Qualities of a good supervisor

Supervisors are often stereotyped according to the culture of the company they are in. It seems that many of them have a bad reputation in their respective offices, simply for doing what they are actually expected to do—to supervise, which entails seeking out what and who needs to improve, change or be removed.

Well-trained supervisors know how to handle employees well while being charismatic at the same time. They don’t feel the need to bully people because they know they can hit the right spot by employing the right words and techniques. Here are some common traits that effective supervisors share:

They can properly identify a problem. Some problems may not be directly attributed to employee performance. Supervisors should not simply reprimand their employees for decreased production while not knowing that the office equipment is already defective. A good supervisor must first know the real cause of the problem to avoid making rash decisions and reprimanding the wrong person.

They know how to effectively give an instruction. Giving instructions is actually a challenging task, mostly because the employees might not understand exactly what you, as a supervisor, want. Learn how to give instructions effectively by asking them to repeat what they have understood from your instructions, or by actually showing them what to do.

They can lead by example. Any effective leader, and not just supervisors for that matter, should know how to lead his subordinates by being a good role model. After all, you cannot supervise your employees in their task if you yourself do not even know how to create the output you want submitted.

They are creative. Supervising is beyond giving commands and shooting criticism. It entails being able to guide your subordinates with your own unique style of supervision. Some employees might need a constant pat on the back to improve their performance; some might need constant feedback, while some might want a little guidance before they can start working on their projects.

They are fair. A supervisor must be fair in treating his subordinates. If employee A receives this much workload and criticism per week, so must employee B; otherwise, the employee receiving more workload and unbelievable criticism may think that you favor the other employee who seems to get paid to slack off.

They know how to motivate their subordinates. A supervisor must know how to boost his employees’ self-esteem. Know that each employee contributes to the continuing success of the company, so offer a “congratulations”, a “thank you”, a “good job”, or anything to show that you recognize their effort.

To know more about this topic, BusinessCoach, Inc., a leading business seminar provider, conducts an excellent seminar entitled “Basic Supervisory Skills Training.” Contact (02) 727- 5628/ (02) 727-8860, (0915) 205-0133 or visit www.businesscoachphil.com for details.

Click here to view details of the seminar: Basic Supervisory Skills Training »

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, June 29, 2014. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.