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