Supervisory Skills

Learning Objectives

At the end of this the participants will be able to:

▪ Identify the basic skills of the supervisor.
▪ Define the supervisor's roles and their related
competencies for optimal performance
▪ Apply effective management techniques to increase the
productivity of the team
▪ Apply supervisory skills with others.
▪ Learn the principles of key management processes.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?
 Connection

Connection #6: Stand and share with your group what you
want to learn today and what you already know about the topic.
1. Meaning and scope of
supervision
 1.1 introduction

▪ The business world is constantly change. It is the

efficiency of the supervision system and supervisory
skills that regulate productive activities in the constantly
changning business world through the coordinated use
of material and human resources.
▪ 1.1.1 Definition: as the function of getting things
done through people and directing the efforts of
individuals as well as groups towards the achievement
of a common objective
▪ 1.1.2 Meaning : Supervision deals with the
achievement of specific objectives
 1.2 Scope of a supervisor

❑ Activities of a business organization can be divided into the following

categories:
▪ echnical: Production, manufacturing and adopting.
▪ Commercial: Buying and selling, marketing.
▪ Financial: Searching for optimum use of capital.
▪ Security: Protection of property and people.
▪ Accounting: Stock taking, Balance Sheets, Costs and Statistics.
▪ Managerial: Includes supervisory skills for planning, organizing,
coordinating and controlling.
• A supervisor acts as a ‘direct link’ between the workforce and the
management
• Assists management in: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing,
Coordinating/Controlling, Reporting and Budgeting.
 1.3 Who is a supervisor?

❑ A supervisor is a first-level manager who:

▪ Accomplishes work with and through subordinates;
and
▪ Directs the work activities of people who themselves
are individual performers.
❑ Organizations cannot be run properly without
competent first-level managers.
❑ Supervisors are the key to success in any
organization.
 1.4 Different supervisory skills

❑ Some supervisors prepare a budget, contribute to long-range

planning and solve technical problems, others spend almost all the
workday checking to see that others are working properly
❑ 1.4.1 Managing resources
o People
o Time
o Space
o Finance
o Equipment
o Information
o Activities
 Connection

Connection #10: Stand and share with your group one

interesting fact your learned from the section that you have just
completed .
2. Supervisory Functions
Supervisor skills- 5 Core Skills to Be a
Good Supervisor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3WURcW5plg
 2.1 Planning
❑ Planning helps in deciding the course of action to be followed for
achieving various organizational objectives
❑ 2.1.1 Establishing priorities
❑ A supervisor and his team need to prioritize the actions needed
❑ 2.1.2 Approach to planning
A systematic step-by-step approach reduces the likelihood of the plan
being unrealistic or unachievable
Micro plan – break down each action into various steps.
Examine each step and make decision
Usie the information found
Check validity
 Review
 2.2 Organizing (1)

❑ The function of organizing is to arrange, guide,

coordinate, direct and control the activities of the
organization.
❑ Organizing:
▪ Promotes collaboration and negotiation among individuals and
groups;
▪ Improves effectiveness and efficiency of communication;
▪ Creates clear-cut lines of authority and responsibility; and
▪ Improves activating and controlling functions of supervisor.
 2.2 Organizing (2)
2.2.1 Process of organization
❑ The process of organization involves the following steps:
▪ To identify the work to be performed;
▪ To classify or group the task;
▪ To assign these groups of activities or work to individuals;
▪ To organize training;
▪ To delegate authority and fix responsibility;
▪ To coordinate these authority-responsibility relationships of various activities
2.2.2 Division of labor
Division of labor is essential to maximize the output of workers and machines.
• Advantages of division of labor, in general, outweigh the disadvantages. They are:
• Improved efficiency;
• Contribution to mass production techniques;
• Higher levels of industrial and service output.
 2.3 Coordinating
❑ Coordinating involves ensuring that all efforts move smoothly in
the same direction, that is, towards the common objectives.
❑ A supervisor must coordinate the work of his subordinates in his
section so that different people might be performing different
tasks.
❑ 2.3.1 Organizing workgroups
▪ Definition: A workgroup may be defined as “two or more
independent individuals who interact with and influence one
another in order to accomplish a common purpose.”
▪ Types
▪ Formal or “official”
▪ Informal
▪ Importance
 2.4 Directing

❑ Directing is concerned with carrying out the desired

plans.
❑ Direction is called management in action
❑ Directing is influencing others to achieve organizational
objectives
❑ Supervisors are engaged in directing when they
motivate, counsel or discipline subordinates.
 2.5 Motivating

❑ The managerial function of motivation is concerned

with the human resource of an organization.
❑ However, research in human behaviour has suggested
that people are motivated by a number of different
needs, at work and in their personal life. For example:
▪ Financial reasons
▪ Job satisfaction
▪ Type of jobs or work itself
❑ A supervisor has to ensure that his/her team works
willingly. For this it is necessary to recognize what the
correct motivation for each member is.
 2.6 Controlling (1)

❑ Controlling is the managerial function of ensuring that

performance conforms to plans
❑ 2.6.1 Elements of control
The process of control involves the following elements:
▪ Planning:
▪ Establishing standards
▪ Monitoring performance
▪ Comparing performance against standards
▪ Taking corrective action
 2.6 Controlling (2)

❑ 2.6.2 Quality standards

Standards used could be of the following types:
▪ Ideal standards
▪ Attainable
❑ 2.6.3 Types of control
▪ Preliminary control
▪ Concurrent control
▪ Feedback control
 Pair Share

Pair Share #1: Turn to your neighbor on your right —and tell him
the most important fact you just learned in the last ten minutes.
 3. Supervisory
Responsibilities
Responsibilities of a Manager
& Supervisor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctfYQD2BiqI
 3.1 To higher management

❑ The expectations management

has of the supervisor in turn
become the functions to be
performed by the supervisor.
❑ In order to meet the
expectations of higher
management, the supervisor
must interact with other
groups. Each role demand is
usually met by coordination
with somebody else.
 3.2 To employees

▪ Establish a warm and trusting ▪ Discuss contemplated changes

work climate within the before they take place.
section/department. ▪ Help in orientation of new
▪ Be fair in relationships with employees
employees. ▪ Coordinate and schedule work
▪ When employee problems in ways that minimize peaks
occur, handle them promptly. and valleys in the workload
▪ Provide all employees with a
▪ Support employees when they
clear explanation of all matters
are being treated arbitrarily
related to their jobs
from above.
▪ Train staff in job-related skills.
▪ Counsel with employees when
legitimate needs for
counseling exist.
3.3 Responsibilities to co-workers
(other supervisors)
❑ Coordinate whatever workflow or paperwork that needs to
be exchanged among supervisors.
❑ Communicate with other sections/departments about mutual
needs and problems. If you as a supervisor notice a morale
problem in your section/department, it could be worth
checking to see if other sections/departments are
experiencing a similar problem. It could be an organization
wide concern.
❑ Coordinate policy interpretations with other departments to
ensure consistency and uniformity.
 Pair Share

Pair Share #11: Turn to your neighbor on your right —and ask
him/her what is the most important fact they have just learned in
the last ten minutes.
4 Managerial attributes
and skills
 4.1 Managerial attributes

4.1.1 Basic knowledge 4.1.3 Personal qualities

and information ▪ Emotional balance
▪ Command of basic facts
▪ Being proactive
▪ Professional knowledge ▪ Creativity
▪ Mental
4.1.2 Skills
▪ Learning habits
▪ Sensitivity to events
▪ Self-knowledge
▪ Social skills
 4.2 Managerial skills

❑ In order to handle their jobs effectively supervisors

require a combination of five key managerial skills.
❑4.2.1 Technical skill
❑ 4.2.2 Human skill
❑4.2.3 Conceptual skill
❑4.2.4 Diagnostic skill
❑4.2.5 Political skill
Shoutout

Shout Out #12: Post a list of important, topic-related

words or terms
5. Rolls of a Supervisor
 5.1 As a Manager (1)
• Supervision of the foremen, • Improving working conditions;
workers; • Developing morale and team
• Procurement of needed material spirit;
and tools; • Maintaining discipline;
• Planning, scheduling and • Controlling absenteeism;
assignment of work of each • Adjusting grievances;
individual;
• Improving methods of
• Training of workers; production; and
• Issuing of orders; • Representing the management
• Maintenance of quality; to workers and the workers to
• Care of machines and the management.
equipment;
• Getting out the required
production;
 5.1 As a Manager (2)
5.1.1 Key qualities for managers
• Providing clear directions
• Encouraging open, two-way communication
• Willing to coach and support people
• Providing clear objective recognition
• Establishing on-going controls
• Selecting the right people to staff the organization
• Understanding the financial implications of decisions
• Encouraging new ideas
• Giving out clear cut decisions when necessary
• Constantly demonstrating high levels of integrity
 5.2 As a leader (1)

❑ A supervisor must, by definition, be a leader

❑ His supervisory and managerial functions are concerned with
planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling and directing the
activities of other people towards the achievement of an
objective
❑ The leader needs:
▪ Awareness of what is going on in groups, the group process
or underlying behavior, and the actual content of discussion;
▪ Understanding, that is, knowing that a particular function is
required;
▪ Skill to do it effectively, which can be usually judged by
whether the group responds or changes course.
 5.2 As a leader (2)
5.2.1 Functions of a supervisor as a leader

▪ Executive ▪ Arbitrator and mediator

▪ Planner ▪ Exemplar
▪ Policy maker ▪ Symbol of the group
▪ Substitute for individual
▪ Expert
responsibility
▪ Group representative ▪ Ideologist
▪ Controller of internal ▪ Father figure
relations ▪ Scapegoat
▪ Purveyor of rewards and
 5.2 As a leader (3)
5.2.2 Nature of 5.2.3 Choosing a
leadership leadership style
❑ It is important to ❑ The authoritarian style
understand that ❑ The democratic style
leadership resides in the ❑ A genuine laissez-faire
functions and not a style
particular person.
❑ The situational style
❑ The various functions of
leadership can be shared
among members of the
group
 5.3 As a decision maker (1)
5.3.1 Features of decision making
Decision making has a number of important features:
▪ Decisions are made to achieve identifiable goals.
▪ They imply the existence of a set of alternatives to choose
from.
▪ The process of decision making is extremely dynamic.
▪ Decisions are made in relation to the environment.
▪ It is implied that a decision maker has the freedom to do so.
▪ When a decision has been made, the matter does not end
there. Decision making is an on- going process.
▪ Decisions are not made in haste. The process is intellectual
or rational.
 5.3 As a decision maker (2)
5.3.2 Scope of decision
making 5.3.3 Types of decisions
• The decisions regarding the • Institutional decisions:
allocation of resources • Strategy decisions
• The decisions regarding the • Programmed decisions
organization of work in a • Non-programmed decisions
well-defined direction – the • Initiative or forced decisions.
directive function. • Decision making under
• The decisions relating to certainty, uncertainty and risk
monitoring or checking – conditions.
the controlling function. • Personal decisions.
• Individual or group decisions.
 5.3 As a decision maker (3)
5.3.4 Decision making 5.3.5 Effective decision
process making
▪ Recognizing, defining and ▪ Personal values and
limiting the problem;
organization culture
▪ Analyzing, diagnosing and
evaluating the problem; ▪ Involving the staff
▪ Establishing criteria or standards
by which a solution will be judged
as acceptable;
▪ Discovering alternate solutions;
▪ Collecting data;
▪ Selecting the best solution:
▪ Converting the decision into
effective action.
Pair Share #2: Turn to the person sitting behind you (across from you,
in front of you) and ask her to summarize what she just learned in the
6. Supervisory Activities
 6.1 Managing workplace diversity
6.1.1 Definition of diversity
❑ Workplace diversity is a people issue, focused on the
differences and similarities that people bring to an
organization.
6.1.2 Managing diversity
❑ To address diversity issues, a supervisor should consider
these questions: What policies, practices, and ways of
thinking within the organizational culture have differential
impact on different groups? What could be done to meet
the needs of a diverse workforce as well as to maximize the
potential of all workers?
 6.2 Communicating effectively
Successful communication depends on the
supervisor
▪ Availability ▪ Appropriate information
▪ Attitude and behavior ▪ Being fair
▪ Approach to problems ▪ Establish standards
▪ Building relationships ▪ Sharing the vision
▪ Positive attitude ▪ Communication
▪ Humor
 6.3 Developing job expectations (1)
6.3.1 Job analysis
Job analysis is intended to reveal what is actually done as opposed
to what should be done
In order to describe a job, it is necessary first to analyze it. This is
done to find out the following things about the job:
▪ What different tasks are to be performed
▪ How the different tasks are to be performed
▪ What qualifications (education, training, skills etc.) and personal
qualities (good eyesight, good hearing, pleasant voice etc.)
should be possessed by the candidate.
▪ For what and for whom the candidate will be responsible
 6.3 Developing job expectations (2)

❑The results of job analysis are set down in job

description
❑Job description are different from each other
❑A job description describes a particular job. It
states the purpose of a job and its relation
with other jobs and people
 6.4 Employee training and
development (1)
6.4.1 Importance of training
The initial training is mainly provided within the
organization as the employees have to work there as
members of a workgroup
6.4.2 Employee induction
 Meaning and purpose
 Effective induction program
 Comprehensive content
 Follow-up
 6.4 Employee training and
development (2)
6.4.3 Key to successful employee training
The following can be considered the key
elements of successful employee training:
❑Some people learn more quickly than others
❑Training somebody to do something takes
longer than doing it oneself
❑When the task is complex, it needs to be broken
down in small steps
 6.4 Employee training and
development (3)
Types of training
▪ Activity training (on –the-job training)
▪ Craft training (skills)
6.4.6 Low investment processes
▪ On-the-job training and work experience in needed skills areas;
▪ On-the-job training and work experience to extend skills range;
▪ On-the-job training and work experience for conversion to new
jobs;
▪ Standing in for a higher-graded employee during absence;
▪ On-the-job performance coaching to achieve higher output targets;
▪ Off-the-job training followed by the ‘delivery’ of in-house training;
▪ In-house mentoring by the supervisor for career development
 6.5 Delegating (1)

6.5.1 Meaning of delegation

Delegation is:
A process of assigning various degrees of decision making
authority to subordinates;
6.5.2 Process of delegation
The following steps are to be carried out in a sequence:
▪Sizing up workload;
▪Assigning work appropriately;
▪Fixing responsibility and granting authority;
▪Creating accountability.
 6.5 Delegating (2)
6.5.3 Responsibility, authority and accountability
Responsibility refers to those obligations which a person is expected to
perform to the best of his abilities in a given direction. It is an obligation of
subordinates to perform duty as required by his/her superior. It is the duties
and activities assigned to a position.

Features of responsibility:
▪ Obligation to perform assigned work satisfactorily;
▪ Acceptance of assigned work leads to becoming responsible;
▪ Cannot be transferred or delegated;
▪ Acceptance of responsibility leads to becoming accountable to
superior;
▪ Flows from lower to higher levels.
 6.5 Delegating (3)

Accountability is an obligation:
▪ To keep superior informed about the progress of work
on a regular basis;
▪ To explain any failure in performance.
Importance of delegation of authority: Delegation of
authority:
▪ Is crucial to creating managerial/supervisory hierarchy;
▪ Permits managers/supervisors to concentrate on key
activities;
▪ Facilitates decision making;
▪ Causes a subordinate to accept accountability;
▪ Is based on the principle of division of work.
 6.5 Delegating (4)

6.5.4 Delegating successfully

Effective delegation can be achieved by making use of the following
guidelines:
▪ Establishing objectives;
▪ Evaluating competence of subordinates;
▪ Defining responsibility and authority clearly;
▪ Motivating subordinates;
▪ Establishing communication channels;
▪ Imparting proper training;
▪ Exercising supportive supervision;
▪ Determining standards of performance;
▪ Incorporating a feedback system.
 6.6 Employee counseling and
disciplining
6.6.1 Employee counseling
A situation which can lead to disciplinary action may be avoided by taking certain
steps. This involves having a talk with the subordinates, trying to find a solution
to the problem which is creating such a situation. This process of settling
problems without resorting to disciplinary action is termed employee counseling.

6.6.2 Disciplining
Supervisors of various departments always try to motivate, guide, advice, and
control their subordinates. In spite of this, occasions will arise when there is no
alternative but to take disciplinary action. Before committing to any proposed
disciplinary action, a supervisor might consult the HR manager and brief him/her
fully on the situation that has arisen and seek guidance.
 6.7 Evaluating performance
6.7.1 Purpose of Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal is an important tool of HR management, and is
extremely important for a supervisor to be involved in this process. It
is used for a variety of purposes.
▪ To appraise the quality of performance of different employees.
▪ Through this method, the appraisal procedure is standardized
▪ It may be used for training of employees.
▪ It is also useful in deciding the type and nature of training programs for
employees.
▪ It is an unbiased and systematic basis for any increase in the wages of
employees.
▪ It helps in identifying employees who may be considered for promotion.
 6.8 Health and safety (1)
It is the responsibility of a supervisor to ensure development and
maintenance of a safe and healthy ‘working environment for all staff
members working with him or her.

6.8.1 Safety and security issues

factors which can contribute to workplace accidents and injuries:
• The building
• The machinery
• Bad or inadequate lighting
• Poor ventilation
• Untidy working area
• The way work is done
 6.8 Health and safety (2)

6.8.2 Creating safety

consciousness
❑ Posters and notices
❑ Films and videos
❑ Fear techniques
❑ Discipline
❑ Role play techniques
❑ Coaching
 6.8 Health and safety (3)
6.8.3 Making people safe Fire prevention and
fighting:
❑ Making the job safe
• Prohibiting smoking
❑ Making the work
environment safe • Employing Safety &
security team
❑ Machinery and
equipment • Regular safety training
• Fire fighting equipment
• Fire doors and
emergency exist
 Think & Write

Think and Write #2: Think about what you’ve just learned. If you had
to explain the main idea to someone else, what would you say? Write
your explanation in a sentencer two.