5 Things I wish I knew as a New Nominated Supervisor

When I became a Nominated Supervisor, I was 21 years old. I'd been in the early childhood sector for three years. I was simultaneously excited about the opportunity to "make my mark", and terrified about what was to come. I ended up holding that role for seven years - a role that changed my life in all the best ways, and challenged me in all of the trickiest ones. 

Over twenty years later, I have now been a Nominated Supervisor several more times, and have the good fortune of working with Nominated Supervisors throughout Australia. In that time, I've given a lot of thought to what I wished that I knew when I first started out. 

So... here it is.  

5 Things I wish I knew as a New Nominated Supervisor

1.You can't do everything yourself. Okay, to be fair I am still trying to learn this lesson (Tash is often reminding me that we have an amazing, capable team that I can delegate to and know that the work will get done.) I am getting better, but when I was a new Nominated Supervisor, I found this incredibly challenging. I felt like everything was my responsibility and so only I could do it. I felt like everything had to be perfect, and done "my way" (yes, this may also be my choleric personality type!) Eventually I learned though, that other people in my service had strengths and skills and that when I leaned into those, it was a better outcome for the service.

2. It's okay to take time off. I have too many examples of being at work when I probably shouldn't have been, when I was a Nominated Supervisor. There was the time I left the service, had two wisdom teeth removed, drove back to the service before almost passing out. I still needed to be convinced by Tash to go home. Soldiering on, not taking annual leave, non using sick leave - there's no medal for that. There's no parade, there's no extra benefit. In fact, all you get is burnout and a strong feeling of resentment for your job.

3. You won't know everything. Yes, as a perfectionist, know-it-all, this is hard for me to admit, but it was true then and it is still true now. I learn new things about our sector, about children and their play, and about leadership each and every day. Sometimes, when I was a new Nominated Supervisor, I would try and fudge my way through things - you know, the old "fake it til you make it". It never went particularly well. Now I know that it is better to admit that you don't have the answer, or to ask questions, or to defer to someone else, or to consult a policy, regulatory authority or piece of research or documentation. Just because you are leading the service, doesn't mean you need to be some sort of all knowing Yoda. 

4.You set the standard. As a leader, your attitude, your work ethic, your communication, your expectations all set the standard. This doesn't mean perfection though. I used to think I had to be the perfect, shiny role model - always having it all together. Until it all became too much and someone would find me crying at my desk. Yes, we are a role model, we do set a tone for the service and while we want to aim for that to be a positive thing, allowing your team to see you as human can be game changing. 

5. Spending time in the room isn't optional. I was considered a "non-teaching" director, as many are in early education and care services now. However, I still typically had time in each of the rooms supporting with lunch breaks and programming cover as needed. Sometimes though, when I wasn't needed or when the administrative load was overwhelming, a week or two could go by without me spending more than a few passing minutes in the rooms. This was never a good thing. Being in the room allowed me to role model quality practice, allowed me to see the strengths of my team, allowed me to share in the joy of magic moments, allowed me to see the planning cycle at work, allowed me to see where our educators needed support. Yes, it can be hard to justify an hour in the toddler room when you have five policies to review and a bunch of regulatory changes to read, but it's important to make the time. Not only is it a valuable window into your service operations, it is good for your soul - it refuels you in a way you can't beat. 

There's no denying that being a Nominated Supervisor of an education and care service is a tough gig - it certainly isn't for the faint of heart, and it doesn't exactly come with a manual. That's why we've launched our Nominated Supervisors Membership. It's the perfect place to learn, grow and connect. And it's not just for new Nominated Supervisors - this is a place for everyone. Foundation memberships are open now and we'd love you to join us there. Find out more about the membership HERE