Top 10 Skills in Supervision – Australia

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