SEVEN STEPS TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL SUPERVISOR
I am
grateful to the Indian Railways being a second generation of railway employee.
My father after his Licentiate in Electrical Engineering (LEE) from the
renowned P S G Polytechnic (No Diploma or Degree were offered in PSG those
days) Coimbatore in 1950 joined Southern Railway as Chargeman in Ponmalai
Central Workshops in 1952 after a brief stint with MES –forerunner of TNEB.
So I was
fortunate to live in railway quarters in Ponmalai (Golden Rock), Pakkala,
Bezewada (Vijayawada), Hubli, Mysore, Bangalore, Villupuram, Madurai
Palayamkottai (the Construction office of the new BG line between Tirunelveli
to Nagercoil with a branch line to Cape (Kanyakumari) and Tiruvananthapuram.
The erstwhile Southern Railway was very extensive in geographical area. I was
also fortunate to travel in train right from my birth in II and I classes. I
consider these as unique blessing to serve Indian Railways.
I joined Southern
Railway as Probationary Asst Station Master. Yet as I wanted to pursue my
academic studies, I appeared for RSC thrice and ended in Accounts Branch. I have shared my experience here as a
supervisor as well as Officer.
STEP 1
One must know her/his section
thoroughly. Based on the data create a SECTION PROFILE consisting of the
details on the staff (their educational qualifications, date of entry in to section,
sections previously worked, any award etc,) the work allocation (as on date for
staff and the chain link of responsibility), important features of the section,
important events, important out going reports and the target dates etc.
During one
of the Railway Board inspection, I presented the Section Profile to the
inspecting team. They were so impressed by my innovative section management and
asked no further questions. Later I came to know that my controlling officer
was told that my idea was a very novel in Indian Railways.
STEP 2
When I
walked into the hallowed space of Railway Staff College Vadodra I was greeted
with a punching quote displayed there, “Individually we are heroes but together
we are zeroes”. At the first sight I was confused and asked my course director
Mr Yadav about it. He laughed and said that he was happy that someone asked
such question when he himself raised a question when he joined as a faculty
member. He stated that Indian Railway lack team work and that’s the reason the
quote is exhibited. First time I realized that team work is necessary for
success in railways. So, I coined the following golden rules for efficient team
work.
Ø Take subordinates in to
confidence.
Ø Consult with them if
need be.
Ø Get clarified details of
specific issues.
Ø Make them feel responsible on their own. They
may have better views of critical issues, more knowledgeable, more informed,
more educated, more enthusiastic and more sincere.
Ø Try
always to strengthen your subordinates in their work. in their creativity, and
in their qualities of leadership.
Ø Allow
them to learn by their mistakes.
Ø Be
willing to compromise.
Ø Don’t
ask more of people than they are able to deliver; or, if you do so, stretch
their horizons gradually.
STEP 3
As housekeeping is necessary
in every home, so is in office too. This kind of housekeeping is the maintenance
the section in a presentable way so that the staffs in the section like to work
more sincerely and efficiently.
q Maintain registers
properly.
q Create a register of registers.
Make out a list of files.
q Maintain policy files
properly updated. Change the files once in three years, put wrapper for
registers, use colour flags, marker pens etc to highlight the kernel words and
sentences.
q Ensure that the internal
and external reports are submitted within target dates. The delay hampers the
progress of consolidation at the apex level and the resultant irritation among
HQ and Unit officers. When in such an occasion I had to go in person to the HQ
officer who had some misunderstanding with my unit officer, he abused first the
unit officer and later myself for the delay
STEP 4
The
real middle level managers in Indian railways are the senior most supervisors –
the buffer between the non-gazetted and gazetted. Neither the supervisor can
show the wrath of his subordinates to the officers or the ‘displeasure’ of the
officers to his subordinates, very
precarious situation like walking on the sword.
v Be a good bridge between
the subordinates and superiors.
v Maintain cordial
relations with the subordinates and superiors. Interpersonal relationships are
necessary for smooth running of the office.
v The congenial industrial
environment produces better results as propounded by Personnel Management experts.
Further, the role of organized labour is spent on more serious matters instead
of trivial matters.
STEP 5
Even though a horse is
led to the water trough only the horse should drink water and not the one who
leads the horse. Similarly, the supervisor is put to test in every calamity. He
must be wise enough to convert every adversity into an opportunity.
q Believe in the concept
that others may be more knowledgeable, more experienced and more read than
you.
q Consult a difficult case
with subordinates and superiors and even colleagues in other offices –In such
occasions it is better to have the contact phone numbers of the predecessor in
the section if they are no longer in the same office or the names if they are
still available in the same office. In this regard I prepared an internal accounts
telephone directory listing out the various section phone -of course railway
phone only – in a single A4 paper – of the six divisions( TVC, PGT, SA, MDU,
TPJ and MAS), HQ General Accounts Traffic Accounts, Construction and MTP
accounts and RE accounts, ICF/ Shell and ICF/Furnishing.
q but decide judiciously on your own
STEP 6
It
is said a leader leads her/his team while a supervisor orders his team. It is
this hyper sensitive position produces brilliant results for a supervisor. Many
have expressed that my sincere works were never appreciated appropriately by
railway administration but for which I should have got GM and RB awards. Yet I
always tell them that these awards are in no way important than the contented
smile passed on to me by my present and erstwhile staff when they walk past me.
That brightness in their face on seeing me is the most precious award I always
desired to receive.
v Set an example for the
subordinates in punctuality, leave, and movements. If one cannot be punctual,
she/he can never order her/his subordinates to be punctual. If it could not be
done under any exigency, one can request the other supervisor to be available
until she/he can make it. It is always essential that leave is granted to
deserving staff on a priority basis. It can be achieved only if one keeps track
of personal events of the staff.
v Regarding movement
within/outside office, it is highly appreciable to inform your superiors and
subordinates. It builds confidence among both about you.
v Workers and bosses are all around us, but
there are no leaders. While the bosses says to his staff ‘to and do’, the leader says to his
team ‘come let’s do’.
v Subordinate staffs look for role models. By
winning their admiration, any crisis can be tide over.
STEP 7
Often the criticism by
other Executive Dept is that there is no clarity regarding the extant rules,
regulations, and procedures. Accounts Branch indulges in multiple returns of
proposals, calling for relevant RB letters/circulars and local instructions.
While Executive Branches are more worried about the physical targets, Accounts
is worried about the ‘adherence to financial discipline’. Definitely there is a
way to sort out the issue. Particularly
in the construction wing, the word of CAO Construction carries more power than tenders.
The contractors are bound by the oral instructions than written approval by
competent authority. In such cases, the construction wing acts on its own
irrespective of finance views. Such cases end up in arbitration and the
progress of the work suffers. There is no straight rule of the code book or Railway
Board circular. However, the best amicable solution can be found case by case
depending on the merit. If the common objective of the Indian Railways is
placed before the ‘quarrelling’ Depts, best option can evolve. Later it might
even be a written instructions.
The End
21.12.2021
17/9 Appadurai First St
Ayanavaram Chennai
600023
