The Most Important Supervisory Skills
As an established manager or new manager, what skills, qualities and competencies do you believe are the most important to supervising others?
Being a good listener and valuing others opinion's is effective for creating your team's cohesiveness but it also creates that greater internal motivating factor on an individual level.
Setting direction, motivating and inspiring a team.
to me some of the most important skills are to get to know your crew. find a way to relate to everyone on your team, but treat everyone the same. Be consistent, a great listener, and follow through on your work, words, and goals.
Walking side by side with an employee by leading by example is an important supervisory skill that each leader to possess. Managing others is much easier than leading others. As a leader, we must show our staff that we are committed to their success but not afraid to hold them accountable and expecting their very best every day. Recognize and praise the god behavior, but also address behavior that must be corrected.
As I read some of the other comments I noticed common denominators from all who replied. Respect, being one along with open- door policy, non-judgemental, to encourage and praise (students/ employee) for a job well done.And to continue to encourage them in every way. To step out side their confort zone. All the are qualities make a good manager, as well as setting boundries in a way that is not offensive to anyone. As I read all the comments it is a validation that I am doing what alot of us do and that is a good feeling! So kudo's to all!!
One of the most important supervisory skills to have is an understanding of the job/tasks of your staff. Unfortunately you cannot successfully lead without this. Also supervisors need to stay positive; it is difficult to motivate others when the leader is disgruntled or unmotivated themselves.
I agree with both of you! Establishing trust is essential while still being able to set boundaries. It is important to be mindful of where each member of the team is and meet them there.
I believe THE most important skill is to be a good listener. This skill is often overlooked in management. A good listener is able to listen to a person's thoughts or feelings without judgement. A good listener is able to resist the urge to "fix" or "one-up" the person speaking. Ultimately, every person wants to be heard. Often there is no real solution. Creating a space where employees can vent or hash out ideas is advantageous for all involved.
I feel that one needs to be willing to step up to the plate and make changes when needed. In an ever changing world you have to be willing to make changes that are for the better of the company. Also don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't know the answer ask someone who might, or who might be able to help you brainstorm or research the answer.
Carlos,
excellent point! Never get so involved in theory or numbers that you forget the people.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Don't forget something very important talking about leader skills: Common sense, always you have to handle your team based in the common sense
Managers, established or new need to posses a series of skills, that include, but are not limited to leadership, communication, goal-oriented, problem-solver, among others. With regard to qualities, I can mention empathetic, motivational, good listener, inspirational, role-model, etc. Also, competent, intelligent, well-rounded, exhibits professionalism, and able to lead effectively even in difficult and challenging situations. All of these can be acquired throughout the years of management and leadership roles. In supervising others, the manager that is able to exhibit all of these skills, qualities, and competencies, in my opinion, will have great possibilities of having employees admire him/her, respect him/her, and serve as a role-model for future managers as well.
Keeping a positive attitude is very important. Also, making sure you are fair and really listen to your employees will help them to trust in you as their manager. Appreciate the efforts of your team members and acknowledge their successes every chance you get. This will create a feeling of accomplishment in your successful employees and will help to motivate others to work harder to achieve success as well.
CARIDAD ,
I think a key thought here is the understanding of what people are saying. This is key for a supervisor.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The most important supervisory skills include to speak and write persuasively, to listen and hear what people are saying and to react in constructive ways, handle friction and inevitable tensions, align people and bring different groups together
Jason,
this is very true & I would add smart delegation to the list of important skills for new supervisors.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As either an established manager or a new one I feel it is very important for you to have some basic skills when supervising others. The Manager should at a minimum have great communication, interpersonal, and motivational skills. Another key aspect is to be able to deal with conflict both functional and dysfunctional.
I believe that leading by example is one of the best qualities a manager can have. You have to show your team that you are not above what they do. You also have to make sure your team can come talk to you. If you are not approachable, then you will not have the quality working relationships needed to succeed as a leader.
Lise,
this is an excellent point & comment. The positive tone mixed with the confidence of the leader is essential.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
