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Lesson 3.5 of 10Module progress: 7 of 14

Supervisor Foundations · Lesson 3.5

ASK BEFORE ASSUMING

A supervisor may observe a problem without knowing the reason.

Before concluding:

“He did not care.”

“She ignored me.”

“They were lazy.”

“They were dishonest.”

ask what happened.

This does not mean accepting every explanation automatically.

It means gathering enough information before judging.

Poor

“You deliberately ignored the customer.”

Better

“I noticed the customer waited several minutes without assistance. Tell me what was happening.”

The employee may say:

  • they did not see the customer
  • another employee said they were handling it
  • they were dealing with an urgent problem
  • they misunderstood responsibility
  • they deliberately ignored the customer

Those possibilities require different responses.

WORKPLACE EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1

An employee does not complete a task.

BETTER RESPONSE

The supervisor learns that necessary system access had never been granted.

EXAMPLE 2

A cashier leaves the till unexpectedly.

BETTER RESPONSE

Before accusing the employee of abandoning the post, the supervisor discovers they were responding to an urgent safety issue nearby.

EXAMPLE 3

A school employee fails to return a parent’s call.

BETTER RESPONSE

The supervisor learns the phone number provided was incorrect.

EXAMPLE 4

A staff member repeatedly fails to follow a clearly explained procedure despite having the tools, training and opportunity.

BETTER RESPONSE

After checking the facts, accountability may still be necessary.

Remember

Ask first.

Then evaluate.

An explanation is information—not automatically an excuse.

Workplace action

Before using the phrase: “They did it because…” ask yourself: Do I actually know why?

Quick Check

An employee fails to complete an assignment. What should the supervisor usually do before deciding the reason?