Communication Skills for Supervisors
For your organisation to succeed, your Supervisors need to be proficient in these communication skills:
- Clear communication of the goal, or the target, to be hit.
- Clear communication of the plan (the ability to give clear instructions or requests)
- Communication of a decision and the reasons for the decision.
- Communication of delegated tasks.
- Giving constructive criticism / handling conflict situations and difficult people.
- Giving praise and appreciation.
- Motivating the team and inspiring a positive atmosphere.
- The proper and improper use of humour.
1. Clear communication of the goal, or the target, to be hit.
Since the purpose of your organisation is to succeed in achieving its stated goals, the supervisors need to be able to communicate what those goals are to everyone who is associated with making things happen on the ground.
All too often the people doing the work on the front-line, are not sure what it is that they are supposed to be trying to achieve.
Obviously, a clear sense of what the goal is, will make the achievement of the goal more likely.
2. Clear communication of the plan (giving clear instructions or requests).
All goals require plans to achieve them. A goal without a plan is a delusion.
So, just as a supervisor should be able to communicate a goal, so too should the supervisor be able to explain the PLAN that will achieve the goal: who will do what, with whom, with what, by when?
The supervisor must be able to explain what is supposed to happen today.
3. Communication of a decision and the reasons for the decision.
An important part of supervisory management is the ability to make decisions.
- Yes or no decisions?
- Which one decision?
- What kind decisions?
The supervisor needs to be able to communicate what decisions he/she has made, and the reasons why they made them in that way.
Explaining reasons for a particular decision is an important part of communication skills.
4. Communication of delegated tasks.
All plans require that certain tasks be done by certain people within a specified time. This is delegation.
So, the supervisor must be an expert delegator. Delegation is the act of entrusting the right task to the right person. And delegation is also a specific form of communication. So delegation is part of the supervisor's communication skills set.
5. Giving constructive criticism / Handling conflict situations and difficult people.
If you have a plan and delegated tasks, then your supervisors will soon come up against the situation of people failing to follow the plan; or failing to do what they were asked to do.
Then the supervisor must do some "performance management": i.e. give some constructive feedback, in the sense of constructive criticism.
Constructive criticism is a very important communication skill that needs to be mastered by all supervisors and managers.
There are many managers and supervisors who mess this up badly; they make their criticism sound like a telling off.
Most kids, and all grownups, HATE being told off. And being told off by the boss usually leads to worse performance, over time.
Corrective feedback is an art and a science and is an important part of communication skills for supervisors and managers.
6. Giving praise and appreciation.
On the other side of the ledger, supervisors need to give proper praise and appreciation to those who have earned it.
One of the most common errors made by supervisors is to forget to give proper praise and appreciation for a job well done. The lack of appreciation is keenly felt by the worker whose efforts seem to have gone unnoticed and unappreciated.
The lack of appreciation is a de-motivator.
The application of a few kind words of appreciation can work wonders.
7. Motivating the team and inspiring a positive atmosphere.
The application of kind words is part of the communication skills portfolio of a motivational manager or supervisor. The ability to use your words to purposefully inspire the positive emotions of optimism, confidence, motivation, pride and purpose is one of the greatest communication skills you could master.
You want to be able to inspire others, by the power of your words.
If you can do that you are well on your way to being a super supervisor.
8. The proper and improper use of humour.
Everyone likes to laugh, have fun, make a few jokes. Having fun is a part of being at work. And we know that it is sometimes appropriate and it adds value to have a certain amount of fun and games whilst at work. But not too much.
If you laugh at the wrong thing, or the wrong person, or at the wrong time, or if you come across too often as a comedian, then nobody will take you seriously as a supervisor.
You will become the office clown: Funny? Yes. But nobody will follow a clown into battle. And don't want a clown for a boss.
So be cautious of your use of humour at work. Have a fine sense of fun. A good sense of humour. But put a limit on it. Don't trivialise yourself or anyone else by overdosing on laughter.
Humour is a subtle communication skill that needs to be pitched correctly. It is good if humour is present, but only in limited amounts.
First Line Managers Training Questionnaire
Take our Team Leaders Quiz and discover where your first line managers skills are strongest and where you might need some training.
Leadership Training - The Effective Leader Manager
As the team leader or manager, you know that, on the technical level, you are very good. In your role as an effective and inspirational leader-manager, you recognise that there may be some gaps. Now you are searching for a method to help you to improve your skills as a team-leader and manager - click here to find out more!
Definition: Supervisor communication
Supervisor communication is the work skill that lets a team leader share clear goals, plans, choices and tasks, give fair praise and criticism, lift team spirit with upbeat words and careful humour, and use short, polite, timely messages that all can grasp and act on. If any of these four traits are missing, true supervisor communication is absent.
Show CG4D Definition
- Conveys clear goals, plans, decisions and tasks
- Gives balanced feedback with praise and constructive criticism
- Inspires and motivates through positive words and controlled humour
- Uses simple, polite and timely language that secures shared understanding and action
Article Summary
Supervisors who tell the goal, explain the plan, share decisions, delegate tasks, give fair feedback, show true praise, lift morale and joke with care turn a loose group into a keen team; staff feel engaged and output soars, rising by nearly a third according to CIPD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
How can a supervisor set clear goals everyone understands?
What details must a supervisor share when explaining a plan?
Why is it vital to explain the reasons behind a decision?
How should a supervisor delegate tasks to avoid confusion?
What makes feedback constructive criticism rather than a telling off?
What is the best way to give praise at work and motivate the team?
When does workplace humour help and when does it hinder team communication?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace found that only 23% of workers feel engaged, and weak manager communication is the top reason for disengagement. CIPD’s 2024 Good Work Index shows that teams whose supervisors set clear goals and give regular feedback deliver 29% higher productivity than teams without this support.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in Supervisory Management Skills
-
Communication Skills for Supervisors
Learn eight supervisor communication skills: set clear goals, explain plans, give feedback, delegate, praise and motivate. Use them to lift engagement by 29%.
Read Article > -
What Skills do I Need as a Supervisor?
Learn the seven supervisor skills that let you set clear goals, plan tasks, delegate well, boost drive and refine results, so your team hits targets every time.
Read Article > -
Supervisor Training
Practical supervisor training builds goal setting, delegation, conflict resolution and motivation skills; new leaders earn respect, cut errors and raise team
Read Article > -
Supervisor skills training
Give new leaders an edge with supervisor training that boosts clarity, conflict control and task focus. Learn key skills to raise team morale, output and profit
Read Article >
Looking for Supervisor Management Skills Training?
If you're looking to develop your Supervisory Management Skills, you may find this Supervisor Management Skills Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 13 days, London - Central, places available