Being a first-level supervisor is one of the most difficult, demanding and challenging jobs in any organisation, says Harvard Business Review.[i] A supervisor juggles many balls – managing, delegating, leading, resolving conflicts, motivating and more. To be able to supervise a team of any size and skill level, a common set of supervision skills is needed. Here are the top 10 skills that a supervisor needs to successfully supervise at any level.
| 1 | Supervising Others | Know the qualities of winning supervisors and the management skills they use |
| 2 | Communication | Use clear and concise language to promote understanding |
| 3 | Leadership | Create common ground, encourage collaboration and keep the team motivated |
| 4 | Delegation | Know when and whom to delegate |
| 5 | Critical Thinking | Get to the root of problems, generate solutions and create a plan to implement them |
| 6 | Employee Motivation | Know how to use personal motivators, and help employees to grow and develop |
| 7 | Giving Feedback Constructively | Sandwich a negative feedback between two positives |
| 8 | Time Management | Set SMART goals, prioritise, delegate and create rituals to manage time |
| 9 | Conflict Resolution | Learn to identify individual needs, find common ground and suggest options to resolve the issue permanently |
| 10 | Communicating across Cultures | Develop a basic understanding of the other culture, notice non-verbal cues and show acceptance of the cultural differences |
Sources
[i] https://hbr.org/1980/03/let-first-level-supervisors-do-their-job