What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)?
Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
Some important qualities of a good supervisor are: (a) honesty, (b) integrity, (c) empathy, (d) respect, and (e) cooperation. For an employer, the most important quality in a supervisor is honesty. Honesty refers to the ability of the supervisor to be honest with employees about his/her intentions and expectations. Honesty allows an employee to know what is expected of him/her. A supervisor who lies about both expectations and results allows employees to be less motivated and leads to a poor work ethic. The supervisor’s dishonesty undermines the company’s credibility and causes employees to question why honesty is not practiced universally in the workplace. In addition, if the supervisor lies about results, the company’s management may be held personally responsible for the poor performance. Therefore, honesty on the part of the supervisor is especially important, for the supervisor sets the tone for the company’s management policy.
The second most important quality of a good supervisor is integrity. Integrity refers to the ability of the supervisor to consistently do the right thing. Honesty is the foundation upon which integrity is built. Ethics, which are the rules of conduct that an individual or organization adheres to, are based upon the principles of honesty. Without integrity, an individual or organization can quickly lose the support of its constituencies. A supervisor with integrity will do the right thing, even when it is unpopular. For example, a dishonest supervisor may lie to shareholders about the company’s profits in order to increase his/her own profits. This dishonesty may lead the shareholders to believe that the company is struggling financially, which may result in them selling off their shares. Alternatively, the shareholders may hold on to their shares, while the company’s competitors acquire them at bargain prices, driving the company into bankruptcy. Integrity also refers to the ability to do the right thing even when it is inconvenient. A supervisor with integrity will not lie to a customer in order to make a sale. The supervisor may instead refer the customer to another vendor who will meet the customer’s needs. A supervisor with integrity will likewise refuse to approve projects that undermine the company’s ethical principles. A dishonest supervisor may approve projects that he knows will cause the company to lose money. In this way, the supervisor will not only harm his company by approving projects that lower its profits, but he/she will also cause unnecessary personal stress by spreading false rumors about the company.
Another important quality of a good supervisor is empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings, thoughts, and needs of others. A supervisor who lacks empathy will be unable to properly evaluate the performance of employees. A supervisor who lacks empathy may overlook an employee’s mistakes, which may result in poor performance. A supervisor who lacks empathy may treat employees who make mistakes harshly, which may lead to resentment and poor performance. Likewise, a dishonest supervisor may encourage employees to lie to management in order to cover up mistakes. A supervisor who lacks empathy may also fail to recognize that his/her actions may cause employees to feel marginalized and alienated. A supervisor must empathize with his/her employees and show concern for the well-being of his/her employees. For this, the supervisor must take the time to listen to his/her employees. In addition, the supervisor should make an effort to understand the causes of his/her employees’ problems. For example, a dishonest supervisor may punish an employee for making a mistake without realizing that the mistake is the result of the employee’s poor health. In that case, the supervisor may punish the employee without offering the employee any assistance.
A supervisor who lacks integrity will be unable to maintain good working relationships with employees. A dishonest supervisor will lie to his/her employees about both job requirements and company policies. As a result, the supervisor will be unable to explain to employees the reasons for the company’s policies and decisions. A dishonest supervisor may, for example, order employees to work overtime without offering overtime pay. When the employees complain about the unpaid overtime, the supervisor may lie to them and say that the supervisors kept the money. Because employees lack confidence in their supervisor, they will find it difficult to work cooperatively with the supervisor. This lack of cooperation will limit the ability of the company to perform effectively.
Employees will also lack respect for a dishonest supervisor. A dishonest supervisor will not inspire respect from employees because he/she lacks the courage to take responsibility for his own/her actions. A supervisor who lies to employees about his/her actions also lacks the courage to confront those who lie, which causes the employees to question the honesty of the supervisor. In addition, a dishonest supervisor is also unable to be held accountable. A dishonest supervisor may lie to an employee and then claim that he/she is too busy to deal with the employee’s complaint. If the employee files a formal complaint, the dishonest supervisor will not be held accountable. Therefore, the dishonest supervisor will not be able to inspire respect from employees.
A supervisor who lacks integrity will also lack the ability to work well with other employees. A supervisor who lies to employees about his/her actions will not maintain good working relationships with his/her co-workers. A dishonest supervisor will not be able to keep co-workers informed about company policies and decisions. As a result, the supervisor will not be able to effectively collaborate with co-workers. A dishonest supervisor also lacks the ability to listen to others, which interferes with an effective exchange of ideas. As a result, the dishonest supervisor will not be able to efficiently resolve