improve. Add your own observations to these lists:
Foremen Who Fail . . .
- slack off on safety or quality when under pressure.
- allow problems to get them down.
- rush instructions to crew members and then fail to follow up.
- scream or yell at crew members — and sometimes humiliate them.
- aren’t interested in learning about basic supervisory skills and techniques.
- don’t understand that it’s not what they can personally do as a foreman that counts — it’s what they can get others to accomplish that’s essential.
- let their status or job title go to their head and become arrogant or bossy.
- react at the last minute instead of thinking ahead and planning.
- are more concerned with being liked than being respected.
As a crew member, you’ve probably had opportunities to observe common mistakes that foremen make. In the space below, list the three most important mistakes that you’d plan to avoid — and what actions you’d take to ensure that your efforts would be successful.
1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
Stuff To Think About. As a crew member, you’ve also observed successful foremen. Think of one or two of the best you’ve known. What made them stand out? What specific personal traits — ideas, skills, attitudes, techniques — enabled them to achieve results? How did their “way of doing business” match up with the Four Fundamentals of Supervision?
Special Note. Consider picking up a 3-ring notebook so you can print out these blog post pages and make notes. As you learn more about these topics and build on your jobsite experience, you’ll have a place to write down your observations for future reference. When the time comes that you’re the one handling a jobsite situation, it will be a valuable resource.
