Bob Milligan: Effectively transitioning into a supervisor role

Progressive Dairy Podcast

In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, learn how to set your star employees up for success as they transition into a supervisor role. Dr. Bob Milligan joins host Kimmi Devaney to chat about easing stress during this leadership transition, getting buy-in from other employees as their peer becomes their supervisor, skills that are essential to work on before transitioning into a leadership role and much more. This episode can also help those employees hoping to move up into a supervisor role in the future better prepare themselves for this transition.

Here's a breakdown of the episode:

• [~1:30] About Milligan and his background with leadership
• [~3:00] As a leader, what are some indications that someone is ready to transition into a supervisor role?
• [~4:00] How to recognize if you are ready to transition into a supervisor role yourself
• [~4:50] Skills that are important to develop before becoming a supervisor
• [~6:15] Tips to communicate clear expectations
• [~7:20] Tips to provide effective feedback
• [~11:15] How the job changes when transitioning into a supervisor role and why it should it be reflected in the job description
• [~13:15] How and why it is important for farms to create job descriptions for employees
• [~14:55] Making the leadership transition more seamless and less stressful
• [~18:00] The types of training that are most helpful in preparing new supervisors
• [~19:00] Ways new supervisors can be proactive in their new role
• [~20:45] Gaining buy-in/support from other employees as their former peer now becomes their supervisor
• [~22:40] What to do when you are now supervising someone that you became friends with previously
• [~26:30] Utilizing annual reviews to continuously gauge employee interest in future leadership roles
• [~29:05] How to hire career employees who move up into leadership roles over time
• [~31:40] Tips to improve confidence as a new leader
• [~22:45] Leadership pitfalls and how to avoid them
• [~37:10] Tips for younger supervisors now supervising people old enough to be their parents
• [~41:10] Rapid-fire questions