From Partner to Supervisor: Leading the People You Used to Work Beside

Antonio M. Scott | Lieutenant | PN-1 Nutrition Coach | PN-1 SSR Coach | ACE GFI

When I was promoted to sergeant, I started out in patrol mentoring younger officers. Then I moved back to special investigations. That meant supervising people I had worked next to for the past two years. Some of them were the ones who taught me what I knew about the work.

That is a strange spot to be in. Yesterday you were asking them for advice. Today you sign their evaluations.

It happened to me again as a lieutenant. Three or four years earlier, during my two-week sergeant ride-along, a sergeant taught me the job. Today I supervise him.

If you just got promoted over your former partners, here is what worked for me.

Keep it professional from day one

I kept my relationships professional. I had always had good relationships with the people I worked with, so that part was not hard. But the line between friend and supervisor has to be clear, for their sake and yours. You can still be friendly. You just can't run your unit like you are still one of the crew.

Respect is earned before the promotion

I believe I earned respect in that unit by being a good detective alongside them. They had seen my work. They knew I carried my share.

The other half was how I walked in. I did not come in overbearing, and I did not go around enforcing my authority. People already know you are the boss. Reminding them every day only tells them you are unsure of it.

Some self-reflection helped. I thought about where I was before and where I was now, and what that change actually asked of me.

Mutual respect works both ways

With the sergeant who trained me, it comes down to mutual respect. I appreciate what he did for me, and I give him respect and dignity. In return, he respects me as his boss. Neither of us has to pretend the history did not happen.

If someone taught you, say so. Acknowledging it costs you nothing, and it does not weaken your position.

Your first 30 days: watch

This is my main advice for new supervisors. In your first 30 days, watch.

A lot of new supervisors come in making sweeping changes and trying to do everything they said they would do. Slow down. Pay attention to the system and look for the gaps.

You may think you already know the gaps from your past experience in the unit or from what you have heard. Being in the seat is different. You see things from there that you could not see before.

Sitting back quietly does two things:

• It gives your people room. They keep the sense of authority to make their own decisions, or to bring decisions to you.
• It gives you time to adjust. You get to settle into the new environment and the new role before you start moving pieces.

Watching and observing has always led me to success. Learn about the people first. Then make changes if they are needed.

Sometimes 30 days is not enough

In my current role as admin lieutenant, I waited longer. I did not make any big overarching statements until about six months in. Leading more than 200 people and working with outside agencies and community stakeholders has many more moving parts than running a squad.

Bigger role, longer watch.

Trust the system you inherited

The system was usually in place long before you got there. Trust it. Make minor adjustments and corrections as you go. When a major overhaul is truly needed, you will have the information to make the right call.

A simple plan for your first month

1. Keep the relationship professional from the first day.
2. Don't announce your authority. Let your past work and your conduct speak.
3. Thank the people who taught you, and treat them with dignity.
4. For 30 days, watch more than you change. Write down the gaps you see.
5. Let your people keep making decisions and bringing them to you.
6. Fix small things as you go. Save major changes until you have the information to back them.
7. If your role is bigger, give yourself a longer watch period.

For more on stepping back as a leader, read The Best Leaders Don't Solve Every Problem. For balancing what you have seen with what the data shows, see Anecdotal vs. Analytical Decision-Making.

Next step: A new role adds weight you carry home. Join the free Optimum Valor email list to get the End-of-Shift Recovery Checklist.