Welcome to Can’t Stop Leading
As a graduate student I very much appreciated the learning opportunities afforded me from internships and practicums. I equally appreciated the time and counsel of my field supervisors, the social workers, and case managers who shared their time, talent and experience with me putting me on the path to a career in management. Those experiences impressed upon me the value of internships and practicums and an obligation to pay it forward.
Beginning with my first management position in 1972 working in social services administration followed by 21 years in health care and hospital administration and ending with 19 years back in social service administration, I welcomed student interns. I very much enjoyed working with them and supervising them, helping shape their careers. Equally enjoyable and rewarding, was working with new, aspiring, and experienced supervisors.
Throughout my management career on many occasions I lamented the scarcity of resources for new and less experienced supervisors. I wanted to have that one book that I could give to these supervisors that would have all they would need to know to get them started, a cookbook for supervision. Instead I would refer them to chapters from multiple books (expensive) supplemented and complimented with journal articles, and my own experience. As the years passed and I still had not found that “one book”, I occasionally would say “I should write it”. The last time I voiced that idea was in my final supervision meeting with my HR Director prior to retiring. As we ended that meeting, she turned the tables on me, saying “you should write that book, you have so much to share” and she challenged me to do it.
I accepted the challenge. I drew upon the learning and experiences of my career, the hard copy and online resources I saved throughout, the wisdom and counsel of dozens of direct reports and peers with whom I worked, and wrote Being a Supervisor 1.0: a Handbook for the New, Aspiring, and Experienced Supervisor.
I believe my book is a further expression of my need to “pay it forward”. I sincerely believe it will be a useful tool in developing and refining supervisory skills. But to be helpful, it has to get in the hands of those who might benefit. And so I have developed my website as a way, along with other social media resources, to increase awareness of my book, and more broadly, information and resources on supervision, management and leadership.
I hope you enjoy the site and the book and welcome any feedback.
Beginning with my first management position in 1972 working in social services administration followed by 21 years in health care and hospital administration and ending with 19 years back in social service administration, I welcomed student interns. I very much enjoyed working with them and supervising them, helping shape their careers. Equally enjoyable and rewarding, was working with new, aspiring, and experienced supervisors.
Throughout my management career on many occasions I lamented the scarcity of resources for new and less experienced supervisors. I wanted to have that one book that I could give to these supervisors that would have all they would need to know to get them started, a cookbook for supervision. Instead I would refer them to chapters from multiple books (expensive) supplemented and complimented with journal articles, and my own experience. As the years passed and I still had not found that “one book”, I occasionally would say “I should write it”. The last time I voiced that idea was in my final supervision meeting with my HR Director prior to retiring. As we ended that meeting, she turned the tables on me, saying “you should write that book, you have so much to share” and she challenged me to do it.
I accepted the challenge. I drew upon the learning and experiences of my career, the hard copy and online resources I saved throughout, the wisdom and counsel of dozens of direct reports and peers with whom I worked, and wrote Being a Supervisor 1.0: a Handbook for the New, Aspiring, and Experienced Supervisor.
I believe my book is a further expression of my need to “pay it forward”. I sincerely believe it will be a useful tool in developing and refining supervisory skills. But to be helpful, it has to get in the hands of those who might benefit. And so I have developed my website as a way, along with other social media resources, to increase awareness of my book, and more broadly, information and resources on supervision, management and leadership.
I hope you enjoy the site and the book and welcome any feedback.
Joseph F. Duffy
Award winning author of Being a Supervisor 1.0: A Handbook for the New, Aspiring, and Experienced Supervisor
Book available online at
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Reviews
What Readers Are Saying?
I had the opportunity to read Duffy's "Being A Supervisor 1.0" and was struck by how well organized and thought out his approach to managing people is. He also does a great job of detailing the many different roles of a supervisor and gives helpful tips and examples of how to set yourself up for success. This is a great read for any new manager or any young business student who plans to manage and lead people. I immediately added this text to my college curriculum, as it is a clear and concise road map to help any manager have success and positively impact people.
David D Nix
This is clearly the work of someone who has been there. But more than that, these are the kind of insights from someone who shows you not just what to do, but how to do it. You can see in the way that the words of wisdom, the jokes and the stories are shared, that Mr. Duffy put his priority on how he treated his people and how important it was to advance the mission. Read this if that is the kind of leader that you want to be.
Rachel Lustig
Strong organizations all have one thing in common: skilled, effective supervisors, passionate about mission. Joe Duffy has delivered a terrific toolbox for new or aspiring supervisors, as well as more seasoned leaders keen to learn from another’s experience. Joe's half a century of education and experience percolate throughout this excellent and informative handbook.
Kevin Ryan
President, Covenant House, and former Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Children and Families
I found it exciting to see in a readable, usable form what I have found to work in my 30 plus years of supervision. “Being a Supervisor 1.0” by Joseph F. Duffy crafts a clear, practical, comprehensive approach to effective supervision. This book is unique in the description of insightful, tried and true best practices and examples of their implementation. This book is an essential reference for the preparation, growth and development of supervisory staff and the deepening of their skills. Both new supervisors and seasoned staff will benefits from its use.
Rosemary Moynihan SC, PhD
Congregational Leader, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, New Jersey Former Director of Community Mental Health
Supervision is both an art and a science. It can be learned but must be practiced to be fully mastered. Good supervision skills are especially important for the civil society/nonprofit sector which relies greatly on influence and collaboration. They are essential too for the government and business sectors. In “Being a Supervisor 1.0” Joe Duffy sets out easy to understand foundational management knowledge that every supervisor needs. These practical lessons, learned from a long career and leadership, are timely for the 21st century manager in any and all sectors.
M.D. Kinoti, PhD
Associate Professor of Nonprofit Management, Regis University, Colorado, International NGO Consultant
Joe Duffy’s years of leadership experience has allowed him to address many essential topics and introduce new supervisors to the fundamentals. The book demonstrates intelligent and rational management decisions. Knowing what to expect and normalizing predicable experiences helps new managers navigate what can be at times an overwhelming environment. “Being a Supervisor 1.0” offers new managers as well as seasoned leaders a framework in which quality services and cooperation are likely to result. I highly recommend, “Being a Supervisor 1.0” and its use as part of the mentoring process.
Sam Pirozzi, PhD
