Qualities and Skills of Effective Business Supervisors

Introduction

Effective business management is substantially dependent on the quality and effectiveness of supervisors. Supervisors are responsible for assessing the qualifications and professional competence of personnel, identifying the relative strengths and weaknesses of individual employees, ensuring that working groups function in a manner conducive to organizational success, and motivating personnel to achieve the highest performance level of which they are capable — both individually and in coordination and collaboration with others.

Personal and Psychological Attributes of Effective Supervisors

The specific attributes of good supervisors include psychological maturity and stability, high self-esteem, good interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to connect with and motivate others and earn their respect, and high levels of personal integrity.

Generally, people who are psychologically mature, emotionally stable, and who enjoy healthy self-esteem tend to attract and connect most easily with others who share those psychological traits (Maxwell, 2007; Robbins & Judge, 2009). Conversely, people who are psychologically immature, emotionally unstable, and who suffer from low self-esteem tend to be uncomfortable around — and even threatened by — those who are much healthier psychologically. As a result, over time, working groups led by psychologically healthy supervisors tend to reflect similar characteristics, as do those led by comparatively unhealthy or psychologically weak supervisors (Maxwell, 2007; Robbins & Judge, 2009).

Whereas supervisors who operate at a high level of psychological maturity and stability are eager to share the rewards of good performance on the part of their subordinates, those who operate at a lower level of psychological maturity and stability only reward performance to a point, and are often threatened by signs of very high performance among their subordinates (Maxwell, 2007). Instead of sharing credit with their teams — and blame, when warranted — ineffective supervisors tend to usurp the credit associated with the successes of their subordinates and allocate blame "downhill" regardless of whether it is deserved. As a result, good supervisors typically earn the trust and genuine respect of their subordinates; meanwhile, poor supervisors may inspire fear, but they are rarely trusted or respected (Harari, 2002; Maxwell, 2007).

In many respects, the elements of good leadership in the supervisory capacity are merely manifestations of personal and psychological integrity (Harari, 2002; Maxwell, 2007). Good supervisors reward competence rather than flattery, and they are genuinely interested in helping their subordinates achieve professional success. Conversely, poor leaders reward personal deference over competence and help others succeed only to the extent it furthers their own interests. They are more likely to undermine rather than support the professional development of subordinates who may demonstrate that they deserve advancement to leadership roles (Maxwell, 2007).

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

According to organizational management expert John Maxwell (2007), another crucial attribute of effective supervisors and leaders is the ability to connect with others. Maxwell suggests that if leadership and supervisory effectiveness could be distilled to a single characteristic, it would be that good leaders are those individuals to whom others are naturally inclined to pay attention and whom they willingly follow, by virtue of those leaders' ability to connect with others and achieve genuine "buy-in" among their associates.

Good supervisors have the ability to communicate their wishes, their vocational values, and their expectations clearly. They also give and receive criticism fairly and in a manner that does not demean, embarrass, or undermine their associates (Harari, 2002; Maxwell, 2007). They are good listeners, irrespective of relative position or authority. Poor supervisors, by contrast, tend to be ineffective communicators who listen poorly — or not at all, particularly to subordinates. Whereas good supervisors are usually open to bottom-up communication when criticism is justified, poor supervisors characteristically create a climate that is unreceptive or even hostile to any criticism, especially from below (Harari, 2002; Maxwell, 2007).

Conclusion

Many times, the strength of businesses and other types of organizations is a direct function of the effectiveness of their leaders and supervisors. In many respects, leadership ability is an essential characteristic of effective supervisors. Psychological stability, high self-esteem, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to establish genuine connections with others are also important characteristics of successful supervisors. At a fundamental level, good supervisors exhibit and reward personal and professional integrity, and they are capable of earning the trust and loyalty of their subordinates.