Here is the second issue of Leadership Connection. I want to thank you for the feedback we received on the first issue of this valuable newsletter.  From your comments, it seems that in addition to our quarterly meetings, you found this to be a worthwhile vehicle for communicating about issues that face supervisors.

 

Improving how well we communicate with staff and increasing the frequency of those communications should be a goal for all supervisors this year.  Supervisors play a key role in ensuring that staff members are kept abreast of issues, requirements, and standards that affect their work, and ensuring that these are understood and practiced in the workplace. 
Text Box: Winter 2008 Text Box: Director’s Message Text Box: Special points of interest to discuss with your staff from this issue: Respectful Workplace How to Prevent Union Violations Focus Areas of the Lab’s Strategic Plan Text Box: Leadership Connection Text Box: BrookhavEn national laboratory

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Laboratory Director Sam Aronson

Communicating openly and consistently with staff is a key responsibility of all supervisors and one of the most important roles that we have.  We must relay our expectations and reinforce how policies apply at the worksite.  This has a direct impact on how effectively work is conducted, and these interactions will help to keep your staff involved and engaged.

 

How supervisors communicate needs and manage performance in the workplace is an area in which we all can improve.  I have set a personal goal for myself this year: to hold meetings more frequently with my reports.  We will discuss individual performance, expectations for work, and how that work aligns with the overall goals of the organization.  It will be a challenge to make the time for these discussions, but I know that the time investment has significant value.  Improving how work is performed directly impacts the success of the Laboratory, as we strive to maximize scientific results, improve our business operations, and strengthen our competitive position as a research institution.

 

In addition to improving how work is performed, the communicator role of the supervisor is the pivotal one for ensuring a safe, respectful, and healthy environment.  By staying in touch with your staff, you may be able to prevent other workplace issues discussed in this issue, including, union violations, disruptive and nonproductive behavior, and potential violence.  Throughout the organization, our staff, and our future will benefit by being better connected.