Supervisors: How to Be More Approachable for Your Team

Supervisors don’t always realize how intimidating they look to their team. Even if you see yourself as open and collaborative, your employees may hesitate to share concerns, ideas, or feedback. Why? Because the role itself carries power, and power creates distance. The good news: supervisors can actively close that gap. Here’s how.

Acknowledge the Power Gap

You may not feel like the “scary boss,” but your team sees you through the lens of authority. Your decisions affect their workload, career trajectory, and job security. By acknowledging this gap—rather than pretending it doesn’t exist—you can take intentional steps to balance it. Invite conversation, ask for input, and make it clear that speaking up will not come with hidden consequences.

Communicate Clearly and Often

Employees feel more comfortable when expectations are clear. Vagueness breeds anxiety and makes you seem distant. Instead, communicate goals, timelines, and priorities consistently. Just as important—be transparent about your own workload. A simple “I’m stretched thin this week, but I want to hear from you” shows both honesty and accessibility.

Make Time Without Over-Meeting

Employees interpret your busyness as a wall. You can counter this by being intentional with time. Replace long, repetitive check-ins with shorter, focused touchpoints. Encourage written updates or shared dashboards to reduce unnecessary meetings. When you do meet, give employees your full attention—phone down, email closed. Being present communicates respect and approachability.

Practice Micro-Interactions

Approachability isn’t built only in big meetings; it grows in the hallway, on Slack, or during casual moments. A quick “How’s your week going?” or an acknowledgment of someone’s contribution shows that you see them as people first, employees second. These micro-interactions make larger conversations less intimidating.

Encourage Problem-Solving Together

Employees avoid supervisors when they fear bringing problems will make them look weak. Flip the narrative: make it safe to share challenges. When someone presents an issue, respond with curiosity, not judgment:

• “What options have you considered?”

• “Let’s figure out a solution together.”
  This shows you’re a partner in problem-solving, not just a critic.

Guard Against Toxic Patterns

Supervisors sometimes slip—intentionally or not—into damaging behaviors like gaslighting, dismissiveness, or deflecting responsibility. These patterns destroy trust and make you truly unapproachable. Instead:

• Own your mistakes openly.

• Support your team publicly and give credit generously.

• Provide constructive feedback privately, framed around growth, not blame.

If you find yourself feeling defensive or disconnected, pause and reset. Acknowledging mistakes and correcting course models accountability and earns respect.

Empower by Taking Things Off Their Plate

Approachability doesn’t mean being available for every small request. It also means empowering employees to work independently. Look for ways to delegate meaningfully, reduce unnecessary bottlenecks, and trust your team with decision-making. When employees know you respect their autonomy, they’re more likely to come to you for the right things—not everything.

Build a Culture of Safety

Finally, approachability is not just about you—it’s about the culture you foster. Encourage open feedback loops, celebrate diverse perspectives, and protect employees from retaliation when they speak up. Psychological safety is the cornerstone of approachability. When employees know they can be candid without fear, they stop seeing you as a barrier and start seeing you as an ally.

✅ Takeaway: Approachability is a skill. By acknowledging the power gap, communicating clearly, practicing small moments of connection, and avoiding toxic patterns, supervisors can transform their relationships with employees. The result is a workplace where people feel safe to share ideas, raise concerns, and grow—without the fear of knocking on the boss’s door.