ATD Workshop Series

NEW
SUPERVISOR
training
ELAINE BIECH

Alexandria, Virginia
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 The ATD Workshop
Series

Whether you are a professional trainer who needs to pull together a new training program next
week, or someone who does a bit of training as a part of your job, you’ll find the ATD Workshop
series is a timesaver.

Topics deliver key learning on today’s most pressing business needs, including training for
communication skills, leadership, coaching, new supervisors, customer service, new employee
orientation, and more. The series is designed for busy training and HR professionals, consul-
tants, and managers who need to deliver training quickly to optimize performance now.

Each ATD Workshop book provides all the content and trainer’s tools you need to create and
deliver compelling training guaranteed to

• enhance learner engagement

• deepen learner understanding
• increase learning application.

Each book in the series offers innovative and engaging programs designed by leading experts
and grounded in design and delivery best practices and theory. It is like having an expert trainer
helping you with each step in the workshop process. The straightforward, practical instructions
help you prepare and deliver the workshops quickly and effectively. Flexible timing options
allow you to choose from half-day, full-day, and two-day workshop formats, or to create your
own, using the tips and strategies presented for customizing the workshops to fit your unique
business environment. Each ATD Workshop book also comes with guidance on leveraging
learning technologies to maximize workshop design and delivery efficiency and access to all the
training materials you will need, including activities, handouts, tools, assessments, and presen-
tation slides.

v
 Contents

FOREWORD by Tony Bingham xiii

INTRODUCTION: HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 1

Why Is Developing New Supervisors Important? 1
What Do I Need to Know About Training? 2
How Much Time Will Preparation Take? 3
What Are the Important Features of the Book? 4
How Are the Agendas Laid Out? 6
How Do I Use This Book? 7
Key Points 7
What to Do Next 8
Additional Resources 8

SECTION I: THE WORKSHOPS 9

1 TWO-DAY NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING WORKSHOP 11
Two-Day Workshop Objectives 12
Two-Day Workshop Overview 13
Day-One Overview 13
Day-Two Overview 13
Two-Day Workshop Agenda: Day One 14
What to Do Between Workshop Days 23
Two-Day Workshop Agenda: Day Two 23
What to Do Next 31

vii
 2 ONE-DAY NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING WORKSHOP 33
One-Day Workshop Objectives 35
One-Day Workshop Overview 35
One-Day Workshop Agenda 36
What to Do Next 46

3 HALF-DAY NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING WORKSHOP 47

Half-Day Workshop Objectives 49
Half-Day Workshop Overview 49
Half-Day Workshop Agenda 49
What to Do Next 56

4 CUSTOMIZING THE NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING WORKSHOP 59

Customizing the Content and Activities 60
Customizing the Workshop Format 60
New Supervisor Skills Series 60
Small Bites—Lunch-and-Learn Seminars 62
Theme-Based Workshops 63
Customizing Delivery With Technology 64
The Bare Minimum 65
What to Do Next 66

SECTION II: ESSENTIALS OF EFFECTIVE

NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING 67
5 IDENTIFYING NEEDS FOR NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING 69
Why Needs Analysis? 70
Strategic Needs Analysis 70
Structured Interviews 72
Focus Groups 73
Surveys 73

viii Contents
 Individual Learning Needs Analysis 73
The Bare Minimum 74
Key Points 75
What to Do Next 75
Additional Resources 76

6 UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF TRAINING DESIGN 77

Basic Adult Learning Theory 78
More Theoretical Ideas Important to Learning 79
Multiple Intelligences 79
Whole Brain Learning 80
Theory Into Practice 81
Establishing a Framework 82
Identifying Behaviors 82
Practicing 82
Providing Feedback 83
Making It Relevant 83
The Bare Minimum 83
Key Points 83
What to Do Next 84
Additional Resources 84

7 LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE AND SUPPORT DESIGN

AND DELIVERY 85
Why Consider Learning Technologies? 87
Opportunities to Use Learning Technologies 87
When Designing Training 87
Before Training 89
During Training 90

Contents ix
 After Training 91
While Building a Learning Community 92
The Bare Minimum 93
Key Points 93
What to Do Next 93
Additional Resources 93

8 DELIVERING YOUR NEW SUPERVISOR WORKSHOP:

BE A GREAT FACILITATOR 95
The Learning Environment 96
Program Preparation Checklist 99
Participant Materials 100
Handouts 100
Presentation Slides 100
Workbooks and Journals 101
Videos 101
Toys, Noisemakers, and Other Props 101
Facilitator Equipment and Materials 102
A Strong Start: Introduction, Icebreakers, and Openers 103
Feedback 104
Role Plays 105
Participant Presentations 106
Ball Toss 107
Journaling 107
Questioning Skills 107
Training Room and Participant Management 108
A Word About Dealing With Difficult Participants 109
An Unforgettable End 112

x Contents
 The Bare Minimum 113
Key Points 113
What to Do Next 113
Additional Resources 114

9 EVALUATING WORKSHOP RESULTS 115

Levels of Measurement 116
Level 1: Measuring Participant Reactions 116
Level 2: Measuring the Extent to Which Participants Have Learned 117
Level 3: Measuring the Results of Training Back on the Job 118
Level 4: Measuring the Organizational Impact of Training 118
Return on Investment 119
Reporting Results 119
The Bare Minimum 120
Key Points 120
What to Do Next 120
Additional Resources 120

SECTION III: POST-WORKSHOP LEARNING 123

10 THE FOLLOW-UP COACH 125
The Pivotal Role of the Supervisor’s Manager 125
Before the Workshop Begins 126
During the Workshop 127
At the Close of the Workshop 128
After the Workshop 129
The Bare Minimum 132
What to Do Next 132
Additional Resources 133

Contents xi
SECTION IV: WORKSHOP SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
AND ONLINE SUPPORT 135
11 LEARNING ACTIVITIES 137
Learning Activities Included in New Supervisor Training 138

12 ASSESSMENTS 151
Assessments Included in New Supervisor Training 152

13 HANDOUTS 157
Handouts Included in New Supervisor Training 157

14 ONLINE TOOLS AND DOWNLOADS 171

Access to Free Supporting Materials 171
Customizable Materials 172
Working With the Files 173
PDF Documents 173
PowerPoint Slides 173

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 175

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 177

ABOUT ATD 179

xii Contents
 Chapter 3

Half-Day
New Supervisor
Training Workshop

What’s in This Chapter

• Objectives of the half-day New Supervisor Training Workshop
• Summary chart for the flow of content and activities
• Half-day program agenda

There are two approaches you can take to designing and delivering a half-day workshop. You
can select one topic and focus only on that topic or you can take a broader perspective and
allow the participants to sample a range of topics such as time management, delegation, prob-
lem solving, engagement, setting goals, and others. Because of the very nature of a supervisory
job, we have chosen the broader approach to the content. The leap from worker to supervisor
is one of the biggest moves employees will make in their careers. New supervisors must learn
to think more comprehensively across the organization. Transitioning from deep and specific
to broad and all-inclusive is difficult for many new supervisors, and this workshop helps them
do just that.

For that reason, the half-day workshop is deliberately designed with a comprehensive over-
view in mind. Within 30 minutes of the session, participants will take part in a scenario that
gives them the chance to experience how it might actually feel to be bombarded with many

47
requirements at the same time. The accompanying handouts provide excellent sources of infor-
mation to help coach new supervisors back on their jobs where they will need it most.

This workshop incorporates activities that engage participants, getting them out of their seats
and actively participating in relevant and meaningful experiential activities, small group dis-
cussion, and practice. It presents a good mix of activities, presentations, personal reflection, and
small- and large-group discussions. The key is variety.

Here are some insider thoughts to consider as you prepare for your half-day workshop:

• A few activity times have been shaved off the two-day agenda. You will see that timing
on a few activities has been shortened, often by only 5 minutes. The two-day workshop
provided more time in the design for personal reflection and discussion, which is the
ideal situation. However, given the shorter format, we chose shortening an activity over
removing it altogether.
• Several activities have been modified to learning content (handouts) only. The hand-
outs are excellent resources for participants to use after the workshop. In some cases it
might be months before supervisors really need content such as how to conduct a perfor-
mance review. Rather than skipping the content, we felt it was better to give participants
the resources so they will be available when they need them. If you are conducting a series
of just-in-time workshops for new supervisors, you may decide to remove the handouts
and provide them at a later time. We operated under the assumption that this may be a
one-shot opportunity for some new supervisors.
• Pre-work. If you wanted to include an option for self-assessment as a part of the work-
shop, you could assign Assessment 1: Essentials of Supervision as pre-work to save time.
It is not, however, included in the design of this workshop.
• Post-work. Assessment 1 could also be used as a follow-up activity after the workshop.
Consider emailing it to the participants after the session. Encourage everyone to com-
plete the assessment and then share their results and which competencies they need to
develop with their supervisors and peer partners. Create buddies or use a wiki to post
ideas and additional content. See Chapter 10 for follow-up ideas.

This chapter provides a lively half-day workshop agenda focused on a supervisor’s key areas
of responsibility. Making the move from worker to supervisor can be extremely rewarding or
profoundly disappointing. Ensuring that new supervisors are grounded in solid supervisory
fundamentals makes the positive difference. New supervisors must learn a plethora of skills to
be successful. This workshop bundles together critical areas and allows time for practice plus
tips, templates, and checklists to support the learner back on the job. The day begins with an
exercise, and topics emanate from it that start the journey of becoming a great supervisor.

48 NEW SUPERVISOR training

Half-Day Workshop Objectives
By the end of the half-day workshop, participants will have resources and knowledge to

• Name five key supervisory skills areas

• Guide work using four management fundamentals
• Delegate using a six-step process
• Implement a seven-step process to make decisions and solve problems
• Discuss supervisory essentials of process improvement and change management
• Coach employee performance
• Determine development plan for next steps.

Half-Day Workshop Overview

TOPICS TIMING
Welcome and Introduction 5 minutes
Learning Activity 1: Embrace Your New Role 15 minutes
Workshop Guidelines and Objectives 5 minutes
Guide the Work—With a 21st-Century Caveat 10 minutes
Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a Supervisor’s Job 90 minutes
BREAK 15 minutes
Learning Activity 7: What’s Engagement Got to Do With It? 20 minutes
Learning Activity 4: Promote Communication 15 minutes
Five-Step Employee Performance Process 10 minutes
Learning Activity 11: Establish a Motivating Environment 10 minutes
Goals, Roles, and Expectations 5 minutes
Continuous Feedback 5 minutes
Conduct Effective Performance Reviews 5 minutes
Action Planning: My Next Steps 10 minutes
Closing: What Do Great Supervisors Do Every Day? 20 minutes
TOTAL 240 minutes (4 hours)

Half-Day Workshop Agenda

The session begins with an icebreaker that gets participants talking about what is and isn’t good
about becoming a supervisor. The heart of the workshop focuses on an activity that allows par-
ticipants to experience a supervisor’s role and some of the responsibilities and issues that come
with it. This practical experience opens the door for other discussions and activities focusing
on the skills and competencies required to be a great supervisor.

Chapter 3: Half-Day New Supervisor Training Workshop 49

Half Day: (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)

TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS

8:00 a.m. Slide 1 Welcome and Introduction
(5 min) Arrive one hour before the start to ensure the
room is set up, equipment works, and materials
are arranged for participants. This gives you time
to make them feel truly welcomed. Chatting with
them builds a trusting relationship and opens
them up for learning.

8:05 a.m. Slide 2 Learning Activity 1: Embrace Your New Role

(15 min) • Handout 1: Embrace Your New Role
This activity is an icebreaker. It will introduce
participants to the content, to each other, and
to the action orientation of this workshop. It is
meant to be lively and noisy.
Follow the instructions in the learning activity.

8:20 a.m. Slide 3 Workshop Guidelines and Objectives

(5 min) Lay out the basic ground rules for the workshop.
Ask participants what else they would like to
include and add anything you think is pertinent.
Before the workshop, post the objectives on a
flipchart so they are visible during the session.
After covering the ground rules, briefly review
the objectives with the participants.
8:25 a.m. Slide 4 Learning Content/Lecture
(10 min) • Handout 7: Guide the Work—With a
21st-Century Caveat
Use this handout to review the four classic
functions of management everyone learned
in school: plan, organize, lead, and control.
Supervisors still do these tasks but with a twist
that encompasses more employee involvement,
the importance of an engaged workforce, a
global focus, and a young workforce entering
management ranks. Pull some of these ideas from
the participants before you show Slides 5 and 6.
(Slide 1 of 3)

50 NEW SUPERVISOR training

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
Slide 5 Learning Content/Lecture
• Handout 7: Guide the Work—With a
21st-Century Caveat
In the changing workplace environment, leaders,
including supervisors, will continue to function
in the classic management roles. Emphasize that
in addition to these functions, they will also be
required to tackle more employee involvement,
more change, and more complexity.
(Slide 2 of 3)
Slide 6 Learning Content/Lecture
• Handout 7: Guide the Work—With a
21st-Century Caveat
Introduce participants to the VUCA acronym
(volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous), which
attempts to capture the distinctive characteristics
of the challenges facing today’s workplace. If you
aren’t familiar with VUCA, you can get yourself
up to speed with a quick search on the Internet.
Understanding this new environment can help
leaders identify and craft responses to meet those
challenges more effectively.
(Slide 3 of 3)
8:35 a.m. Slide 7 Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a
(90 min) Supervisor’s Job
• Handouts 8a–8d: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
This activity is experiential by design. The
participants will all “eggs-perience” several
elements of supervising. It is fun and lively and
includes a variety of activities and results that
create opportunities for learning. The content
on the handouts is just enough to get each
team headed in the right direction to guarantee
learning for all.
Follow the instructions in the learning activity.
(Slide 1 of 5)

Chapter 3: Half-Day New Supervisor Training Workshop 51

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
Slide 8 Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
• Handouts 8a–8d: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
Assign each of the teams handouts and topics
to complete. See learning activity variations for
ideas of how to divide different sized groups into
teams.
(Slide 2 of 5)
Slide 9 Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
• Handout 8a: Eggs-perience a Supervisor’s
Job: Management Functions
Tell everyone to turn to Handout 8a. Ask Team 1
to present its report on management functions
(10 minutes). Allow for 5 minutes of group
discussion after the presentation. Manage the
time for the teams.
(Slide 3 of 5)
Slide 10 Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
• Handout 8b: Eggs-perience a Supervisor’s
Job: Delegation
Ask everyone to turn to Handout 8b. Have Team
2 present its report on delegation (10 minutes).
Allow for 5 minutes of group discussion after the
presentation. Manage the time for the teams.
(Slide 4 of 5)
Slide 11 Learning Activity 6: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job
• Handouts 8c and 8d: Eggs-perience a
Supervisor’s Job: Decisions, Process
Improvement, and Managing Change
Wrap up the activity with Team 3’s report. Again,
allow 10 minutes for the report and 5 minutes
of group discussion. Take 10-15 minutes to
debrief the activity as a whole using the questions
included in the learning activity.
(Slide 5 of 5)

52 NEW SUPERVISOR training

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
10:05 a.m. Slide 12 BREAK
(15 min) During the break, take time to meet and greet
participants who may have arrived late to the
session.

10:20 a.m. Slide 13 Learning Activity 7: What’s Engagement Got to

(20 min) Do With It?
• Handout 9: What’s Engagement Got to Do With
It?
Use this slide and activity to introduce the topic
of engagement. Be sure that everyone leaves this
activity understanding the critically important
role they play as supervisors in engaging
employees and why engaged employees are
crucial to organizations’ success.
Follow the instructions in the learning activity.
(Slide 1 of 2)
Slide 14 Learning Activity 7: What’s Engagement Got to
Do With It?
• Handout 9: What’s Engagement Got to Do With
It?
Engagement starts with the organization but
depends heavily on supervisors, encompassing
everything they do. Lead a debrief of the activity
by encouraging participants to share their
insights and ideas on ways to influence key
engagement drivers.
(Slide 2 of 2)

Chapter 3: Half-Day New Supervisor Training Workshop 53

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
10:40 a.m. Slide 15 Learning Activity 4: Promote Communication
(15 min) • Handout 5: Promote Communication
The sole purpose of this activity is to point to the
vital need for new supervisors to communicate,
COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE with their
people!
Follow the instructions in the learning activity.
It is highly recommended that you do not
introduce this activity. Just pick up your phone
and start the conversation as described in the
activity instructions.
(Slide 1 of 2)
Slide 16 Learning Activity 4: Promote Communication
• Handout 5: Promote Communication
Wrap up the activity by sharing the Peter
Drucker quote and asking participants to
brainstorm what other communication skills are
critical for supervisors.
(Slide 2 of 2)

10:55 a.m. Slide 17 Learning Content/Lecture

(10 min) • Handout 16: Five-Step Employee
Performance Process
Use this handout to introduce the employee
performance cycle. There is more detail on this
page than most people will need, but first-time
supervisors may appreciate it. Emphasize that
the most important step in the process is that
supervisors provide continuous feedback to help
employees grow and learn.

54 NEW SUPERVISOR training

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
11:05 a.m. Slide 18 Learning Activity 11: Establish a Motivating
(10 min) Environment
• Handout 15: Establish a Motivating
Environment
Use this activity to give participants some time
to reflect. Be sure to keep participants quiet for
7 minutes so everyone has an opportunity to
think about motivation—or anything else for
that matter! Use the last 3 minutes to debrief the
activity as a group.
Follow the instructions in the learning activity.
11:15 a.m. Slide 19 Learning Content/Lecture
(5 min) • Handout 17: Goals, Roles, and Expectations
Introduce these next three slides and handouts as
excellent reference resources to support the five-
step employee performance process. Review each
handout briefly.

11:20 a.m. Slide 20 Learning Content/Lecture

(5 min) • Handout 18: Continuous Feedback
Handout 18 will help participants return to their
jobs with ideas they can implement immediately
to help their employees. Encourage them to
check in with their mentor or their manager for
further tips and ideas for providing feedback.

11:25 a.m. Slide 21 Learning Content/Lecture

(5 min) • Handout 19: Conduct Effective Performance
Reviews
This handout provides good information when
new supervisors conduct their first performance
review. They should make a point of knowing
where to find the content when the time comes.
Briefly review the handout with the participants
and encourage them to use it as a resource when
they are preparing to conduct performance
reviews.

Chapter 3: Half-Day New Supervisor Training Workshop 55

 TIMING SLIDES ACTIVITIES/NOTES/CONSIDERATIONS
11:30 a.m. Slide 22 Action Planning
(10 min) • Handout 28: Action Planning: My Next Steps
The participants don’t have time to create an
action plan during the workshop, but they can
identify what they will do to continue learning.
Who can they speak with? Do they have a
mentor? Who do they consider their coach and
how will that person help them? Walk them
through the handout and encourage them to
write down their intended actions.
11:40 a.m. Slide 23 Closing: What Do Great Supervisors Do Every
(20 min) Day?
• Handout 29: What Do Great Supervisors Do
Every Day?
End 12:00 p.m.
• Handout 30: Reading List (optional)
• Assessment 2: New Supervisor Training
Workshop Evaluation
Close the workshop on a positive note.
Distribute the handouts and evaluation form. As
participants are completing the evaluation, ask
them to think about what they will do every day
as great supervisors.
Gather everyone in a circle and go around asking
participants to each share one sentence about
what they will do to be effective supervisors. Give
everyone a high five and send them on their way
to be GREAT supervisors.
Be available to field questions about the
workshop topics. Share plans for follow-up
coaching if applicable (see Chapter 10 for ideas
to follow up the training with support and
activities).

What to Do Next
• Determine the schedule for training classes; reserve location and catering you may wish
to provide.
• Identify and invite participants.
• Inform participants about pre-work, such as Assessment 1: Essentials of Supervision, if
you will be using pre-work in the workshop.

56 NEW SUPERVISOR training

 • Review the workshop objectives, activities, and handouts to plan the content you will use.
• Prepare copies of the participant materials and any activity-related materials you may
need. Refer to Chapter 14 for information about how to access and use the supplemental
materials provided for this workshop.
• Gather tactile items, such as Koosh balls, crayons, magnets, Play-Doh, or others, you wish
to place on the tables for tactile learners. See Chapter 8 for other ideas to enhance the
learning environment of your workshop.
• Prepare yourself both emotionally and physically. Confirm that you have addressed
scheduling and personal concerns so that you can be fully present to facilitate the class.
• Get a good night’s sleep before you facilitate your workshop so that you have the energy
and focus to deliver an outstanding session for your participants.

Buy This Book

Chapter 3: Half-Day New Supervisor Training Workshop 57