Module In Supervisory And Executive Management PDF

Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City MODULE IN SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Prepared by: Prof. Julito...

Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City MODULE IN SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Prepared by: Prof. Julito D. Bianes Jr. Office Administration Department SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 1  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Lesson 3 I. INTRODUCTION Supervisors typically are responsible for their direct reports’ progress and productivity in the organization. Supervision often includes conducting basic management skills (decision making, problem solving, planning, delegation and meeting management), organizing teams, noticing the need for and designing new job roles in the group, hiring new employees, training new employees, employee performance management (setting goals, observing and giving feedback, addressing performance issues, firing employees, etc.) and ensuring conformance to personnel policies and other internal regulations. Supervisors typically have strong working knowledge of the activities in their group, e.g., how to develop their product, carry out their service, etc. II. OVERVIEW Lesson 2 provides an intensive explanation what is meant to be a good supervisor. In this chapter, it explains the views about the supervisor’s role in management; significance of supervision; the supervisor: the firing line. III. OBJECTIVES At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: a. Explain what is meant by Supervisor. b. Know the roles and functions of a supervisor in organization. c. know the views of supervisor in the organization. V. TOPIC DISCUSSION The Views about Supervisor’s Role: According to Keith Davis, there are five views regarding the position of a supervisor in an organization or the supervisor’s organizational role which are as follows: 1. As a Key Man in the Management: A supervisor is the key figure in the organization because he/she makes decisions, controls work and interprets policy of the management to the work-ers. He/she represents management to the workers. Therefore, management is judged as he/ she is judged by the workers. He/she is also the main figure in getting the work done. However, in reality, he/she is less than a key figure. 2. Person in the Middle: According to this view, a supervisor has to work between two forces, namely the management and the workers. On the one hand, management has a lot of SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 2  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City technical and production-oriented expectations from him/her, and, on the other hand, the workers also have a lot of reward-oriented expectations from him/her. 3. Supervisor as the Marginal Man: According to this sociological concept, supervisor is either left out of main activities and influences affecting his/her department or he/she is just on the margin. 4. Supervisor as Another Worker: According to this view, a supervisor is just like a worker lack-ing authority and having a feeling that he/she is not part of management. Only his/her desig-nation is changed. 5. Supervisor as a Human Relations Specialist: As per this view, a supervisor is considered to be a human relations specialist looking after the human side of operations. The Supervisor: “The Firing Line” The reasons for the primacy of the supervisor's role in employee perceptions of the company are not hard to understand. For the average employee, the supervisor is the company. The supervisor is the daily conduit between workers and management. The supervisor gives work directions, evaluates performance, provides assistance or grief, relates well to employees or doesn't, and is a source of comfort or friction. While everyone knows that upper management and the senior leadership team have more influence in the overall direction of the company than first-level supervisors, no member of management has as much influence on the daily lives of the individual worker. The fact that other managers have more authority is relatively unimportant to workers because it is the supervisor who has authority over them. No other member of management spends as much time every day with employees as does their supervisor. So, supervisors can either make or break your company's efforts to create a favorable workplace, which ultimately has a major impact on how employees view the company. That, in turn, directly impacts how receptive they will be to a union's sales presentation. Since this is so, we'll list here a number of questions we recommend clients ask themselves as they consider the roles the supervisor plays in their particular organizations. These questions are designed to cause you to consider new ways to make supervisors more effective at their jobs. These are jobs which require a greater number of different skills than do many or perhaps a majority of those in a corporation. Supervisors are charged with: leading, inspiring, and guiding employees, while at the same time manufacturing the company's product (or providing its service) in a cost effective and timely manner, while maintaining employee morale and meeting quality, efficiency, reliability and safety standards, all within mandated cost parameters. It can make you tired just listing the diverse responsibilities one supervisor is expected to meet. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 3  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City This generic, but fairly standard, set of expectations pretty much sums up why the position of supervisor is difficult and shows why it is so hard to do well. There are so many balls in the air and so many responsibilities competing for a supervisor's attention, the employee end of the equation is often forgotten. Essential Skills Supervisors of a supervisor: 1. Communication ”86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures,” according to Clear Company. Supervisors with developed communication skills are able to use listening techniques and nonverbal strategies to improve conversations. It is essential for a supervisor to be able to balance time constraints and a heavy workload while managing other employees and projects. Having excellent communication skills allows supervisors to speak with impact, whether it be off-the-cuff dialogue or brief updates to their team. It is essential to keep thoughts organized and to the point. Giving and receiving feedback is another area that can be improved with developed communication skills. When using the right techniques, feedback can be used to reinforce or change behavior. 2. Conflict Resolution Conflict is when change happens and stances differ. When a supervisor has the ability to manage conflict well, issues come to resolutions and successful relationships are developed. A supervisor’s ability to define and identify conflict styles, causes, and methods for handling conflict can improve the department’s or organization’s productivity. According to CPP’s Global Human Capital Report, “where training does exist, it adds value: over 95% of people receiving training as part of leadership development or on formal external courses say that it helped them in some way. A quarter (27%) say it made them more comfortable and confident in managing disputes and 58% of those who have been trained say they now look for win–win outcomes from conflict.” 3. Leadership Supervisors with leadership skills help bring accountability to their teams by creating a supportive and motivating work environment. Leaders are able to delegate and manage a wide variety of skillsets. It is important for supervisors to lead their teams in the most effective way by recognizing where the strengths are, where improvement is needed, and how to properly use the skillsets of each team member. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 4  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City 4. Critical Thinking A study by Pearson notes that “the higher up the ladder a position is, the more essential critical thinking becomes.” A supervisor with critical thinking skills has the ability to develop a step-by-step process from targeting the problem to developing a solution. Critical thinking also helps in situations in which groups have different thinking styles and need a collaborative environment created to successfully work through issues. Critical thinking is a crucial skill in understanding how to methodically, strategically, and collaboratively make decisions, solve problems, and foster innovation. 5. Interpersonal Skills Different from communication skills, interpersonal skills are important for a supervisor to identify and build a purposeful team culture within an organization. Interpersonal skills enable an individual to develop highly effective teams that are built upon consensus, effective meetings, social style understanding and relationships. 6. Time and Priority Management Supervisors with time and priority management skills can boost productivity and efficiency. Being able to balance a heavy workload and time constraints while managing and delegating other employees and projects is an essential skill. It is ideal for supervisors to understand what is urgent and what is important. The University of Georgia conducted a study that found people who practice good management techniques often find that they are more productive, feel less stressed, get more things done, have more energy, and feel better about themselves. Supervisors with time and priority management skills are able to understand the differences in employee’s time and priority management and adjust projects and workloads to ensure success. 7. Diversity and Generational Differences in the Workplace The University of Florida studied workplace diversity and found that “respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges.” It is crucial for supervisors to have the ability to be aware of workplace diversity and understand the gaps and differences that exist as well as their impact. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 5  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Being aware of diversity issues helps supervisors appreciate the different experiences and places value on the impact it has on the workplace. 8. Problem Solving Good problem-solving skills are fundamentally important within the workplace. Achieve Global reports that “successful problem solving translates into enhanced productivity and increased profit.” A valuable supervisor is someone who not only knows how to take an issue and find the root of the real problem but also has a process for solving the problem in a structured manner. Supervisors with excellent problem-solving skills can greatly benefit any organization. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 6  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Lesson 4 I. INTRODUCTION A supervisor is anyone who oversees and manages a team or individual to ensure that they are performing effectively and satisfied in their role. The term “supervisor” usually refers to lower-level managerial positions, and these professionals often communicate information from their direct reports to senior management personnel. While being a supervisor has its challenges, it’s also a rewarding position where you can help individuals achieve personal career goals. Here is some background information to help you better understand what this role entails. II. OVERVIEW Lesson 4 provides a thorough explanation about the roles and responsibilities of supervisor in the organization. In this lesson, you will be able to know how the supervisor plays an important role in the organization. The few pages of this lesson tackles about the roles and responsibilities of supervisor; why supervisor fail on their jobs as well as the mistakes supervisors should avoid. In the context of management, a supervisor oversees the day-to-day performance of employees. Depending on the company, a supervisor may manage a team, a shift or an entire department. As you go along with this lesson, you will be able to know how supervisor transforms the over-all organizational goal and make a competitive advantage in the industry. III. OBJECTIVES At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: a. Know the roles and responsibilities of supervisor in the business. b. Tell why supervisor fail on their jobs. c. Know the mistakes supervisors should avoid. IV. TOPIC DISCUSSION Supervisor, being the manager in a direct contact with the operatives, has got multifarious function to perform. The objective behind performance of these functions is to bring stability and soundness in the organization which can be secured through increase in profits which is an end result of higher productivity. Therefore, a supervisor should be concerned with performing the following functions - 1. Planning and Organizing - Supervisor’s basic role is to plan the daily work schedule of the workers by guiding them the nature of their work and also dividing the work amongst the workers according to their interests, aptitudes, skills and interests. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 7  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City 2. Provision of working conditions - A supervisor plays an important role in the physical setting of the factory and in arranging the physical resources at right place. This involves providing proper sitting place, ventilation, lighting, water facilities etc. to workers. His main responsibility is here to provide healthy and hygienic condition to the workers. 3. Leadership and Guidance - A supervisor is the leader of workers under him. He leads the workers and influences them to work their best. He also guides the workers by fixing production targets and by providing them instruction and guidelines to achieve those targets. 4. Motivation - A supervisor plays an important role by providing different incentives to workers to perform better. There are different monetary and non- monetary incentives which can inspire the workers to work better. 5. Controlling - Controlling is an important function performed by supervisor. This will involve recording the actual performance against the time schedule. Checking of progress of work. Finding out deviations if any and making solutions If not independently solved, reporting it to top management. 6. Linking Pin - A supervisor proves to be a linking pin between management and workers. He communicates the policies of management to workers also passes instructions to them on behalf of management. On the other hand, he has a close contact with the workers and therefore can interact the problems, complaints, suggestions, etc to the management. In this way, he communicates workers problems and brings it to the notice of management. 7. Grievance Handling - The supervisor can handle the grievances of the workers effectively for this he has to do the following things: He can be in direct touch with workers. By winning the confidence of the workers by solving their problems. By taking worker problems on humanitarian grounds. If he cannot tackle it independently, he can take the help and advice of management to solve it. 8. Reporting - A supervisor has got an important role to report about the cost, quality and any such output which can be responsible for increasing productivity. Factors like cost, output, performance, quality, etc can be reported continually to the management. 9. Introducing new work methods - The supervisor here has to be conscious about the environment of market and competition present. Therefore, he can innovate the techniques of production. He can shift the workers into fresh schedules whenever possible. He can also try this best to keep on changing and improving to the physical environment around the workers. This will result in SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 8  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Higher productivity, High Morale of Workers, Satisfying working condition, Improving human relations, Higher Profits, and High Stability 10. Enforcing Discipline - A supervisor can undertake many steps to maintain discipline in the concern by regulating checks and measures, strictness in orders and instructions, keeping an account of general discipline of factory, implementing penalties and punishments for the indiscipline workers. All these above steps help in improving the overall discipline of the factory. Other Functions of Supervisor A supervisor has to: 1. Help his/her workers to develop their innate qualities to improve their performance. 2. Help his/her subordinates to adjust to their job requirements and to develop. 3. Make the workers loyal towards their organization. 4. Provide expertise, skills, knowledge and experience to make workers learn without fear and hesitation. 5. Encourage free communication. 6. Develop employee potential to an extent where they need no supervision. 7. Cooperate with other supervisors. 8. Prove a good link between the management and workers. 9. Solve personal problems of his/her subordinates to the extent possible. 10. Maintain discipline. 11. Correct the mistakes of his/her subordinates. 12. Explore new fields of knowledge. 13. Introduce new, useful and scientific methods of production and administration. 14. Have a clear understanding about his/her plan of action. 15. Know his/her job, duties, responsibilities, authority, accountability and so on. 16. Divide responsibilities and duties to his/her subordinates rationally and scientifically. 17. Listen and look into the grievance of his/her subordinates. 18. Delegate authority and win their confidence. The role of supervisors tells us little about the broad aspects of supervision or those factors that govern effective supervisory performance. Research in supervisory performance has indicated the following factors describing the performance of the best supervisor. 1) Favourable Work Climate: The best supervisor creates and maintains high performance standards under con-genial work atmosphere. He goals oriented and strives to attain expected results by adopting the right type of leadership to inspire confidence and voluntary discipline from his people. Favourable work climate can secure acceptance of his authority SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 9  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City voluntarily from his people so that obedience and loyalty can be easily secured from workers. 2) Personal Maturity and Sensitiveness: The best supervisor acquires personal maturity and emotional stability as well as empathy, i.e., sensitiveness to the feelings of others and capacity to understand feelings and emotions of those wor-king under his command. He develops a knack of saying the right thing at the right time, does not lose control even under pressure or tension and evinces a good sense of humour. 3) Human Relations Specialist: The best supervisor is a practitioner of industrial psychology. He recognizes indivi-dual differences as well as group mentality and keeps inter-personal relations harmonious. As a leader of his section, he has to capitalize human emotions, sentiments, and attitudes for maximum productivity without sacrificing employee satisfac-tion. In practice he has to compromise and ensure acceptable productivity and acceptable morale or employee satisfaction. Supervisors of high productivity sections do recognize that productivity is accomplished by people and not merely by procedures, policies and controls. In other words, employee- centered approach in supervision need not imply a lack of con-cern about productivity. A production-oriented supervisor tends to supervise closely, that is, in terms of specific proce-dures and schedules to be followed rather than in terms of goals to be achieved through team work. Research has proved that general supervision adopted by employee-centered super-visor can have much higher productivity. This means, human relations play a significant role in productivity. The best supervisor tries to consider each person’s strength and weak­nesses and how men work together before he makes any job assignments. Whenever possible, the supervisor assigns to a person a job he likes best. 4) Technical Job Knowledge: The best supervisor is technically competent. He has sufficient knowledge and information to understand any technical problem quickly and to devise the best workable solution. He gets the job done easily. 5) Self-Development and Subordinate Development: The effective supervisor is deeply interested in the development of human resources. He gives equal emphasis on his personal growth as well as on the growth of his subordinates. He tries to make assignments of jobs interesting and challenging to his subordinates. Purposeful duties create interest and vita-lity in the work and offer job satisfaction to employees. Chal-lenging work helps advancement of subordinates. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 10  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City 6) Knowledge and Execution of Company Plans and Policies: The best supervisor knows fully the plans and poli-cies of management and he executes them thoroughly. He also keeps up with changes in corporate policies and proce-dures and gives full information of such changes to his sub-ordinates. Why supervisor fail on their jobs. 1. Resources Do your supervisors have access to the resources that they need to carry out their responsibilities? While your initial response might be a firm “yes,” take a moment to really consider the question. “Resources” can be many different things (such as tools and information), but they can also be people. Having the necessary access to senior management and executives is critical to a front-line supervisor’s success. By taking the time to regularly interact with your supervisors, you will be able to better gauge the organizational support they are receiving. 2. Experience How much experience is enough? The answer to this question will vary depending on who you ask—and there is likely no single correct response. It might sound cliché, but every person is unique. The experience people need to meet expectations will depend on their specific personalities, backgrounds, and job duties. Evaluating whether front-line supervisors have enough experience to handle their new role requires an intimate understanding of the job you are asking them to do—as well as the ability to accurately assess their skills and knowledge. How would you rate their emotional intelligence? Their communication dexterity? Their ability to deal with conflict? A front-line supervisor without adequate experience and support will usually feel overwhelmed and contribute to lost productivity, reduced morale, and high turnover. 3. Training Even if your supervisors have the resources and experience they need to be successful in their role, they will fail if they aren’t given the proper training. It’s important to remember that training is not a once-and-done event. Professional development is a process that requires long-term dedication, but the benefits that result will make the investment worthwhile. Supervisor-development training is a critical tool for the challenges and setbacks that your front-line managers will inevitably face. With high-quality guidance and coaching, your supervisors will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and reach their highest potential SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 11  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Supervisor Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them Supervisors are often the front line for shaping employee engagement and productivity as well as overseeing compliance with workplace policies. However, without the proper training, direction and oversight, supervisors may be more likely to take missteps in these areas. The following include some of the most common supervisor mistakes and what you can do to help avoid them: 1. Poor interviews. From being ill-prepared to asking inappropriate questions, there are several ways interviews can go off track and lead to an uninformed hiring decision. During an interview, supervisors should be familiar with and refer to a list of common interview questions so that valid comparisons can be made amongst candidates. Additionally, supervisors must be careful to avoid questions that have the potential to reveal a candidate’s status in a protected class (e.g., the candidate’s age, race, religion, etc). Practice Tip: Train supervisors on how to prepare and conduct effective interviews. They should also be trained on nondiscrimination laws and instructed on the types of questions to avoid. 2. Ineffective goal setting. Goal setting is important for creating performance expectations and informing employees of how their achievements will be measured. Performance goals are usually set upon hire and as part of the regular performance review process. Supervisors should work with employees to set realistic goals and monitor progress to help ensure success. Practice Tip: Consider using the SMART framework when setting performance goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, accepted, realistic, and time-framed. This means goals should be detailed enough so that employees understand the desired outcome, who is involved, and the steps needed to achieve results. They should also be attainable, accepted by the employee, and time sensitive. 3. Insufficient feedback. Effective feedback helps employees understand the areas in which they excel or need to improve. If feedback is given infrequently (or not at all), it can leave employees unsure of where they stand and lead to decreased engagement and/or performance. Practice Tip: Supervisors should provide frequent, timely, and constructive feedback throughout the year. When possible, feedback should be delivered in person. It is important to note that supervisors should avoid criticizing employees publicly; negative feedback should always be given privately. 4. Too little recognition. Sometimes supervisors forget the importance of recognizing and rewarding positive performance. When employees know their efforts are appreciated, it can encourage them to continue to work hard to meet company goals. Recognition can be formal or informal and does not need to involve a monetary reward. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 12  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Practice Tip: Consider public praise (e.g. in a staff meeting), a handwritten note recognizing the employee’s accomplishment, or a unique work project or development opportunity. Supervisors should consider individual motivators and tailor rewards and recognition accordingly. 5. Failing to address issues promptly. Handling performance problems, conduct issues, and conflicts between employees are some of the most difficult supervisory responsibilities. Because these tasks may be considered less desirable, supervisors are sometimes slow to address them. However, ignoring the issue or delaying action can exasperate the problem. Practice Tip: Employers should provide supervisors with training and guidelines for responding to and documenting these types of situations. 6. Mishandling leave/accommodation requests. Supervisors need to know how to handle requests for leave as well as reasonable accommodations for a disability and religious practices or beliefs. These procedures are sometimes governed by federal or state law and may require certain notices to be provided to the employee. Practice Tip: Supervisors must respond to these requests in a consistent and non- discriminatory manner. Employers should provide supervisors with guidelines along with the appropriate notices for responding to, documenting, and granting such requests. 7. Wage and hour violations. Supervisors play an important role in complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by ensuring that their employees’ time is properly accounted for. Inform supervisors of the federal, state and local rules governing wages, hours, and overtime and instruct them to comply with these requirements at all times. Supervisors should direct nonexempt employees to record all hours worked, including time worked outside of the workplace (e.g. checking email). Practice Tip: A best practice is to have supervisors sign off on employee time cards each pay period and conduct a periodic audit to make sure company procedures are being followed. 8. Infrequent communication. Supervisors should be conveying important company information to employees on a regular basis. When employees remain informed, they are more likely to understand how their work impacts company objectives, which can in turn help to increase engagement and motivation. Practice Tip: Guide supervisors on what information to share and how to convey it. If information is given during companywide meetings or communications, supervisors should also be encouraged to discuss it during department and one-on-one meetings. 9. Neglecting training and development. Training can give employees the skills they need to succeed in their current job and development opportunities can provide employees with the skills they need for future growth. Both are important components of employee satisfaction and success. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 13  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Practice Tip: Supervisors should work to continually train and develop their staff. Identifying training needs and facilitating succession planning, coaching and mentoring are a few ways supervisors can help groom their employees for success. 10. Acting inconsistently or without proper oversight. Supervisors must be consistent when enforcing company policies and procedures. While supervisors are often given some amount of autonomy, critical decisions (e.g. employee terminations) should never be made without careful consideration and proper review with the appropriate people. Practice Tip: Employers should provide supervisors with thorough training on how to enforce company policies and procedures. They should also be provided with guidance on the types of situations that require consultation with their own manager, an HR representative, and/or legal counsel. Effective training, guidelines, and oversight can help new as well as seasoned supervisors perform their job better and avoid common mistakes. Employers should review these areas on a regular basis to ensure intended results are achieved. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 14  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Lesson 5 I. INTRODUCTION A supervisor is more than just a leader of people - his work team. He plans, organizes, and controls the activities of the firm toward the accomplishment of the organization's objectives. As such, he should possess all the qualities of a leader if he is to be a success. James Menzies Black and Virginia Todd Black, husband-wife team, in their book "The Front-Line Manager's Problem Solver." pointed out three things that top management asks of a supervisor. According to them, they are: (1) the ability to think logically and to make sound decisions; (2) the patience to follow up on details without losing sight of the big picture; and (3) the willingness to train subordinates so that they can carry out their assignments properly. Ralph Currier Davis and Alan C. Filley added: "Successful leadership is the product of three main factors: (1) the leader, (2) the follower, and (3) the situation. The first is concerned with the leader himself: his characteristics, his biological heritage, his methods. The second is concern with the people whom he leads; their leadership demands, their acceptance of different kinds of leadership, the importance of their functional experience. Finally, one must understand the conditions under which leader ship takes place; the effect of changing economic conditions of company growth. II. OVERVIEW In this lesson, you will be acquainted with the qualities of leadership. In this lesson, you will also know the attributes found in successful leaders; In the business organization. As you go along this chapter, you will also get to know the types of leadership in the organization. III. OBJECTIVE At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: a. Define what is leadership b. Determine the qualities of leadership in the organization. c. Know the attributes found in the successful leaders and in the business organization as well. d. Know the types of leadership. IV. TOPIC DISCUSSION What is the best definition of leadership? SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 15  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City The best definition is leadership is the act of motivating other people toward a common goal. People that have leadership skills showcase a strong personality and interpersonal skills to lead others in their direction. Why is leadership an important skill? Leaders inspire others to follow a certain path in life. These leadership skills are important because human nature requires that certain people need to take charge and help others. Without leaders, it’s very difficult to manage large groups of people, set unified goals, and make progress. Here are the most important leadership qualities and skills to look for in a great leader. Communication. - If you’re in a leadership role, good communication skills are absolutely crucial. Using language to perform one-to-one communication is really all that we have as human beings. Integrity. - C.S. Lewis said: “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” There are many things to look for in people with integrity, including: Apologizing for mistakes Highlighting the work of their employees and downplaying their own contributions Giving the benefit of the doubt when circumstances are unclear Being appreciative of people’s time Accountability. - For accountability, an effective leader needs to follow the advice of Arnold Glasow when he said, “A good leader takes little more than his share of the blame and little less than his share of the credit.” A strong leader is accountable for the team’s results, good or bad. They hold themselves and their employees accountable for their actions, which creates a sense of responsibility among the team. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 16  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Empathy. - A true leader has enough open-mindedness to understand their followers’ motivations, hopes, dreams, and problems so that they can forge a deep personal connection with them. Humility. - When it comes to leadership, it can be tempting to become enamored with a new title or status. However, great leadership styles focus on problem-solving and team dynamics much more than self-promotion. A great leader will never be effective if they’re more concerned with themselves than with the well-being of their team. As Thomas Merton said. Resilience. - The true grit of a leader is not how they perform during good times, but how they roll up their sleeves and produce when times get difficult. Great leaders with positive attitudes lead by example and rally their team no matter the circumstances. It’s this inherent positivity that helps react to situations with a calm, collected manner and focus on solutions rather than on problems. Resilience is a leadership trait that comes with experience. Vision. - Jack Welch said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” Additionally, John C. Maxwell stated, “people buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” A company’s vision only goes as far as a leader’s influence over others. A great leader clearly sets the organizational direction and exercises keen decisiveness. Decision-making is key to new ideas, ensuring team members know the bottom line, and understand the goals and the mission in front of them. Influence. - Some leaders believe that when they attain a certain level of leadership status, respect will automatically be given to them. This is not the case. Leadership and influence are not interchangeable and respect has to be earned, not given. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 17  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City Here are some things that leaders can do to increase their influence: Clearly state what they want Connect with people emotionally Make others feel important Be vulnerable and charismatic Work toward commonly shared goals Ask for suggestions and input Build real, lasting relationships Act professionally on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn Have self-awareness Positivity. - Leaders inspire their team not based on their own goals or outcomes, but on their exhibited behavior, life outlook, and attitude in any given situation. It’s often said that employees and direct reports exhibit the behavior of their managers – and good leaders need to lead by example at all times while mirroring how they want their team to act. This comes down to positivity. Even the calmest workplaces can get stressful at times – its more important how leaders react to this stress with a positive outlook rather than get flustered and place blame. Delegation. - A difficult transition for many leaders is shifting from doing to leading. Many new leaders are accustomed to doing all the work themselves and struggle to let others handle responsibilities on their own. Great leaders must elevate their team – they must be more essential and less involved. Confidence. - To be an effective leader, you need to roll up your sleeves and take charge. This includes being confident enough to lead, knowing that your plans and vision are not only viable for the team but the absolute best decision possible. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 18  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City If you lack confidence in a leadership role, people will spot that quickly. “Make it ’til you make it,” they say about confidence – and that is 100% true. The more that you believe in yourself, the more you’ll be able to manage any stressful situation. Attributes Found in Successful Leaders. The following chame teristics are found in successful leaders: a. The leader is endowed with bountiful intelligence especially when compared with his followers. He has the intellectual ability to reason clearly about problems which he faces. b. The leader is well-rounded from the standpoint of interests and aptitudes. Because he must deal with many types of people from time to time, he is able to adapt himself to a variety of situations. He is flexible. c. The leader has great facility in his language of communication. As such, he is able to express himself clearly and devoid of ambiguities. d. The leader is mentally and emotionally mature. This is important since time and again he may have to make important decisions. e. The leader is full of enthusiasm and powerful drive that are responsible for his accomplishments. f. The leader recognizes the fact that in many endeavors, there is a need for cooperation. Thus, he understands and practices social skills. Briefly summarized the traits found in a successful leader are: ✓ Intelligence ✓ Experience ✓ Originality, ✓ Receptiveness, ✓ Personality, Communicative ability, ✓ Initiative, ✓ Tenacity, ✓ Human understanding, ✓ Courage, ✓ A sense of justice and ✓ Fair play. Leadership in the Business Organization. Focusing attention on leadership in the business organization, Edwin M. Robinson to his mind believes that they are manifested in the following ways, such as: a. Intelligent assignment of tasks b. Noninterference of their execution SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 19  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City c. Comparison of results with established standards d. Adequate reward for satisfactory or extraordinary performance e. Readiness to assist in the solution of perplexing problems f. Thorough and demonstrated belief in the soundness of the business, the product, the personnel, and the methods. g. Instilling enthusiasm throughout the organization, particularly with respect to key executives. h. Possession of an unfailing sense of values and of proportion. i. Focusing of attention on the major phases of management and planning for the future leaving all operating problems and other details entrusted with their execution. TYPES OF LEADERSHIP According to a research study by Lippit and White, it was found that democratic leadership produced less aggressive behavior, less dependence on the leader, more group initiative, and more productive behavior than autocratic leadership. There are several a priori reasons for the apparent superiority of the democratically-led group. An authoritarian leader is quite likely to find,or for one thing, that the followers have deserted him at a critical time can hold only those with uncritical minds and possessing der personalities. A second factor is that subordinates can sabota activity or a project simply by doing as they are told, withholding views and information, letting their bosses hang themselves by their mistakes. This takes courage, for subordinate also suffers when w with which he is associated falls. His conscience may trouble him for doing when he could save the venture. The authoritarian leader can only expect to encounter mounting resistance in its more subtle and troublesome forms. A third factor found in the inherent weakness of organizations built around the authoritarian behavior of one man. When that one man goes, the entire organization is likely to collapse, for such a leader has not allowed others to develop enough to replace him and to keep the organization's executive resources strong, an observation aptly pointed out by MacFarland. Throwing interesting light on the subject of authoritarian leadership, Black and Black referred to earlier, said among others the following: a. Initiative is destroyed. This is due to the observation that subordinates rely entirely upon their supervisors to do the thinking for them. b. Not leaders but followers are developed. The authoritarian system may develop competent order takers, but it is doubtful that such a method trains people to accept responsibilities themselves. c. Ambitious subordinates leave. As the saying goes, "nothing grows under an umbrella tree." Nor does the "do-everything-my-way" kind of boss encourage talented, resourceful men to stay with him. Such people SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 20  Republic of the Philippines City of Taguig Gen. Santos Avenue, Central Bicutan, Taguig City prefer an atmosphere in which their own ideas are given recognition, and, when good ideas are accepted. d. Mistakes cannot be afforded. As long as plans are successful, everything goes all right. But mistakes cannot be tolerated or accepted as something inevitable in some cases by authoritarian supervisors. QUALITIES NEEDED BY A SUPERVISOR 1. Technical competence. While outstanding technical efficiency alone is not enough to transform a worker into a foreman, to get production (or service) and moreover to command as a leader, it is doubtless necessary that the front-line supervisor be efficient in technical matters. In fact, every foreman also needs technical ability - with his hands, as well as in his thinking-to face his responsibility for teaching new workers and for the purpose of ably demonstrating new methods. While there are those who claim that the "poor" supervisor only thinks about things whereas the "good" supervisor thinks about people, such a concept is far from correct. Rather, every supervisor must think about things and people. 2. Ability to recognize and develop individual capability. One important responsibility of every first-line supervisor is to understand that the key to successful leadership is understanding and maximum use of the talents and skills of people. While it is doubtless true that in any large firm, no higherup than a first-line supervisor is in a position to know each worker as an individual, nevertheless, unless every worker feels that someone understands him as a person, he cannot avoid the suspicion that he is "nothing more than a cog in the machine or industrial organization." 3. Ability to get teamwork. For a supervisor to enlist and secure cooperation from his subordinates, he must find ways and means of inspiring his subordinates to exert their best efforts in production. Workers must be taught that collective effort is better and desirable than individual effort alone. It must thus be inculcated into their minds that what is impossible of attainment by a single individual is possible with collective team effort. SUPERVISORY AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Page 21