Years ago, I worked with a newly appointed supervisor who was a good employee. Once promoted, they micromanaged the team by overseeing all the work the group was performing to ensure that tasks were performed correctly and efficiently and by department and organizational goals.
As they say, a good soldier. But no one wants to be micromanaged and questioned constantly. This person didn’t make a very effective supervisor and certainly not a trusted leader.
Being a great employee doesn’t guarantee success as a supervisor.
Being a good employee doesn’t necessarily translate into being a good supervisor or manager. Many organizations overlook the distinction between the skills needed to excel in a particular role versus those required to lead a team. While a top-performing employee might excel in their technical work, they may not have people skills or desire to handle the particulars of leading others.
There’s a difference between being a supervisor and a leader. Supervisory roles often require tactical qualities, like strong communication, administrative skills, conflict resolution, and the ability to motivate and develop others to achieve short-term goals.
On the other hand, leadership is a broader concept that involves strategic thinking, inspiring, and motivating others toward achieving long-term goals. Leaders are responsible for setting a vision, promoting continuous improvement, fostering teamwork, and empowering individuals to perform at their highest potential.
The Supervisor’s Impact on Team Success
In any organization, the roles of supervisors and leaders are crucial in driving both daily operations and long-term growth. Although the terms “supervision” and “leadership” are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct functions that complement each other in a well-functioning team.
Understanding the differences and synergies between supervision and leadership is essential for cultivating a productive, motivated, and efficient workforce.
Supervision and Leadership: Defining the Differences
Supervision is often associated with managing day-to-day activities, scheduling resources, problem-solving, delegating, and disciplining within the bounds of their immediate responsibilities.
Supervisors: Focused on Today, Leaders: Focused on Tomorrow
Supervision focuses primarily on short-term goals and immediate results and ensures that the work is completed according to defined guidelines and within specified timeframes. Supervisors typically exercise authority through control and direction. Their power comes from their position within the organizational hierarchy.
Leadership is about inspiring; supervision is about managing.
How Supervisors and Leaders Drive Performance and Morale
Supervisors may motivate their teams through rewards, recognition, or consequences tied to performance. Their decision-making is often based on established policies and procedures. Supervisors may also be positive influences or, in some cases, negative influencers.
Supervision is vital for maintaining order, consistency, and accountability in the workplace. Good supervision ensures that tasks are completed accurately, resources are used efficiently, and organizational standards are met.
Leadership’s Role in Inspiring Long-Term Success
Leadership, while closely related to supervision, focuses more on creating an environment where employees are motivated, inspired, and aligned with the organization’s vision.
Effective leadership fosters a sense of shared responsibility and long-term commitment among employees. Some key aspects of leadership:
Setting Vision
Leaders create a compelling vision for the organization or team. This vision gives direction and inspires employees to work toward common objectives. Effective leaders should empower their team members by encouraging autonomy and personal growth. They provide opportunities for personal development and allow employees to take pride and ownership of their work.
Inspiring Change and Building Trust
Leadership can encourage innovation and positive change. They are proactive in identifying new opportunities, identifying and addressing challenges, and driving continuous improvement. Leaders also encourage teamwork and open communication. By building trust and promoting collaboration, they create a culture where everyone’s contribution is valued.
The Synergy Between Supervisors and Leaders
While supervision and leadership are seen as distinct different functions, the most effective managers are those who can combine the two approaches effortlessly. In fact, the best supervisors are also great leaders, and vice versa.
Supervision and Leadership ensure that employees understand what is expected of them and provide the framework to meet those expectations. And provide flexibility for employees to take initiative and contribute creatively to the team’s success.
Creating a Pipeline for Exceptional Supervisors and Leaders
Employee Focus
First, Leadership and Supervisors need to truly believe that employees make an organization great. Based on industry research and my own experience, motivation for employees is feeling a part of and contributing to an organization and trusting their supervisor and leadership to have their back. Some people argue that money is a motivator, but money is only a stimulator—a short-term gain that creates no lasting results.
Employees thrive when they feel valued and supported by leadership.
One of the most influential people in my career was a gentleman who started a company in his garage and built it into a business with 400-plus employees. Every Thursday, he walked around and personally handed out each paycheck so he could get face time with every employee.
He had a way of making people feel good about working, and he made sure you felt you were a valued employee. He also sent each employee a birthday card with a handwritten message wishing them a happy birthday and saying how much he appreciated their efforts.
Those two small things made more than 400 people feel incredibly special. They would do anything for this man. This was a true leader, and his focus on each employee rubbed off on each department supervisor.
Supervisors and managers can benefit from a concentrated effort toward continuous improvement. I liken this issue to a professional sports team. Every year, the team looks to the draft or free agency to find the best available people to meet their needs.
Businesses are no different. Managers and supervisors must constantly identify areas that need improvement and find people with skill sets to help produce the desired goals and objectives for the department and the organization.
Both Leadership and Supervisors ensure that employees stay on task and follow policies and procedures while inspiring them to go beyond the minimum and reach for excellence.
To foster effective supervision and leadership, organizations must invest in the development of their managers. Some strategies for developing both supervisory and leadership skills:
Training and Development Programs
Offer workshops, seminars, and courses focused on leadership development, team management, conflict resolution, and communication.
Mentorship
Pairing emerging leaders and supervisors with experienced mentors can help them learn how to balance their roles and responsibilities more effectively.
Empowerment and Accountability
Provide managers with the autonomy to make decisions but hold them accountable for their actions. This balance promotes both leadership and effective supervision.
Finally, several years back, I wrote a column about supervision and discussed ways managers and supervisors can motivate staff to become a highly functional, organized, and high-performing group. In my research, visiting clients and facilitating training sessions worldwide, one theme is consistent: A manager or supervisor spends only 5-10 percent of a typical day supervising or managing their personnel.
Deming once said, “A bad system will defeat a good person every time.” This has been proven time and time again. Changing or being able to change the system to allow people to succeed works far better than trying to replace all the players working in a broken one.
A bad system will defeat a good person every time.
Supervision and Leadership are essential to the success of any organization. While they represent different functions per the organizational hierarchy, both are necessary for creating a productive, motivated, and innovative workforce. Keep in mind that some team members are excellent leaders even without the job title!
Andrew Gager, CEO of AMG International Consulting, Inc., is an industry-leading expert in manufacturing best practices, maintenance systems, and supply chain optimization, with over 20 years of Operations Leadership experience spanning from shop floor operations to plant management. The last 20+ years working with M&R organizations across industries such as manufacturing, oil & gas, food & beverage, pharma, and transportation, specializing in OpEx, reliability-based solutions and materials management. A Certified Maintenance Reliability Professional (CMRP), Certified in Planning & Inventory Management (CPIM) and Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB), Andrew is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for his dynamic presentation style. He is regularly published in multiple trade periodicals. He holds a BS in Business & Operations Management from Rochester Institute of Technology.
