The Foundation Skills Every New Supervisor Must Master: Part 1
- linnearader
- Sep 8
- 6 min read
When I first transitioned into supervision, I thought leadership was about having the right answers, making quick decisions, and ensuring tasks got completed. I focused on the technical aspects, budgets, schedules, policies, procedures. I believed that if I could master the "hard skills" of management, everything else would fall into place.
"The hard skills might have helped get you the promotion. The soft skills will determine whether you succeed in the role."
I was wrong.
Don't get me wrong, technical ability matters. You need to understand your department's work, your organization's processes, and your industry's standards. But here's what no one tells you when you first become a supervisor: your success will be determined far more by your ability to connect with people, navigate relationships, and create an environment where others can thrive.
The hard skills might have helped get you the promotion. The soft skills will determine whether you succeed in the role.
After nearly two decades in various roles and watching countless supervisors rise and fall, I've identified five soft skills that separate effective leaders from those who struggle. These aren't nice-to-have abilities that you can develop "someday when you have time." They're essential skills that you need to start building immediately if you want to be successful.
The good news? Soft skills can be developed in tons of ways, training/workshops, reading blogs (like this one) or other materials and then practicing what you've read, intentional practice, and self-awareness. The challenging news? They require ongoing effort and a willingness to be vulnerable and authentic in your leadership approach.
In this two-part series, I'll cover the five essential soft skills. Today, we'll focus on the first three foundational skills that form the bedrock of effective supervision.
Soft Skill #1: Active Listening
Most people think they're good listeners. Most people are wrong.
Real listening, the kind that builds trust, solves problems, and creates connection, is rare in workplace environments. We're usually waiting for our turn to talk, formulating responses while others are speaking, or making assumptions about what people mean before they've finished expressing their thoughts.
"Most people think they're good listeners. Most people are wrong."
As a supervisor, your ability to truly listen will determine the quality of information you receive, the strength of your relationships with team members, and your effectiveness in solving problems.
What Active Listening Actually Looks Like:
Active listening goes beyond simply hearing words. It involves paying attention to tone, body language, and what isn't being said. It means asking clarifying questions, reflecting back what you've heard, and creating space for people to fully express their thoughts.
When Maria came to my office saying she was "frustrated with the new process," I could have responded with quick solutions or reassurances. Instead, I listened actively and discovered that her frustration wasn't really about the process, it was about feeling like changes were being made without input from the people who actually do the work. That deeper understanding led to a conversation about communication processes that improved our entire team dynamic.
How to Develop This Skill:
Practice the 80/20 rule in conversations, listen 80% of the time, speak 20%. Put away distractions when someone is talking to you. Your phone, computer, and other tasks can wait. Ask open-ended questions like "Help me understand..." or "What would ideal look like to you?"
Listen, this might sound easy…for me anyways, it's a struggle. Capital S struggle. I want to solve problems, always have the answer right away, but the reality, that isn't actually helpful.
Most importantly, listen to understand, not to respond. Your goal isn't to immediately solve every problem someone brings you, it's to fully understand their perspective first.
The Impact on Your Leadership:
When people feel truly heard, they're more likely to bring you problems early, share innovative ideas, and trust your decision-making. Teams with leaders who listen actively have higher engagement, better communication, and more effective problem-solving.
"Your goal isn't to immediately solve every problem someone brings you, it's to fully understand their perspective first."
Soft Skill #2: Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions, both your own and others'. In supervisory roles, this skill affects everything from how you handle conflict to how you motivate team members.
Every interaction you have as a supervisor has an emotional component. How you deliver feedback, respond to mistakes, handle disagreements, and celebrate successes all impact your team's emotional state and, consequently, their performance.
Understanding Your Emotional Triggers:
"Recognizing your triggers allows you to respond rather than react."
We all have situations that trigger strong emotional responses. Maybe it's when someone questions your decision in a public meeting, or when you have to deliver disappointing news, or when you're dealing with a team member who reminds you of someone from your past.
Recognizing your triggers allows you to respond rather than react. There's a huge difference between "I need to think about this and get back to you" and an immediate emotional response that you might regret later.
I've learned this lesson a few times in my career; being questioned in public meetings, dealing with employees who don't own their mistakes, working with a group that didn't want team members messing with their efficiency, and more and more. My initial reactions were frustration, defensiveness, and impatience, emotions driven by my own tendencies. By recognizing these triggers, I was able to approach the situations more objectively and discover that the people asking questions, just wanted to understand the process, employees that don't want to own their mistakes AND those that don't want to have the "you're messing up our work" conversation, all just need some tools to utilize to successfully communicate.
Reading the Room:
Emotional intelligence also means being attuned to your team's emotional state. Are they excited about a new project or worried about increased workload? Are they confident in their abilities or feeling overwhelmed? Is the team dynamic positive or is there underlying tension?
This awareness allows you to adjust your communication style, timing, and approach to be more effective.
How to Develop This Skill:
Start with self-awareness. Pay attention to your emotional responses throughout the day. What situations trigger stress, frustration, or anxiety? How do these emotions affect your decision-making and interactions?
Practice empathy by trying to understand situations from others' perspectives. When someone reacts strongly to something that seems minor to you, ask yourself what might be driving their response.
Soft Skill #3: Clear Communication
As a supervisor, you're constantly communicating, giving directions, providing feedback, sharing information, facilitating meetings, writing emails. Your ability to communicate clearly and effectively directly impacts your team's performance and your organization's success.
But clear communication isn't just about being articulate. It's about ensuring your message is received and understood the way you intended it to be.
The Components of Clear Communication:
Clarity of Purpose: Before you communicate, be clear about what you want to achieve. Are you providing information, seeking input, making a decision, or solving a problem? Your approach should match your purpose.
Audience Awareness: Different people receive information differently. Some prefer detailed written explanations, others need visual aids, and some learn best through conversation. Beyond that, your relationship with your audience changes how your message is sent and received. Adapt your communication style to your audience.
Follow-Through: Communication doesn't end when you stop talking. Check for understanding, invite questions, ask what they heard, and follow up to ensure your message was received correctly.
"Clear communication isn't just about being articulate. It's about ensuring your message is received and understood the way you intended it to be."
Example in Action:
Instead of saying "We need to improve our safety protocols with traffic control," try: "I've noticed traffic is ignoring our current traffic control signage. I'd like us to brainstorm ways to reduce our risk and increase our safety. Let's schedule a meeting this week to discuss specific strategies."
The second approach is clear about the problem, specific about the goal, and clear
about next steps.
How to Develop This Skill:
Practice being specific rather than general in your communications. Instead of "soon," say "by Friday." Instead of "better," define what better looks like measurably.
Ask for feedback on your communication style from trusted colleagues or mentors. Are you clear? Concise? Easy to understand?
Building Your Foundation
These three foundational skills; active listening, emotional intelligence, and clear communication, work together to create the bedrock of effective supervision. When you can truly hear what your team is telling you, understand the emotional dynamics at play, and communicate your expectations clearly, you're well on your way to becoming the leader your team needs.
In Part 2 of this series, I'll explore the remaining two critical skills: adaptability and conflict resolution. I'll also cover how to create a development plan and put all five skills together for maximum impact.
In the next blog, I'll dive into how successful supervisors navigate change and turn workplace conflicts into opportunities for growth. Don't miss Part 2!
What's your biggest challenge with these foundational skills? Have you found active listening as difficult as I have? Share your experiences in the comments below.
As always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!
Connect With Me
If you want to consult on training or coaching for your team, please reach out.
269-621-5282
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