The Transition from Engineer to Supervisor

In a rapidly expanding engineering organization the need for first-line supervision is as critical, if not more so, as for working engineers. For the development of a stable organization, this supervision must come from the ranks of the engineering force. The training of an engineer for supervision must, of necessity, be on-the-job training. This is usually a long and sometimes delicate process. The problems that arise fall into two main categories. The first category involves the specific techniques of administration- preparation of budgets, merit-increase policy, service reviews, and general organization. The second category involves the specific techiques of project control-determination of engineering schedules, coordination of the activities of a group of engineers, and the problem of communications between groups. The new supervisor must not only be educated in these areas, but he must also be helped in making the transition to supervision. Problems arise in maintaining an effective working relationship with people who may now be working for him rather than with him. The new supervisor also has a personal problem of reorienting himself, of seeing the company organization in a different light. The intent of this paper is to discuss these problems and the methods used to guide engineers through this transition period in a rapidly expanding engineering department of RCA.