Important qualities of a good supervisor
When asked what are the important qualities of a supervisor, different people hold different perspectives, due to their different experiences. After pondering this question on many occasions, I sum up three vital qualities that a supervisor or a boss should possess.
In my understanding, the most essential trait of a boss is that he or she should be able to do what is required of his or her subordinates. As an English proverb says,” Example is better than precept.” If a boss wants the employees to be hardworking, he or she should be diligent himself or herself. The dean of my department, for example, is a very conscientious man. He is never late in the morning and never leaves earlier than the rest of the staff. By setting himself as a good example, he teaches us what is a right attitude to work.
Another crucial feature of a boss is communication skills. The duty of a boss is to give instructions and directions to his or her employees. If the purpose and the means are not clearly explained, people may feel at loss as to what to do. Again, our dean is an expert in explaining a task. He usually not only lets us know what and how we should do, he also stirs up our interest and enthusiasm in the job to be done.
The last but not the least vital feature of a boss is that he or she should be an understanding or considerate person. If an employee made a mistake, the boss should not rush to criticize him or her. Instead, the boss should first figure out the reasons behind the wrong deed. By saying that, I do not mean that a boss should always be lenient. What I mean is that a boss should consider himself or herself equal to the employ as a human being. In that case, both parties can reach an understanding on the basis of mutual respect.
In short, a supervisor should be a person who is self-disciplined, expressive and considerate and who does not deem him or herself a superior being to others.
