Skills

As the supervisor, the biggest part of your responsibilities will be guiding and directing others as they perform their assigned tasks. Your value to the organization will be measured largely in terms of the quality of the work of your subordinates. This does not mean that all jobs can be delegated to the subordinates; you will still perform some tasks. However, you must not take the attitude that it is easier to do the work than to train or direct someone else.

To be a successful supervisor, you should develop and obtain skills described in the following paragraphs.

SKILL IN LEADING.-Here is where you should excel. Lead the personnel whom you are coaching; do not drive them. Set examples for them to follow. Know them as individuals and handle their problems individual y. Reprimand them in private; praise them in public. Subordinates will work for you, and their training will be more easily accomplished and more effective if you can learn to (1) be predictable and consistent in your dealings with them;(2) project to your subordinates the enthusiasm you feel for the work they are doing; and (3) have no fear of your position, your boss, the people you are supervising, tough jobs, or honest mistakes.

This is not an all-inclusive list of things that will make you a leader overnight. These items are sound, basic principles that, when mixed well with common sense, will improve your leadership abilities.

SKILL IN ORGANIZING.- Organization is a form of discipline that, if carefully managed, can contribute substantially to successful supervision.

An important element of good organization is the delegation of authority and responsibility, which must always go together. It has been said that the ideal of sound organization should be to fix responsibility as low in the organization as competence exists to assume the responsibility. Many individuals are reluctant to

delegate authority because they fear the possibility of being embarrassed by the acts of their subordinates. These fears are generally an indication of a feeling of insecurity on the part of the supervisor. This insecure feeling can best be overcome by training the subordinates to increase their capacity for accepting responsibility and authority.

Not only do supervisors sometimes fail to delegate authority, but they also frequently fail to delegate properly the work that needs to be done. Supervisors can easily handicap themselves by trying to do more than they need to do. The result is that they become ineffective supervisors and leaders.

SKILL IN COMMUNICATING IDEAS.- To be an effective supervisor, you should have the skill to

communicate ideas. Clear communication is essential in giving orders, in the dissemination of information, and in training or instructing. Clear communications are essential for both the sender and the receiver. Throughout your Navy career you have been reminded of the chain of command and line of authority. These channels must not be bypassed. If you expect your subordinates to work willingly and cooperative y, you must give them all the information they need to get the job done.

The supervisor must be able to demonstrate skill in instructing. Your subordinates are depending on you to demonstrate and coach them in the classroom or on the job in the correct procedures and methods to be used. You must develop skill in imparting your knowledge to trainees on how the job is to be done. As trainees progress from one work experience to another, you will be guiding and coaching them. To develop skill in instructing, keep the following in mind:

l Show your trainees how to do the job without showing off or showing them up.

l Have all the answers you can, admit it when you do not, and obtain the correct answer as soon as possible.

l Learn to be sincerely interested in others.

l Keep your sense of humor.

l Be patient.

l Be sure the trainee understands what the job is and how it is to be accomplished.

l Ensure that the trainee understands the time frames and deadlines set for the completion of a job.

SKILL IN PROBLEM SOLVING.- Problem solving is the practical application of all the other skills involved in supervision or leadership. Every day new problems are encountered; there may be difficulties different from any you have ever met. If you can look at these difficulties briefly, and then, almost without pause, see and apply a sound solution, you are fortunate. Indeed, you are exceptional; for most of us must cautiously examine difficult problems and weigh the solutions carefully. Even then, we are subject to serious errors if we overlook some of the details that are not too obvious.

If all of us were to go about solving problems in exactly the same reamer, we would necessarily have exactly the same thought processes. Although we do not

all think alike, those who are capable of finding proper solutions quickly and easily have something in common. They follow a well-established pattern of thought and action.

Some people practice the pattern instinctively, thereby reaching solid, useful conclusions in what appears to be an amazingly short time. For most of us, this pattern is not one we know instinctively. We learn it only after having paid in concerted effort. We may learn of it in the classroom, on the job, or from books, but it becomes a habit only after the trial and error of repeated applications.

The problem-solving process can be divided into six steps. Preliminary to solving a problem, you must recognize that there is an actual problem to be solved. Then you proceed as follows:

1. Define the problem.

2. Establish objectives; that is, determine what you want to accomplish.

3. Get the facts. Assemble all the facts related to the problem. Decide what personnel, if any, are involved. Review the record. Find out what rules, regulations, and customs apply. Contact any individuals concerned for opinions and feelings, as well as facts. Be sure you have the whole story. Perhaps materials or equipment constitute a part of the problem. Special methods or operational schedules may also have an effect on the problem.

4. Weigh and decide. After you have assembled all the facts, analyze the problem in light of the facts. Fit the facts together and consider their bearing on each other. Check regulations, policies, and practices. What possible actions are there? What are the possible results of each action? Choose the best action, but do not make sudden or quick decisions.

5. Take action. First consider the following

questions: Should I handle this problem myself? Do I need any help in handling it? Then consider the proper time and place to take the action that appears most likely

to solve the problem. Do not depend on someone else to solve the problem.

6. Evaluate the action. During this procedure, check the results of your action to see if it solved the problem. Never assume that the problem was solved,

as you may find that the action you took brought about additional problems instead of solving the initial problem. Watch for changes in output, attitudes, and relationships. If the problem was not solved, you may need to gather more facts and go through the entire problem-solving procedure again.

The problem-solving technique can be mastered by anyone willing to learn. It may seem to take a great deal of time, but eventually it will actually save time. The individual who desires to become a good manager should become so skilled in its use that this technique is used automatically when dealing with the problems of supervision.

Remember, the word problem is defined as an unsettled question or situation. When a problem is solved, it becomes just a temporary situation. An effective supervisor relieves temporary situations thus preventing them from becoming a problem.