NCJ Number
177327
Date Published
1998
Length
72 pages
Annotation
This project developed and evaluated a Task Clarification Workshop designed to teach supervisory skills to police managers.
Abstract
Recent studies have found that there are three well-defined tactics that supervisors can use to maximize the performance of their staff (Brewer, Wilson, and Beck, 1994; Komaki, 1986). These are guidance (ensure that staff knows what is expected of them); monitoring (ensure timely and relevant feedback about performance); and feedback (ensure that staff are praised when they do a good job and are corrected when their performance could be improved). The workshop focused on these three effective supervisory tactics and their components, including demonstrations of how these tactics could be used to improve subordinates' performance. The workshop included lectures, audiovisual presentations, and discussions. The evaluation of the workshop included a baseline stage, in which participants' supervisory techniques were observed prior to workshop participation. In the post-workshop stage, a further series of observations was made to determine whether the frequency of specific supervisory behaviors changed as a result of the workshop. In the feedback stage, supervisors were given feedback about the frequency with which they used each tactic. A series of observations was conducted to determine whether the frequencies of each tactic changed as a result of this feedback. Study results suggest that the workshop did produce some changes in the use of the supervisory behaviors by the supervisors. The extent of the changes, as well as the specific behaviors that changed, differed among the supervisors. Overall, the findings show that the workshop would be a useful component of comprehensive training packages designed to address the critical issue of effective supervision at all levels in police organizations. 5 tables, 3 figures, 35 references, and appended patrol officer survey and trainer's guide