What Makes a Good Supervisor? 7 Skills to Look For
What are the Qualities of a Good Supervisor?
The qualities of a good supervisor are strong leadership skills, clear communication abilities, and emotional intelligence. Having good supervisor skills motivates and supports teams, provides guidance with integrity, resolves conflicts fairly, and creates opportunities for employee growth while cultivating a positive culture.
Why Are Supervisor Skills Important in the Workplace?
A team is only as good as its supervisor. A skilled supervisor is essential to achieving business success since they guide your staff toward company goals.
However, a 2021 study found that only 11% of HR teams have a strong supervisor to fill leadership roles. As a result, many companies lack leaders who can effectively lead the workforce. Poor management leads to higher turnover, low morale, and serious drops in productivity. Employees don’t leave companies—they leave bad bosses.
It’s important to carefully choose skilled, effective supervisors to protect the future of your company. A competent manager with supervisor leadership skills knows how to maximize your workforce’s capabilities and inspire members to reach their full potential, which will continue your organization’s forward progress.
What Are the Key Skills of a Good Supervisor? (Video)
7 Supervisor Skills to Look For
Competent supervisors have essential supervisor skills and qualities to fulfill their duties and responsibilities. By understanding what makes a good supervisor, you can make informed hiring decisions and develop effective leaders within your organization. Consider these supervisor skills for your company.
1. Strong communication skills
Effective communication is the core of a successful supervisor. A good supervisor must clearly articulate expectations, instructions, and organizational goals. You also want someone with good supervisor skills and is proficient in active listening to understand the team’s concerns and address productivity barriers.
During hiring, assess the candidate’s communication skills by asking situational questions about how they communicated with their team during challenging situations.
Tip: Include role-play exercises or group discussions during interviews to gauge a candidate’s communication abilities.
2. Approachability and empathy
An approachable and understanding leader creates an environment where team members feel secure when seeking guidance and expressing their concerns. Look for candidates interested in their team’s well-being and actively foster an inclusive, supportive work culture.
Tip: During the interview, ask candidates how they handled a difficult situation with an employee in the past and how they demonstrated approachability and empathy.
3. Mentorship and staff development
Ideally, a leader actively supports team members’ professional growth by providing guidance, offering learning opportunities, and rewarding achievements.
The supervisor should know how to identify team members with potential and encourage them to improve and pursue higher-level positions.
Hiring a good supervisor who demonstrates a passion for promoting the success of others and has a proven history of developing talent is beneficial.
Tip: Ask candidates about their approach to mentorship and how they have contributed to previous team members’ professional development.
4. Workload organization
Being a good supervisor means being responsible for effectively managing workloads and ensuring tasks progress as scheduled. Look for candidates who demonstrate strong organizational skills, can prioritize tasks, and have a systematic approach to managing deadlines and resources.
Tip: Present candidates with a pre-employment assessment test that independently measures important traits such as attention to detail.
5. Conflict resolution
Conflicts can arise in any workplace, and a good supervisor must know how to resolve them effectively. Watch for prospects who can handle conflicts diplomatically, listen to all parties involved, and find fair solutions that promote harmony and productivity.
Tip: Inquire about a candidate’s experience resolving conflicts between team members and how they reached a positive outcome.
6. Decision-making and problem-solving
Supervisors often face complex situations that require quick and informed decision-making. Hire candidates who can analyze problems, consider different perspectives, and make well-thought-out decisions under pressure.
Tip: Use case studies or situational judgment tests to assess a candidate’s decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills.
7. Willingness to learn
This supervisor trait is a mark of a great supervisor. By having someone with supervisor leadership skills eager to keep growing and evolving, your company can adapt quickly during crises or transitions.
Hire a genuinely curious employee eager to expand their knowledge and skills. They should welcome feedback, embrace new ideas, and stay updated on industry trends and best practices.
Tip: Ask candidates about their approach to professional development and how they stay current in their field. Inquire about instances where they proactively sought opportunities to learn and improve.
How to Train and Develop Your Supervisors for Success
Hiring the right supervisors is step one. Making sure they keep growing? That’s where the magic happens. Here’s how companies can develop rockstar supervisors:
1. Invest in Leadership Training
You wouldn’t expect someone to build a house without the right tools—same goes for leadership. Offer regular workshops, mentorship programs, and leadership coaching to help supervisors sharpen their skills.
2. Provide Real-World Learning Opportunities
Throwing supervisors into the deep end doesn’t always work. Instead, ease them in with job shadowing, role-playing exercises, and real-world problem-solving scenarios. This way, they can learn in a low-risk environment before making high-stakes decisions.
3. Use Feedback as Fuel
The best supervisors are always learning. Encourage 360-degree feedback—insights from employees, peers, and higher-ups—to help supervisors grow. The more they know about how they’re doing, the better they can refine their approach.
4. Give Them the Right Assessment Tools
If you think pre-employment tests are just for hiring, think again! Assessments can also help companies pinpoint where their supervisors need improvement. Whether it’s decision-making, leadership, or communication, tests give clear data on strengths and weaknesses.
5. Encourage a Growth Mindset
A good supervisor never stops learning. Encourage them to stay curious, attend industry events, read leadership books, and keep pushing to be better. When supervisors are in “growth mode,” the whole team benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions about Supervisor Skills
Can a supervisor help employees develop skills?
Absolutely! A great supervisor acts as a mentor, offering guidance, training, and feedback to help employees grow. Smart companies even use pre-employment tests to ensure they hire supervisors with top-notch coaching and leadership skills.
How can supervisors develop and enhance their decision-making skills?
Supervisors improve decision-making by analyzing data, considering different perspectives, and learning from past choices. Real-world experience helps, but many companies also use aptitude tests to hire leaders who can think fast under pressure.
What skills are essential for a supervisor to do their job?
A great supervisor needs strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and time-management skills. They should be able to motivate teams, resolve conflicts, and keep projects on track.
As a mentor or supervisor, what observation skills are needed?
Great supervisors pay attention to team dynamics, performance trends, and potential issues before they escalate. Sharp observation skills help them provide timely feedback and support.
Ignite Your Team’s Success with an Effective Supervisor
Excellent supervisors drive team success and achieve organizational goals. As such, you must carefully select leaders with the qualities of a good supervisor and have the proper skill set to create a thriving work environment that maximizes your workforce’s potential. Effective supervisors possess strong communication skills, approachability, people management abilities, and mentorship capabilities, among other things.
As you hire or develop supervisors, EmployTest can be a valuable partner. We offer supervisor aptitude tests that assess candidates’ skills and competency in various areas of efficient supervision. These assessment tools provide valuable insights to help you make informed hiring decisions and identify the right talent for your organization.
Check out our supervisor aptitude tests.
